I come from a small family. Growing up it was always just me and my parents. Our extended family lived hundreds of miles away, so we didn't see them very often. It was rare that I experienced the family holidays that were filled with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. We created our own family experience though. My mom worked as an English professor at the local community college. Her loving, compassionate nature led our holidays to be shared with students from the college. Most were international students who had no family here and no where to go for the holidays, but some were American students who couldn't make it home to spend time with their own families.
Sharing our food, our traditions and our love with others made our holidays incredible. I remember the love and passion my mom put into the food she prepared. She was so happy and excited to share our family love and give people a place to be for the holidays, to give them a family to be with that she put everything she had into her food. We usually had our guests come over early in the day. Sometimes they spent a few nights at our house and really became a part of the family. The day of the big dinner, we would sit around relaxing and enjoying each others company.
Soon Mom's kitchen would be filling the house with luscious smells that made all of our stomachs rumble in anticipation. She always made sure there was plenty to snack on, so we weren't completely tortured by the scents saturating the house. When it was time to sit down, we were so enticed by the food, we practically raced to the table.
The dinners themselves were like feasts - beautiful table settings, candles, plenty of food that was welcoming, delightful and satisfying. The ambiance the dining room had was inviting, comforting, and relaxed. I remember the smiles, the looks of gratitude, and the general sense of bonding, creating incredible relationships, and expanding family. As we ate the room filled with light conversation, laughter, comfortable sighs, and most importantly - love.
These holidays were always my favorite and will remain etched in my memory forever. I know that these meals bonded my family with our guests forever. Even if I never see or speak with these people again, we will be in each others hearts and memories forever because of gathering around food.
