Traditional Polish Christmas Eve

...the Rezler-ized version.

Every year that I can remember as a little girl, the Wlodarczak family would meet at Aunty Clara's house for Wigilia. I can still see the rooms of the house, filled with people, decorated for Christmas, kids playing, I especially remember the pictures she had hanging on the wall... they were cut out and glued on plastic lids, hanging in rows denoting the family groups from which everyone came. I also remember the map of the US that marked all of Aunty's and Busia's travels, and the beautiful tree she'd always have decorated with the spinning lighted ornaments, (before any such thing really existed in today's stores.) I don't remember a whole bunch about the meal... sledzie and fried fish is about it. The rest was a bunch of stuff that I hadn't acquired a taste for yet and the cookies and treats is all I really wanted. Aunt Tamara specifically remembers the boiled potatoes... very dry w/ no butter, kapusta and kasza.

When we no longer went to Aunty Clara's, we started having our own 'traditional' dinner at home after Christmas Eve mass... fried perch, potato salad, cole slaw, shrimp, mushrooms and french fries. Mmmm mmmm. May not be "wigilia", but sure is a darn good tradition!

This year was no exception. At mass, Emily enjoyed her favorite song "Away in a Manger" and loved to go to look at the Baby Jesus in the manger... as well as seeing Busia sing in the choir, and of course going w/ Aunt Tamara to get a candy cane after mass! (Momma's favorite was hearing Emily ask Dziadz what the stations of the cross were... what are those pictures? what are they doing to Jesus? why? what? why? what? why? why?)

Before dinner, we got to take a few photos....

Then it was time to hurry home to get ready for Santa's busy night!