Recollections of Christmas Eve
Ben Vitale

I have fond memories, of Christmas Eve at Grandpa and Grandma’s house, 60 years ago. My Grandparents had a tradition of playing Poker, in between the courses of dinner; Today, three generations later, our Grand Children, who are adults, love to play Texas Holdem Poker, at family gatherings. The grandchildren are now teaching Grandpa how to play Texas Holdem Poker! Hummm… Is playing poker at family gatherings hereditary?  LOL

Many of our family traditions stem from my grandparents who came to America from Italy, in the 30s.  The Christmas Eve ritual at their house in Brooklyn, NY, was really interesting and choreographed with the precision of a Broadway musical production.  

On Christmas Eve, my grandparents served a seven course meal; each course was followed by a game of Poker. It was so funny! The table cloth was literally removed from the table after each course, and Poker was played on the Plate Glass Tabletop! Through practice, my family members had training, in the art of playing Poker that could be compared to the training that one would receive at a military Boot Camp. LOL. I firmly believe that if my family went to a Casino to play Poker, the Casino wouldn’t stand a chance! LOL.  After the last course, the family would play Poker for the rest of the night. With all of the above going on, some family members managed to go to Midnight Mass, which is a Catholic tradition!

Christmas Eve at my house takes the same effort and dedication that it did decades ago! Once again we are working hard in preparation for our Christmas Eve celebration, 2013. This year, our Christmas tree was just about the right size for the room; we didn't have to cut off any branches from the top of the tree.  21 people will be at our home this year on Christmas Eve. I have introduced another component into my family’s arsenal of traditions; Karaoke Sing Along, after dinner.

My wife and I can remember the Bubbly Lights that our grandparents always put on their Christmas, Tree 60 years ago. Marie and I carried on the tradition, and always had “Bubbly Lights” on our Christmas Trees. Our tradition has propagated itself through Three generations! My 21 year old granddaughter would never forgive us if we didn't have bubbly lights on our tree! Bubbly lights have become a multi-generational tradition in my family!

While writing this article I had an epiphany; I suddenly realized that Christmas Eve at my house has had a profound effect on our grandchildren. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if our tradition survives for decades to come!

You might want to read another Christmas related story that I published a few years ago. I personally feel that “Christmas Stories” are timeless, and become relevant at Christmas time every year!
http://patchogue.patch.com/groups/ben-vitales-blog/p/bp--the-most-beautiful-christmas-tree-on-long-island

Have a Merry Christmas everybody! Have a happy Hanukah! Have a happy Quanza

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