It is Twelfth Night, signaling the end of the Christmas season.
Here on the Cutoff, it means the time has come for putting our Christmas back in its boxes and bags.
Right about now, we tend to remember our girls in their younger years and the gifts of the Magi; Jennifer for her pronunciation of “frankinsentence” and Katy for questioning when “the wise guys” are coming. It is always with a bit of a smile and a feeling of goodness that I remember those days as the ornaments are carefully wrapped for another year.
This year, there is a new ornament that I know will bring about fond memories in years to come. It’s origins started last summer, ending on our tree.
I should start from the beginning.
Once upon a time, the daughter of our good friends Pat and Rick became engaged. She and her fiance planned a wedding on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend in September. The reception was to be held at the Willowbrook Ballroom, a majestic place where big bands once played and our parents had tripped the light fantastic.
Rick, a trumpeter extraordinaire, decided to surprise his daughter with a medley of polkas, played with several friends from our church; all musicians who played most Sundays, including my Tom and his guitar.
The men practiced week after week until the day of the wedding arrived. We all sat together, the polka band and their wives, and we ate and laughed and talked – and we all kept the polka part secret until it was time for the band to play. These talented musicians quietly went to the stage, set up their instruments, and then Rick tapped on the microphone and made the announcement that a few songs would be played for the newlyweds.
What a fun time it was as the music played, the men sang, and dancers took to the old wooden floor. Smiles lit up the room, guests of all ages danced around the ballroom, and then the “pierogi” song was played. Do you know it? I didn’t it, but, I soon caught on. It was a fun sort call and response that went something like the band singing “do you want a pierogi” followed by everyone else saying ” yes, I want a pierogi”. It was such fun, they were encouraged to play it a few more times.
Don’t you just love those times in life that are so much fun and lively?
Come December, Rick gathered the group together right after church and handed each of the boys in the band a small box, thanking them for making the wedding so memorable. In the box, tied with a red ribbon and Polish Christmas greeting was something new to hang on the tree.
Do you want a pierogi?
What rich and loving family memories you have Penny. I gasped when I saw the pierogi, and even googled to make sure I was right – yes, it’s a dumpling, and exactly like the Chinese dumplings that we had on Christmas day – although yours is a Polish one. What flashes of connection we are having this Christmas. As you box the trappings of Christmas, you are capturing the memories forever on your blog. How perfect.
Isn’t it amazing how different cultures make similar foods, just changing the spices or fillings? Those Chinese dumplings you had looked so good, Juliet. Thank you. We are having some friends to dinner next week, so, since I really didn’t want to take down Christmas yet, I decided to use it as an excuse to leave things up – especially the pierogi!
My New Year´s Resolution – to leave my comments when I read your lovely stories. I’ve been following for some time and love your words and photos. This has been a fond start to 2013 and follows as I have just taken down our own Christmas here in Spain. Love, Axxx
I’m so thrilled that you acted upon your New Year’s Resolution, Annie. Thank you for stopping by and for leaving a comment. You made my day. Enjoy the new feeling that comes when the decorations are put away.
What a fun memory. So many good memories gather around music, don’t they? I just took my tree down yesterday and will miss its soothing white lights.
Music does bring about good memories, and we have quite a few hereabouts. I love the lights, Teresa. I’ve decided to leave the tree up until next week as we have guests coming for dinner – besides, I’m lazy today and it made for a good excuse as any.
How sweet, Penny – a Christmas tree dumpling with a memorable story to go with it.
Here on our Welsh hillside, Christmas will continue until tomorrow. My next-to-youngest sister was born on Epiphany and it always seemed too mean to take down the decorations the day before her birthday, so they stayed up. Now that Grandson#3 also has an Epiphany birthday, the decorations will never come down til the 7th.
I know, Perpetua. It is a wedding celebration we will relive each year now for sure with this festive reminder.
How grand that both your sister and your grandson share Epiphany and I think it is a loving gesture that you have and will continue to keep the tree up until the 7th. We decided to keep ours up until next weekend. We are having friends to dinner on the weekend and it just looks so festive (and, if truth be told, I’m too lazy today to start putting things away). I hope you are enjoying this day, Perpetua, and am sure you will enjoy tomorrow.
