[Bubbalarry]

My father who passed about 30 years ago always had a Polish Vigilia dinner. I know its not spelled right but its close. I have tried to carry on his wishes.

We have all family members and friends over on Xmas eve for a special meal, without any meats. You must have an odd number of food items on the table and serve a plate for baby Jesus.

Those foods consist of vegetables and breads and includes the following at my house.

1. Baked Salmon Cakes
2. Baked Flounder
3. Pierogies (cheese, potatoes and sauerkraut)
4. Pickled Herring (Sledge)
5. Shrimp, served in many different ways. (Grilled,fried,sautéed as Scampi, and also we stew them in a beer with spices.)
6. Pastas
7. Salads (Caesars & regular)

I hope I didn't miss anything but what we do is serve OPATEK. Again this is a polish word probably misspelled but its what the catholic church uses for communion. I get it in squares and before everyone is seated and around the table I say grace. After I take a large piece of the OPATEK out and go to my wife who takes a large piece off for herself. After we each take a small piece and place it on our tongues we kiss wishing each other a Merry Xmas.

Next we both go to our children,grandkids, and then to other family and friends. Each one taking a piece and then on.

Now we serve dinner and wow what a meal.

After the meal I load up all the kids and we go Xmas lights viewing, making sure that its not more than an hour. This gives the wives,mothers,woman a chance to catch there breaths, have a drink, etc.

When I get home they have set the table for deserts. Pineapple Cheesecake, Cherry Cheesecake, Apple Pie ala mode, Pumpkin pie, lemon merange, & coconut pie.

Upon completion and while the ladies re clean the dishes I spend about a half hour getting dressed up as Santa Claus.

My grandkids are 5 so it looks like this will be the last year I will do it unless my family have more which isn't likely.

Then Santa arrives. Since we have multiple doors and a 1st floor bedroom I can change and go around to the front door with my Santa sacks with all the toys and gifts for my familly.

We start dinner at 5 PM and alls finished up by 9PM, after we are so beat my wife and I e see sugar plums dancing in our heads when we finally sleep.

Overall it's the most special evening of the year for my wife and I and we wouldn't have it any other way.