Tuesday, December 13, 2005

There Really IS No Place Like Home...

Image hosted by Photobucket.com

Given the tumultuous turn-out of our first holiday celebration back in Brooklyn, “New Yawk” together, it’s a wonder that M has not yet suggested bowing out of our traditional “7 Fish” Christmas Eve Celebration. Having brought my Virginia-born and raised beau to meet my loud Italian family last month was nothing short of a soap opera in which voices were raised more often than glasses – though admittedly, everyone, including M, seemed to be drinking more than is usual at our family gatherings!

Several heated arguments, one Soprano-style sit-down, much clicking of my heels to Dorothy’s “There’s no place like home,” and a partridge in a pear tree later, and I was ready to pack up and enlist us both in some sort of familial witness-protection program. And now, barely a month later, the time to return is at hand. Whoever coined the phrase “You can’t go home again” certainly knew what he was talking about on one level, but in my case was sadly mistaken. When you come from an Italian-American family whose roots have forever been in Brooklyn, NY (and worse still, "Little Italy"), you MUST go home again – if only for the handmade manicotti (a redundancy that no self-respecting Italian-American would make, but that I’ll use to demonstrate my point here).

Nevertheless, the time to return is fast approaching and as I reflect on all the cooking I’ll be doing over next weekend, I wonder what dramatics this year’s get-together could possibly bring. What could trump watching one of my sisters’ dates to Thanksgiving flirt incessantly behind her back (literally!) leaning over her as she ate to glare at the other? What could be more entertaining than watching my uncles Lou and Tony usher my father into the next room as though they were ready to make him "an offer he couldn’t refuse" when he spoke out of turn about a private matter? It’s hard to imagine - though I know better than to hope - that the holiday will go off without a hitch, but I suppose that as long as no dishes are intentionally shattered (as in years of Christmas past) – or that a certain someone doesn’t harass my grandmother to no end about the calamari being overcooked, the linguini and clams being too oily, or the artichokes being too dry – we will somehow survive.

Sadly, for my family, the true meaning of the Christmas Season has been reduced to post-holiday arguments about who bought who a cheap gift, who gluttonously took all the leftover olive salad, and who ate most like a "gavone." For all its humor, it’s still somewhat disheartening. And try as I might, I can’t help being reduced, year after year, to a disappointed child on Christmas morning as the sum of each year’s “celebration” amounts to little more than coal in my proverbial stocking.

But - all griping aside - this year, I’m well-aware of how much I have to be grateful for. Aside from the most important gift of His precious Son, whose birth our celebration should in all ways revolve around, God has given me a second chance, and in bringing M into my life, the hope of a family and someday, a home of my own.

"There’s no place like home for the holidays." – Perhaps, someday I’ll hear that song while leaning over my grandmother and a bubbling pot of sauce and we won't laugh and shake our heads in quiet resignation, but smile.

13 comments:

Tim said...

By the looks of you I wouldn't have guessed that you are an Italian American though I do remember you mentioning New Yawk on one of your posts from the past.

Hope Christmas isn't as bad for you as you suspect it will be.

Keep your faith strong and you'll be fine.

Rick's Corner said...

I am an ex-New Yawker myself. Happy Holidays to you.

Would like to see you post on the Political blog again.

Martie said...

It is very humorous to read about, but I'm sure when you are there the humor escapes you. Hope you get through it okay!

Have a Merry Christmas, Nan!

Unknown said...

Good to have family to get together with over the holdiays. I never really had that but its sounds fun dispite the arguments. Keep sweet, God bless.

cybeRanger said...

Wishing you and your loved ones a Lovely Christmas and a very blessed 2006!

Nunzia said...

Well.. the blonde hair and blue eyes do throw people, but I'm a pure-blooded Italian, nontheless... Buon Natale to you all and God bless! :)

p.s. Rick -- I've taken your advice to heart! Check out www.nunziasright.com!

Nunzia said...

woops... I meant www.nunziasright.blogspot.com!

Kc said...

I pray God will bless you all to be drawn close to Him in the gathering this year.

Have you started a book yet, or have you published already?

Kristi B. said...

wow! sounds like a very interesting family!! Reminds me of the movie, My Big, Fat Greek Wedding, even though they were Greek, of course, and not Italian. But there seems to be many similarities!

I do hope you have a great Christmas! If M can stick with you even after going through a holiday with the family, then you know he's a good guy!!!

Nunzia said...

hahah.. he has the patience of a Saint , so yes... He's certainly passed the test!

As for writing a book... that is something I hope to do eventually... with God's grace, I hope it will happen.

Thanks for making me smile!

Corry said...

Then I wish you a lot of God's Grace for the book (can't wait to read it), a lot of unexpected blessings and a safe trip:-)

God's Grace.

Sycorax said...

LOL!

AHHH! family get togethers... LOL!

Merry Christmas!(No "holiday season" boy here!)

Ed Meers said...

Hallmark owns Christmas - time to create a new holiday without the crass consumerism and enterprise culure.