I had never heard of a Pierogi either. What a fun remembrance of that wedding surprise and an interesting addition to your tree. I love going through my ornaments each year and the memories that come with it. I was planning to take the tree down yesterday but circumstances made it impossible. I am starting today but may not finish. At our house, Christmas is not just a tree, it is everywhere! My snow men and snowy things may stay up for a while.
Yum, Janet. They are filled with all sorts of things, like potatoes or plums, and with this dough wrapped around them. Have you ever had wontons in soup? Something like that, or raviolis. This was such a cute ornament and reminder of the wedding. I know what you mean about Christmas being everywhere. It is best to take it down sloowwwly! Enjoy just snow men.
Much more than just a tree to strike here, too, and I always hate to do it. Everything looks so naked for awhile once the twinkle and shine have been boxed and stored away. Loved your Pierogi memory, Penny!
Thank you, Karen. It is and will continue to be a fun memory. Things do look naked when all is put away and I like the twinkle and shine as well. I’ll take this Christmas down slowly – in fact, leaving it up a while longer as we are having guests for dinner next week. My excuse for not doing it today.
Penny, I’m so glad to know someone else who does Epiphany. I will be schlepping all my stuff out the door tomorrow, but I’m enjoying the twinkling lights and ornament memories for one more day.
I love, love, love the pierogi. It must make you smile every time you see it. They’re good eating, too.
We still do, indeed, Andra. I decided, well, we decided to keep it all up for a bit longer for our dinner guests on Saturday. Then, I the pierogi and birds and all will be put away. It does make me smile and you are so right. They are good eating.
Such a thoughtful gift of an “ornamental” pierogi that is everlasting. Now you have a unique reminder of that special day.
It always makes me a sad to take the tree down and put all the special ornaments away for another year. Sigh.
I am cheered up by the return of Downton Abbey tonight!!! It’s time to enjoy the next 7 Sunday evenings!
Did you watch Downton Abbey tonight, Marilyn? I was perched upon the couch, all anxious and eager with anticipation. The tree – it’s still up, pierogi and all.
I was waiting for the picture to see what a pierogi was. A lovely ornament with a story which, like its memento, will come out at Christmastime every year.
Oh, that it will, Kate and it will be a fun story to tell. The ornament looks exactly like a pierogi (but, I didn’t taste it, tee hee).
What a great story, Penny. What a lovely wedding memory for the bride and groom, and then for all of the participants and friends alike. It is indeed an unusual Christmas ornament but much fun to unpack each year. And both “wise guys” and “frankinsentence” are just adorable. I’m sure you do still bring those words out from time to time.
Oh, I meant to add…it’s 8:56 pm…Downton starts in 4 minutes! Tee-hee!
You are, I hope, watching the Crawleys right now, Debra, and enjoying every moment of it.
It will be fun to unpack and retell the story. Instead of favors, they had one of those photo booths and we got to keep the pictures. We packed ten of us in it and acted like teenagers. We have the long strip of pictures to prove it. Gotta have fun, I always say.
Yes, we bring up the “wise guys” and “frankinsentence” each and every year, much to the dismay of our girls, I am sure.
Lovely memories! Our family “collects” and saves favorite mispronounces” too…
When we were little, the “wise guys” (;>) were not even put in the creche at church until the feast of the three kings on January 6…so they must have left it up for a while after that. I remember in grade school being in some kind of ceremony to place the figures. I think the whole thing wasn’t put up at all until about Christmas Eve though… so all of the celebration was after Christmas instead of before like it is now.
A fun thing to “collect” isn’t it, Sallie?
I had forgotten that the “wise guys” didn’t come out until the 6th, Sallie. I think there are still celebrations/observances in many communities, they are just not as well covered or seen as they used to be, such as Three Kings Day. Our celebrations here in the States seem to now begin with Thanksgiving and end the 26th, don’t they? I’m a bit of a throwback to other eras and the observances of my youth. Thank you, Sallie.
In response to your question, I watched every second of Downton and even my husband is “hooked”. I am seeing how I am not going to like the new bridegroom very much and since we all know what happens to him-pfft!
It will be fun to watch, won’t it Marilyn? I sat rapt in the moments as well, and am so glad to have Sunday night’s Masterpiece Theater to look forward to in the dark days of winter. As to the new bridegroom . . .
That is such a fun ornament with its wonderful story. I also have special ornaments with memories that I cherish. Happy New Year, Penny!
Happy New Year to you as well, Sunday, and thank you. These ornaments tend to take on a life of their own sometimes. I know the pierogi will.