On Christmas Eve, we're inviting our friends over for dinner and preparing The Seven Fishes (festa dei sette pesci). This dish is believed to have originated in Southern Italy. This celebration is a commemoration of the wait, Vigilia di Natale, for the midnight birth of baby Jesus. We're serving two sushi boats, clams casino, scallops, conch fritters, octopus salad, oysters and one other dish I can't remember. After the good food and wine, we go to midnight mass.
Christmas morning is quite possibly the best morning in the entire year. When I was little, my sister Monica and I would be the first ones up and we would rip through our stockings, like little vultures. Than we would snoop around the tree and anxiously await until 7, to wake up the rest of the house.
I'm on college time now, so I don't plan on getting up until 9. My dad makes homemade French toast for breakfast and then we all sat in the family room and open presents one at a time. Ahhhh I love it! This year I'm asking for a few pairs of shoes, the iron gym, an Ipod adaptor for my car, a necklace and some beauty products.
Homemade manicotti is on the menu for Christmas. It's a meal we used to make with my Grandmother as children. Manicotti is an Italian dish, consisting of a thin crepe stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs. My dad pours his homemade red sauce over them, sprinkles some cheese on top and pops them in the oven. Mmm mmm mmm
I would love to hear what you do for Christmas! Do you have any special traditions and dishes?
AGD: Man, that's a lot of sushi and sashimi! Here in Hawaii, ahi (tuna) sashimi is a requirement for holiday parties, served with some soy sauce, wasabi and I like a little squeeze of lemon juice on mine. Are you sure you're not part asian? :-)
ReplyDeleteSince you will be delivering a big surprise of your own (have you practiced what you are going to say?), my wish for you is to enjoy the blessing, support and love of family and friends. This will be a christmas to remember.
I would love Hawaii parties! That all sounds so good. My favorite's are red tuna, shrimp tempura and wahoo. Top each piece with some fresh ginger, come to think of it, I might have some asain ancestors lol
ReplyDeleteI have not practiced what I am going to say but I should probably start thinking about it. Any suggestions?
Aloha!
AGD: Did you make all those sushi and sashimi yourself? I'm impressed. And very artfully presented as well. I think your spread is more "Hawaiian" than mine. LOL! I want to be invited to your party.
ReplyDeleteDidn't I send you link to a sample coming out letter earlier? You can use that as an outline of what points to make. Basically stress that you are still the same person, that this has been a struggle for you, you don't want to hide anymore, that they didn't do anything wrong to cause this and you hope you can have their acceptance and support. Even with some practice, you're going to be nervous but speak from your heart. Pick a quiet time when there are no distractions to contend with.
I would love to take the credit but unfortunately, we did not make the sushi. My family has been going to the same sushi restuarant for about ten years now and we always special order sushi boats from them. Play your cards right and you might get an invite lol
ReplyDeleteYou did send me the letter earlier, sorry about that. Rereading it is helping me alot though. The nerves are starting to kick in a little bit since the day is fast approaching.
I will definitly make sure the time is right. Depending on what is going on. Its going to my families first heart-to-heart. There will be alot of emotions flying around the house that day, that much I know already.
Hey, I found this blog a couple of months ago and I have been reading trough all the posts starting at the beginning since then. I'm straight and I never questioned that, but I've really enjoyed reading this blog so far. I go to an arts highschool in Canada and it's a very accepting place. I'm proud to live in a country that makes gay marriage legal, even though things aren't perfect here. I've always been open about stuff like this; it's how I was brought up. My parents aren't religious, though they both come from christian families. I have to admit to not always having the highest view of christianity and religion in general for a number of reasons. A big one is how people use it as an exuse to preach hate. Reading this blog I've begun to see the good sides to it too. I've always had a hard time understanding how someone who is gay would believe in something that says they are wrong to be who they are, but you made me realise that it isn't that simple. I don't believe in God but I see that it can has a lot of benifits. My closest friend (it's a little funny to say that since we've only known eachother since November, but I'm not close to very many people) is... bi I guess, though I don't think he's exactly sure. He has a lot of issues and I know he has attempted suicide before. I had the interesting experience of having him tell me he liked me (I've been into friend pretty much since we met and he knows that) then tell me he was gay a week later then tell me nevermind he wasn't a week after that. I always thought I sort of got how hard it would be (not as in I'd felt that way but more that I could sort of imagine), but reading this has given me a much better understanding of what it must feel like.
ReplyDelete~Laurel