AN ITALIAN CHRISTMAS STORY
The day of the year I anticipate most rests on the twenty-fourth of December. My family's true Italian side comes out during the Christmas season. We practice unique and amusing traditions that would interest most, but enliven all. This is accomplished through the closeness of my family, the games we play, and most exhilarating of all: the opening of the gifts.
Each year, my immediate family and my Nona (that is Italian for 'Grandma') arrive at my Aunt and Uncle's home (which just so happens to be the next block over) to start off the night. My Nona is, according to me, one of the greatest Italian cooks to ever grace this Earth, so experiencing her Christmas dinner is something to truly appreciate. My family usually fasts the whole day to prepare for this monumental event. My Nona spends a total of eight hours in the kitchen cooking up an array of dishes that are so plentiful, one would be set with leftovers for a week. Italians typically have between two to three course meals for dinner, but on Christmas Eve, that number is extended to five courses. Once the table is set with all the courses, the themed red and green table cloth can barely be seen anymore.
After bravely engorging the entire meal, we move on to our next activity - board games. We always play two to three games, with Trivial Pursuit being the traditional first. My family tends to get a bit carried away with the game, especially my mother and uncle because when they team up, it is as if they invoke the brains of Einstein. I do not have to reveal the outcome of the game, as you can now probably guess who wins every year.
Once midnight strikes, we all anxiously sit around the living room and pass out the presents to each individual. The unraveling of the plethora of presents begins with the oldest member of the family, and ends with the youngest. For seven years I have had to wait for what felt like hours to finally tear open my presents. This changed once my Aunt had my cousins, but it still usually takes between one to two hours to open all of our presents, because we have about ten more people join us each year.
It is the combination of the delectable meal, the enthusiasm of playing our games, and the anticipation of opening our gifts that make Christmas Eve a truly one of a kind experience. While this tradition may seem customary to some, it is the exclusive personalities of each member in my family that make the night one to remember for the whole next year.
