Merry Christmas Eve!

I woke up today thinking about my Grandma Krupa and Christmas Eve at her and my Grandpa's house growing up.  It was so much fun to see all my cousins and play and catch up with them.  My dad is one of 6 and each of his brothers and sisters have at least 2 kids so all together I have 14 first cousins and 10 aunts and uncles.  We all crammed around all the tables that would fill up my grandparents house and have a traditional Polish Christmas Eve dinner called Wylyia.  A few years ago, after both my grandparents passed, I made a storybook of all the pictures and memories my family and I had from those Christmas Eve's growing up.  I am so glad I made that and I know I will be looking at that book today and reading all those words my aunts, uncles and cousins wrote about the Christmas Eve's growing up. 

They were wild, noisy, sugar fueled evenings of fun for us kids- running around, playing games, pulling up the trapdoor to the crawl space to bury our yearly book, climbing through the bathroom windows, raiding the dresser drawers to find Grandpa's candy stash and some years a visit from santa, other years a gift exchange.  What fun for any kid! 

I am so thankful to have those memories and had those gatherings with my cousins.  You could always count on Christmas Eve not to be dull! 

I can't believe all the work my grandparents would do to get ready for the event.  I know they planned for weeks and cooked for days.  I know my grandmother enjoyed having all her family together and in one place at the same time.  Not a simple feat for 30 people.  But a tradition is hard to break and each year as the family got older and expanded in numbers she always welcomed any guests and new family members and had a place for them to sit and eat. 

Merry Christmas Eve to you all, especially my Krupa aunts, uncles and cousins.  I miss the perogies, mixed fruit and the raisin bread.  I do not miss the soup or the fish eyes.  Merry Christmas as I break off a little part of your oplatek (wafer). 

Here's a video my cousin made of home movies of the years....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfY5nMAJf5U

Thanks for the great memories Grandma and Grandpa Krupa- I miss you both!  You both taught me what was important in life: family, religion, and giving back to and being involved in your community.