We used to have a family Christmas party on Christmas Day (My mom is one of 7 and all except one lived w/i a 1 mile radius with their families...each year where it was held would change...except my Mom's sister could never host it due to her husband's disposition. One of my Uncles would dress up as Santa....we always had a buffet with each Aunt bringing her specialty...everyone loved my Mom's potato salad and my Aunt Rose's macaroni w shrimp salad and Aunt Jean's tri-color coleslaw! My Dad's family lived in the Bronx, since that meant crossing a bridge over water from where we lived on Long Island, we never went there at Christmas....due to my Mom's fear of bridges!!
I have lots of great memories of those Christmas parties....but it is also a sad time now since all of my aunts and uncles except 1 are now gone...even 3 of my cousins are now in heaven...my Mom is now 85 and battling Parkinson's but even though physically infirm, she is still sharp as ever!
We are going to celebrate Christmas with a buffet of appetizers this year at my Mom's (cocktail meatballs, shrimp cocktail, pigs in a blanket, mussels, etc). We will reminisce, tell stories and jokes and have Christmas music playing in the background. One of my sister's and I decorated my Mom's house two weeks ago with her little fiber optic tree and little christmas houses and other long time decorations.....so it looks quite festive! She seems to be excited about it...even though she doesn't like crowds anymore! ?