I always love your curious lurking :) Great picture, btw!

Since you asked for a personal description, I’ll tell you that Rosh Hashanah and all the holidays are filled with wonderful family memories. If you’ll indulge me :)

When I was a kid, the holidays started with synagogue services, of course, and they were always very long. When I got antsy, my father always graciously offered to take me for a walk. The holidays always meant some real one-on-one time with dad which was always super special.

All our holidays were at my aunt’s house. She was an amazing cook and loved to entertain. She cooked for about 30 people and would start months before. She set a beautiful table with odds pieces of china; creamers, pitchers, antique salt & pepper shakers, etc. At each setting was a name tag that was held by a little pewter animal figure. So it was fun to find your name and your little creature. “I’m a chicken tonight!”

My cousin and I used to set the dessert table. Each of my aunts dessert services (plate, cup, saucer) were unique. 1 Wedgwood set, 1 Lennox set, and then there were these pieces she got at the gas station. Before you laugh at that, back in the day of $.30/gallon gas, the gas stations would do free give-aways with a fill-up. For a long while, they gave away china, except that it was made in Japan, which you hardly find anymore without a cost. She must have collected 20 of these sets over the years. Anyhoo, my cousin and I had a blast picking out who would get what and everyone enjoyed looking at everyone else’s dish.

Did I mention my aunt was a teacher? lol

After the feast, there was the Big Walk around the neighborhood together. When we got back, the men would sit around talking politics and the women - who remembers, women stuff. My cousin and I always sat with the men… I know, big surprise! And half the time, I had no clue what they were saying, but it was always about Israel…. I know, big surprise!

I could go on :) Today, most of that family is gone. My aunts and uncles, my older mother’s cousins. The rest of us are spread around the country from CA to MA so I celebrate with friends and I love it. It’s always great, but it will never be the same as it was.