Christmas at Grandma's House!

What was it really all about. I only had one grandmother in my lifetime, my fathers mother. To my eyes she was always old, having silver hair, glasses, old lady black shoes.

I will always remember her house in Brooklyn. I clearly remember the tin ceilings, big black wood burning stove in the kitchen. A little bathroom with some type of gas heater, you could smell the gas.

There was a traditional parlor and her bedroom where she would take me to give me money. It's funny I remember we would gather in the basement, my father and uncles would use wooden horses and a big sheet of wood to make a table. They borrowed chairs from Joe Tari, he owned Tari's Funeral Home. Then my grandma with the help of my aunts and mother would begin the meal.

Big platters of all kinds of Italian meats and cheeses. A special Italian salad, so incredible. Fresh loaves of Italian bread.

Next up was either lasagna or ravioli, it always changed. Then meatballs, sausage, bracholi and other meats covered in gravy.

And it went on and on, all kinds of deserts, pastry, fruits and nuts. Red wines flowed late into the night. Never a bad word was said.

These were the greatest Christmas memories I have. I remember each detail like it was yesterday.

It's funny, with all these thoughts I have zero recollection about gifts? There must have been gifts! I can only assume all these years later the gifts really weren't that important, it was "being a family".