The season of family gatherings
- Karen Wilson: Family Corner
- December 17, 2019
- 1310
So who will you be gathering with this holiday season? Family, friends? People you see every day or those you haven’t seen in months or years?
How can you make the best use of the time? Good food and great conversation make an excellent start, but what else could you come away with?
How about pictures? Try to take candid as well as posed or group shots. But, please, respect those that don’t enjoy being photographed. I love to take photos but resist being in them. A very quick blink means I look deranged or nearly asleep without some warning.
And get permission before posting pictures. Some people love sharing through social media, but others hate it. So know who’s OK with it and who is not.
Another photo-related idea is to bring old pictures along and encourage others to do so as well. Enjoy the photos for the memories they bring. Use them to help people remember fun family stories.
Take notes or crank up your memory skills. Some family members may enjoy being recorded, but others may freeze or become uncomfortable. Go with what works. The important thing is the exchange of memories.
Gatherings are a great chance to collect or clarify family histories or relations. Make connections for kids. Put faces with names, either in person or through photos. Often kids have heard family stories but can’t remember which grandfather or which side of the family was involved.
Perhaps your family or friends know the history of a place that no longer exists. Collect that important information.
For example my grandfather had the general store in Tappan, when it was a town instead of a lake. He had a vast collection of stories about the people and the place.
Since many gatherings may include food, enjoy it. But you could take it a step further by collecting recipes. Is there a special treat everyone looks forward to savoring? Is the cook willing the share the recipe or secret ingredient?
Perhaps you could pick a time to get together with the cook to learn his or her method for creating the perfect product. My aunt was well known for her delicious yeast dinner rolls. I have the recipe but still don’t manage her level of perfection. The secret was the technique, not the ingredients. I should have watched more carefully when she made them.
You also could ask others to bring along recipes to swap. If it’s a pot luck meal, have them supply recipes for the dishes they bring.
Or tie family history and recipes together. Think of grandma’s pumpkin pie, a friend’s sweet potato casserole or your mother’s stuffing. Ask why that particular member of the family always brings the salad.
Where did the recipe originate? Is there a story behind it or a special ingredient?
I have great memories of my grandfather’s homegrown tomatoes and potatoes. My husband loves scrapple because his grandfather made it.
Perhaps create a party based on a family favorite. My grandmother’s popcorn ball recipe was the basis for years of Christmas parties.
Whatever the gathering, make the most of it. Enjoy the people and consider ways to make it even more memorable.