Nichole Lupo

Everywhere you went, food was the focus. Christmas cookies, candy canes, gingerbread houses, jelly-filled doughnuts, Yule logs, hot cocoa, fruitcake……the list goes on and on. And these things were only addendums to the actual meals we consumed when gathering for parties, celebrations, and remembrances at the holidays. It’s no wonder that there’s the stereotypical surge in new gym memberships at the start of a new year!

But seriously, there’s way more to this holiday eating than meets the eye. We may not give it much thought, but the foods we eat at this time of year are often rich with tradition, and in many cases, retell ancient stories, remind us of the struggles of past peoples, or honor the memory of a lost loved one.

……and cut to January. I survived the holiday frenzy. And the always-interesting, never dull, sometimes crazy family dynamics. And the endless supply of things that taste great but don’t always make me feel great. All of this was interspersed, of course, with the joys of reconnecting with old friends, the gathering with loved ones to share gifts hand-made or carefully selected (and hopefully socially responsible), and quiet reflection upon another year passed. And food that truly nourished—food that meant something. There was my dear friend Jodi’s annual Christmas cookies—a family event from her childhood that she repeats every year with her own children. Each one is individually decorated, and exquisitely, might I add, and making them is always just as much fun as eating them. Christmas day brought my grandmother’s cheese rings that she still makes from scratch at 91. Various family members tried to help, or even suggested that she take it easy and possibly skip it this year—she simply wouldn’t hear of it. My Aunt Donna’s broccoli casserole, a seasonal favorite, is something I look forward to, not only because it rocks, but because she takes such delight in seeing us enjoy it. My friend Bridget blew me away with her homemade eggnog, a family tradition she keeps alive, even though she lives down south now, far away from her loved ones in the cold north. I could go on and on, but the point is that all of these food experiences had stories—had points of origin. So much surrounding the winter holidays is focused on buying, spending, and consuming—and giving, of course. But we often forget WHY we do the things we do—how these traditions started, why we eat certain dishes, what decided the ingredients to use. People are the ultimate reason—people and their connection to the land. The culture of our people, and the place and climate in which they lived, largely determined what food was served, at the holidays and every day. While those factors don’t always directly impact our lives as they once did, tracing the origin of our holiday food traditions can be a beautiful glimpse into a past time.

We encouraged our students to consider what they eat at the holidays, and if there were dishes that are repeated year after year, perhaps asking questions about why or how these meals came to be. Some of the stories we heard were unbelievable. But what struck me most was the lack of stories….or the lack of knowledge of the stories. Maybe stories were lost or died with a certain family member, but most kids had no idea where these foods came from or why they were served year after year. We pushed students further to consider ANY food traditions in their families, holiday or otherwise. Maybe a Tuesday taco night, clean-out-the-pantry soup, or pancakes on Saturdays. This yielded a few more contributions, such as Sunday meals with grandparents, favorite cakes on birthdays, and some really interesting cultural dishes that are a reoccurring part of some students’ lives. All of these discussions got me thinking—it is now more important than ever to engage children as much as possible with the procurement, production, and eating of real food. We experience food on so many different levels—physically, of course, but emotionally and mentally, and even spiritually. Why not include our kids, the future leaders of all things food, in preparing these traditional dishes or in growing the ingredients in a backyard garden. Why not tell the stories, over and over again, while we spend time preparing and sharing good food. After all, it is the sharing of food that is the oldest and greatest tradition of all.