There are two traditions that immediately come to mind, although perhaps it is only one. They are not big things, but then maybe family traditions can be very personal, and do not need to be world breaking activities.
Both the traditions that I want to write about relate to visits to mother’s home after we were all married, had moved away and families of our own.
Extended family meals always consisted of roast chicken and vegetables. Mum had found that the easiest way to feed 10 to 20 people was the buy the chickens, but she always cooked the vegetables herself. She had spent much of her youth helping her parents run a guesthouse, so the idea of feeding a largish grouop of people did not faze her at all. Now, to extend this, the real part of the tradition was her apple pies. She always made a large batch and kept the freezer stocked with these. So, for a large family get together, or smaller events with only a small number visiting, out would come the relevant number of apple pies from her well stocked freezer.. If the apple pie was not served, then it did not feel like a meal with Mum.
Since her passing, I have a sister-in-law who has taken over the tradition – whenever we vist her for a meal, she bakes an applie pie.
The second part of the tradition related to her stash of jelly beans. These were kept in the pantry, and any of the grandchildren who visited knew exactly where to find them. Even one of my brothers was partial to raiding the jar… In fact, I think in part to handle his grief, the first thing he did the day after we lost our mother, was to raid the jar.
Joy Shirley
June 2018
Both the traditions that I want to write about relate to visits to mother’s home after we were all married, had moved away and families of our own.
Extended family meals always consisted of roast chicken and vegetables. Mum had found that the easiest way to feed 10 to 20 people was the buy the chickens, but she always cooked the vegetables herself. She had spent much of her youth helping her parents run a guesthouse, so the idea of feeding a largish grouop of people did not faze her at all. Now, to extend this, the real part of the tradition was her apple pies. She always made a large batch and kept the freezer stocked with these. So, for a large family get together, or smaller events with only a small number visiting, out would come the relevant number of apple pies from her well stocked freezer.. If the apple pie was not served, then it did not feel like a meal with Mum.
Since her passing, I have a sister-in-law who has taken over the tradition – whenever we vist her for a meal, she bakes an applie pie.
The second part of the tradition related to her stash of jelly beans. These were kept in the pantry, and any of the grandchildren who visited knew exactly where to find them. Even one of my brothers was partial to raiding the jar… In fact, I think in part to handle his grief, the first thing he did the day after we lost our mother, was to raid the jar.
Joy Shirley
June 2018
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