Every January 7th, my husband’s family celebrates the Russian Orthodox Christmas Dinner. Twelve dishes for the twelve apostles. Each protein is represented with a myriad of veggies and breads…and of course, delicious desserts.
When we were first married, my husband mentioned that he missed these huge dinners with all the family and friends gathered around. So I started researching the whole process. It is amazing how researching food dishes help you understand history. Oh it is a party! So I started the tradition of the dinner itself. The Orthodoxy has been long left behind with this family, but the tradition itself has brought to us a very special event for our family and friends every year.
We start off with pierogies, Chicken Kiev, Kidney beans, Pagach, my husband insists on having a shrimp coctail to represent fish, sausage and cabbage, Kielbasa, two different types of bread, a special cake that mom in law makes, borscht and we always try another veggie, but we like the carrot dish.
The tradition is that the family comes together on “Christmas” night, (January 7th) and a small ceremony of thanks is given with every person given a coin to represent prosperity in the next year. Children are usually given a candy and the patriarch of the family will (can) give a blessing of honey and garlic on the forehead of anyone that wants one. The main prayer is spoken and then the place goes crazy with people eating as much as they want. In our event, we ask that new people try everything before they decide they don’t like it.
I love cooking this dinner. People come early to help, the guys watch whatever is exciting in the “man room” and we just all, for one day, become family. The best kind. The ones we choose to be family.
Caregiver Down 