My family really didn’t have any holiday traditions when it came to Thanksgiving, but Christmas… well, it has holiday traditions galore. Mom and Dad went big on Christmas though each in their own way. My Mom, being the consummate cook, always makes a special meal on Christmas eve and though the line up may change, there are a few constants: smoked salmon and caviar to start, and her famous Bûche de Noël for dessert. In the past couple of years, I’ve taken over the Bûche making which has been a bit of a challenge since I’m not really a baker (think burnt sponge cake, butter cream frosting that still has lumps of butter in it, and meringue mushrooms that look more like bird turds), but one of the beautiful things about holiday traditions is that they are meant to be passed down.
My Dad, though he loved to eat, really wasn’t a cook while my parents were married. For him, Christmas was all about music. He put together a singing group every year who would start rehearsing their Christmas program sometime around the 1st of November. It drove my Mom nuts, but for me, the holidays weren’t official until my Dad put Frank Sinatra’s “Jingle Bells” on the turn table. It was kind of our thing and now that he’s passed, I carry on this holiday tradition in my own home. There are always a few tears when I listen that first time, but there’s also a lot of joy.
One of the holiday traditions that my parents did share was entertaining. Our house was always the place where my brother’s and my friends gathered to eat, drink and be merry. It’s a holiday tradition that I’ve definitely continued. Not only do I like to have friends over for dinner this time of year, but two of my closest friends and I gather together every December for our annual “Yes, No and Why Bother” tour of the Huntington Palisades Christmas decorations.
I have been friends with Chans and Jules since I was 15 which makes me feel incredibly blessed. Since Christmas is a time to give thanks, I wanted to acknowledge all of the best friends in my life. Some of you, I don’t get to see that often. We might go years without a word, but the nice thing about a best friend is that when you do talk, text or see each other, it’s as if no time has passed. So, in the vein of giving thanks and sharing holiday traditions, here’s a Christmas playlist that I made for my Dad. It includes some classics, but also some new, funkier (at least for him) takes on the Christmas standards. Hope you enjoy and may your holidays be filled with family, friends and love. Happy Holidays!
