A Christmas Past

As a child, Christmas Eve was by far my favorite holiday. We spent it at my father's parents' house in NJ and spent Christmas Day at my parents' house with my grandparents.

Christmas Eve was always magical. It started at around 3 or 4 PM when we would arrive at my grandmparents' house with a trunk full of presents. We would walk in and Grandpa Jules would be getting the egg nog ready while my Aunt Kathryn and Grandma Elsie were busily preparing the food in the kitchen. With a flurry of Slovak, my grandma would give instructions to my grandpa. We'd some snacks before dinner - veggies and cheese and crackers and other tasty bits. 

Then, we would have a huge meal around a long table. There would be tons of food and conversation. I would be on the edge of my seat waiting for the adults to finish. Dinner seemed to take forever. Then, dessert and coffee. We usually ate the famous cake from Gaston Avenue bakery - hazelnut cake with hazelnut cream in between the layers and

 thin slices of dark chocolate all around the edges. It was heavenly.

Finally, we would head to the living room to open the gifts. Everyone had their own corner of the large living room. After my g

randfather passed away, I adopted his chair -- a dark brown recliner perfectly angled toward the television -- and my presents were all delivered to that spot. After the presents were opened, we would all head home.

We left the house through the basement and the garage saying our good byes. I rem

ember thinking of what Santa was goi

ng to bring me as I waited by the door to the garage, where my grandma hung some pictures that I made for her. 

On clear nights, the moon would fill the window of the backseat of the car and it felt like it was following us home. The ride was short -- only about 20 or 30 minutes -- but I would usually fall asleep.

While I was in college, my grandmother moved into my parents' house and sold her house as it was getting to be too much to take care of. From then on, either my parents or the Asheys host Christmas Eve.  It's still a fun event for everyone.

PICTURED: Grandma Elsie and Aunt Kathryn at my parents' house for Christmas 2002.