A (More than Just) Physically Distant Christmas
My family has always cared about our holiday traditions. But will that stay true for Christmas 2020?
November and December have been brutal in the United States, coronavirus-wise. The state my family and I live in, Illinois, is no exception. With far too many people refusing to alter their Thanksgiving plans, families across the region gathered to celebrate the holiday, putting each other and their communities at risk. People around the country, maybe especially in the Midwest, were tethered to tradition in a year where tradition can be perilous. Instead of innovating and coming up with alternative ways to give thanks, too many stayed stuck in a dangerous rut, driving up COVID infections and hospitalizations. Regrettably, Christmas celebrations will likely suffer from the same submissiveness to the way things have always been done.
My grandparents have cooked a traditional Slovak Christmas Eve Holy Supper for (at least) my entire life. My family has affectionately termed this meal the “Dough Fest” due to the bountiful amount of bread involved in most of the dishes. Over the years, this feast has adhered less and less strictly to the outlined traditional meal, though it remains greatly anticipated by everyone in my family. The prayers and stories before each course have…
