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Wednesday, December 24, 2008

A Christmas fish tale...


Growing up, as devout Irish-Italian Catholics, we followed every rule the Church put out there. If they said women had to wear something on their heads in church, we would. And, if we forgot our little chapel veils as we raced out the door to mass, we had no problem wearing a fully opened kleenex on our heads. If the Church said no eating before receiving communion, we did it. It's just the way it was. We didn't ask questions--no one asked why. There had to be a good reason...afterall, it was the Church! And, when it came to Fridays and Christmas Eve--the Church said we could not eat meat. So we didn't. We gorged ourselves on seafood. And, in an Italian household, Christmas Eve was the kingpin of all seafood eating.

As a kid, this no meat eating thing got on my nerves--I was getting pretty sick of fish sticks and tuna with pasta. I had no appreciation for smelts, bacala, shrimp, crab or calamari. So, I asked my father why we couldn't eat meat and he told me it was because it was a form of fasting to show God that we would give up things for Him. Which, of course, was not what I wanted to hear. So, I asked my mother--she said "it had to do with those cafones--the fishermen in Italy. They were going broke because no one was eating their stinking fish! Eh...che peccato! So, they had a sit down with the big consigliere--The Pope. Maybe they did a shakedown. Who knows. Afterward, Our Holy Father said we couldn't eat meat..so we didn't eat meat. And, those facia bruti fishermen...they got rich. Then,they gave the Pope a little taste...you know what I mean? Stugots!" I liked my mom's story much better--she always had a way of bringing her Italian Hill District world to our calm little suburb. Well..I liked it...until she said "but you have to do what the Pope says--or else-- an omerta! You'll be struck down the next time you go to church." True to form--the Irish version (my dad) and the Italian version (my mother). A tinge of guilt with the Irish, a big heaping of fear with the Italians!

And, so, this Christmas Eve--if you sit down to feast on shrimp and crab and all those delectable seafood concoctions--you can decide who was right. My father with his tale of sacrifice or my mother's mafioso story. Which ever it is--it is now tradition. A tradition that makes the house smell of fish and keeps you in the kitchen for hours preparing what ends up being---a Christmas Eve I've come to love. Smelts and all.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Eve!! We are going to a "new" friend's house for the traditional Christmas Eve fishfest and my husband is beside himself that he gets his fish!!! Since his father divorced his mother and moved away, he hasnt had had his fish dinner (I dont do fish, lol)....so it will be a grand feast tonight and I will think of you!! My hubby is 100% Italian (the mafioso kind!!) so this means alot to him.

Your story was so funny because it is just how I imagined my DH grandmother would have been. I never met her, but wish I had....she even had LIVE eel swimming in their bathtub already for the Christmas Eve feast!! Talk about fresh fish!!! LOLOL...

Well, Happy Holidays to you and your family!!!

Jill from NY

Kathy said...

Great story Judi. My ex husband's family was Italian and I used to love hearing the stories and the italian phrases thrown in there. I also miss the great big festivities we had on Christmas Eve. My family was Irish so I guess together we made it like your family. I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!!

Eileen, Founder, Organizer, Mayor and Chief Cook And Bottle Washer of the Anger Management Girls. said...

Funny.
One time I was fighting with my young son about eating meat on Good Friday or something. He just wasn't going for it. He ate meat anyway and said in his sarcastic tone.
Yeah, I'll be sitting in hell and they'll ask "What's he in for?" And they will answer, "Eating meat on Friday???" Mom, no one goes to hell for eating meat on Fridays.
I told him I wouldn't chance it! I need all the help I can get.

He just didn't get it. Still doesn't for that matter.
Never did the fish thing. Actually, we never did Christmas Eve as a kid. Our big day was actually Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Jody V said...

LOl Judi!! We have the same traditions in Frank's very, very Italian family!! Enjoy and God Bless us everyone!

Jody

Ashley said...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! THE ONLY FISH WE EVER HAD WAS SMELT AND I LOVE IT!