Christmas

Over the years there were countless number of awesome adventures. I know that we did everything as a couple, but Barbara was the driving force. All holidays where special to her. No matter how big or small she always approached them with the Barbara Flare. Her favorite holiday was Christmas. Just after we moved into our new home we were shopping at Lowes around October. She purchased something but would not show me till we got outside. It was an animated set of three angels singing
silent night. I said you are Jewish. She replied so what their angels and its Christmas. Little did I know this was the beginning of a miraculous adventure. Over the years we acquired and attic and a shed loaded with Christmas decorations that had to be up and ready to go by Thanksgiving. It would take 3 full days to complete inside and out. She began her Christmas gift shopping for the next year the day after Christmas. By the time we were done there where over 8 Tupperware’s in the attic with gifts for the entire family. Christmas Eve was always at our house. She began shopping for food in November. And we started preparing 3 days before. Dinner became a tradition; Salad and stuffed clams, then go downstairs to celebrate my birthday, her awesome Lasagna, then go down stairs for Santa to come and
have a nerf gun war, crown roast of pork and a prime rib accompanied by her own string bean casserole and noodle pudding, then go down to open gifts and let’s not forget my birthday cake and desert. When we were opening our gifts Barbara never opened hers right away she spent the entire time focusing on her kids and grandkids watching their reactions with the biggest smile on her face. It gave her such pleasure. The expression “it is better to give than receive” fit her perfectly. By the time everyone left
and we cleaned up it was late and she was exhausted. However we always sat together having a cup of coffee and just reliving the day. I would always say it was the best Christmas ever (because it was) and she would smile. Providing for her family, hearing from everyone how awesome the food was and watching the excitement on the little and big kids faces gave her such joy. That night more than any night of the year you truly saw that her family was her everything. The next morning we would give each other our gifts. She always counted we had to be even. We then went to Jenney’s for brunch and exchange gifts with them. Barbara was so excited because that’s when she gave out the big gifts. Again her joyous moments was watching everyone else open their gifts. The only stress she had was that if Rocco’s or Enzo’s gifts had a problem.