The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

CHRISTMAS EVE DINNER

CHRISTMAS EVE WE WERE TO FAST UNTIL DINNER. MY FATHER SPREAD
SOME HAY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TABLE BECAUSE JESUS WAS BORN
IN A STABLE AND LAID IN STRAW. WE ALWAYS SET AN EXTRA PLACE
AT THE TABLE IN CASE JESUS HAPPENED TO COME TO OUR DOOR
AS A BEGGAR. FOR DINNER THERE WERE TWELVE DIFFERENT DISHES
AND WE HAD TO SAMPLE EACH ONE, EVEN IF IT WAS JUST A SINGLE
PEA. I DON'T KNOW WHY FOR SURE, I GUESS IT WAS JUST TRADITION.
WE COULD NEVER START DINNER BEFORE THE FIRST STAR APPEARED,
SO ONE OF US WOULD BE OUTSIDE WATCHING FOR IT.
ONE MORE THING, EVERYONE HAD AN UNLEAVENED WAFER, AND BREAKING
OFF A PIECE OF ANOTHER PERSON'S WAFER, RECEIVED A WISH FOR THE
NEXT YEAR OF LUCK OR HAPPINESS. AS CHILDREN, WE KEPT OUR
PIECES UNDER OUR PLATES TO SAVE THEM UNTIL AFTER DINNER
BECAUSE WE LOVED TO HAVE A HAND FULL OF WISHES.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; SOUTHFIELD

Date learned: 00-00-1983