Christmas Eve was so special … I can still smell it! In accord with our Slovak heritage, we began our meal with prayer and Oplatky. It was topped with a bit of honey, broken and shared quietly and ceremonially. This ritual was followed with a sip of wine and eating three cooked prunes set before us.

Then came the serving of “Yahoo” soup made with sauerkraut and fresh mushrooms (sometimes alphabet noodles were added). As the soup was eaten … ahh … the smell of eggs and mushrooms frying prepared us for the next dish, which was accompanied by Pagac (bread). Finally came the nut, lekvar and poppyseed Kolacy (cookies). This was the “formal” serving because, by then, we had all “snuck” a sample while it was cooling.

Following the meal, we cleaned up and got a bath, one after another ... no playing around! Soon we were gathered in the living room, us three girls, lying or sitting, watching bubble lights and staring at the Bethlehem scene under the tree. Then Mom would start playing the piano, and Dad picked up his violin. Suddenly, we joined the choirs of angels singing all the carols we knew to welcome the Christ child.

After a while, the three of us put on our new flannel nightgowns and donned our Angel gowns. We were hurried off to St. Mark’s Church in McKees Rocks. Ahh ... Christmas was really here!