Who IS the Queen of the Glass Half Full, you may ask? Well, she was my mom. I was very fortunate and so grateful to have been blessed with her as my mom!
She had an incredibly positive attitude, a beautiful smile, and this reassuring wink. I attribute her “glass half full” attitude to having good, loving people in her life, as well as, things she LOVED to do, one of which was TO CELEBRATE.
By observing her behavior, it rubbed off on me, too! In fact, when I was growing up, my whole family loved to celebrate. My mom and dad both enjoyed entertaining family and friends at home and so do all of us kids: Linda, Ken, Chris and I. It’s fun!
We celebrated in a BIG way at:
- birthdays,
- holidays,
- graduations,
- sacraments, or
- just because we wanted to get together with family and friends to celebrate life.
It gave us something fun to look forward to in the not too distant future.
Recipe For Celebrating Starts With Good Company
Our family really enjoyed spending time with each other. We still do! At our get togethers, there was always lots of:
- good company and
- homemade food,
- laughter, and
- the sharing of our gifts/talents, many of which were musically related like playing an instrument or dancing.
For instance, when my older sister, Linda, was learning to play the organ, she would play the song The Entertainer for company. When Chris and I took Irish dancing, we would dance a reel, jig or hornpipe to entertain our company just to add to the fun. Chris would also share her gift of gymnastics by doing a standing back or a flip in the living room.
Our company enjoyed it. Of course, our company included:
- my grandparents
- aunts and uncles
- cousins and
- friends of the family, both old and new.
There’s Nothing Better Than Homemade Food
Most of the food at these parties was homemade. My mom loved to cook AND bake and so did my dad’s mom, my Grandma Kuby. I thought everybody did!
My mom was always trying a new recipe she got from: the newspaper, a neighbor, or a relative. She was very adventurous with food. She experimented with making:
- egg foo young
- shrimp creole
- chicken noodle soup with homemade dumplings
- duck a l’orange,
- cheesecake
- banana cream pie and
- candy including: turtles, fudge, and peanut brittle, just to name a few!
My Grandma Kuby made the best perogies, gwumpke, and kapusta as she was 100% Polish. She also baked the most wonderful:
- apple slices
- kolachkes and
- apricot coffee cake
Every year, my siblings, nieces, nephews and I still make perogies with my Aunt Mary and Uncle Con for the holidays. We have make a few different fillings and have made up to seven hundred perogies in one day!
Laughter Is The Best Medicine
Laughter was ever present at our parties because we had a lot of fun! At get togethers or on vacations in Lodi or Cumberland Falls, my dad and his brothers or his cousin were always telling jokes and pulling pranks on each other, family friends, or us kids.
My Uncle Dan told the best jokes. Even after he had a stroke, he still managed to tell a good joke with our assistance. And my dad had the best laugh. It was very loud, hardy, and contagious. I miss his laugh the most.
My sister, Linda, has a very contagious laugh like my dad. People love it and so do I. Linda and I get ourselves into some breathless fits of laughter at times. After all, laughter is the best medicine!
Music Was Always In Our Lives
In our house, music was either played on an instrument like our organ OR the stereo, my dad’s instrument of choice. He played it very well!
He had the whole house wired with speakers. When the album Jesus Christ Superstar came out, we listened to it in stereo in every room in our home with company many, many times. I’ll never forget it.
My mom actually got the stereo from my dad in place of an engagement ring. She had already been engaged once before so she opted for a stereo over a diamond engagement ring. This just gives you a little more insight into my mom’s love of music.
In addition to the stereo, the organ was another way to fill our living room with music. When we were little, usually either my mom or my Grandma Carlson would play the organ.
As we got older, Linda, Chris, and I all learned to play the organ as well. At holidays, everyone would stand around it and sing whatever tune was being playing. There were lots of oldies!
The Origin of the Organ
We had an organ because when my mom was younger she played the piano. When she got married, my Grandma Carlson gave her the baby grand piano they had as a wedding gift.
Unfortunately, it didn’t fit in my parents first apartment. So they ended up selling it and buying an organ. When I became apprised of this, I was beside myself. Are you kidding me!
I guess organs were all the rage back then in the sixties. So it was fashionable, as well as easier to fit in their first apartment.
I remember one party we had at our house in the summertime. My dad and brother moved the organ out in the backyard because it was such a beautiful day! Everyone gathered around the organ as usual singing to the oldies.
The Trombone Came Out Every New Year’s Eve!
My mom also had a trombone that she hung onto it from when she played it in the Lakeview High School band. As kids, we loved to try and play a note or two on it. It’s wasn’t easy.
The trombone would also make its’ debut annually on New Year’s Eve. We would clang of pots and pans and blow the trombone to ring in the New Year!
Lots of memories were made with that trombone. I think Linda has it at her house and her boys have tried to play it at times.
More Instruments Were Added To Mix
When my siblings and I were growing up, we added a few more instruments to the mix. Ken played the drums and I played the clarinet in our grammar school band. My Grandpa even taught us all how to play the spoons, which was fun! I also played the guitar at school masses as we attended a Catholic school.
In addition, relatives like my mom’s cousin, Annette, played her guitar at parties when we got together. My Uncle Earl played my clarinet really well at his daughter’s home around Christmastime along with whomever was playing their piano.
Everyone shared their hidden talents. There were so many musically talented people in the family who made celebrating so festive!
Music Is A Family Affair
Now at family parties, my nephew, Ty, plays the piano. A couple of Christmas’ ago, my nephews, Ty and Joe, played the piano, the harmonica, and even a squeeze box that they got from their great grandfather.
My nephew, Zach, played the saxophone and Ty and Joe played percussion in the school band. My nieces, Grace and Annie, played the violin and Ty plays the electric bass. Megan and Kelly have played the piano and Grace most recently, the ukulele.
Recently, I even wrote a song called Hugs & Hope, which is being put to music by my friend, Chris and Ty is writing the piano accompaniment. I hope to play it at a holiday party soon.
Ty and Joe have also composed and produced songs and beats that are on Sound Cloud. Needless to say, we’re definitely a musical family.
Birthdays Were Always Big
For our birthdays, we could always pick our favorite dinner and our favorite birthday cake. My mom made a really good angel food cake that I always requested as a kid for my birthday party.
She also made the best homemade ice cream pies with a cookie crust and fudge sauce on top. We would request our favorite flavor of ice cream. I liked chocolate chip mint.
We received birthday presents to open and we sang our family’s rendition of Happy Birthday before blowing out the candles on the cake. We really enjoyed celebrating and each others’ company.
Moments Were Captured
Pictures were taken to capture the moment sometimes with my dad’s polaroid. He loved taking pictures and had quite a collection of cameras from way back when he was in the Air Force in Communications.
I’ve learned from my family that celebrating and connecting with others on a regular basis is so important. It gives you something fun to look forward to with family and friends. Music, laughter, and good food are a great compliment to all of the great company.
The Celebrating Continues
We all have continued the family tradition of celebrating with family and friends during the holidays, for birthdays, and other special occasions. Almost every year for over 25 years, I’ve had a holiday party at my place with family and friends both old and new. I always make plenty of appetizers and try new ethnic recipes and fun beverages.
My dad used to make glug in our basement when we were growing up. He also loved concocting after dinner drinks like:
- pink squirrels,
- brandy alexanders, and
- creme de mint ice cream drinks.
I’ve followed in his footsteps by making shots for Christmas gifts and making flavored martinis and blended drinks at my holiday parties. Those invited bring even more of their specialty baked goods, candies, appetizers, dips and beverages of all sorts.
There is always music playing, some dancing at times, and laughter. I always look forward to those get-togethers whether they’re big or small. It’s great to learn about what’s going on in each others lives.
How Do You Celebrate?
I’m carrying on the tradition of celebrating that my mom loved. Why not! It’s great to have plans to get together with loved ones and it’s good for the soul!
What are some of your family traditions for celebrating? I’d love to hear from you. Share your comments below.
Thanks for stopping by!
Leave a Reply