Glitter Me This: Missing home

I LOVE Jewish holidays. Love love love. They make me giddy. Holidays in general make me giddy...but those Jewish ones? Love love love. While being away from home totally and completely SUCKS, it does make you realize what traditions you really value. For instance: I knew I needed to buy plague masks to pass out at seder. Values, people. They're very important.

For four years the Jewish holidays at the Wilinsky house were a full out party. We might as well have had neon glow sticks and techno beats. Year after year, we were fortunate to play host to all of my friends who were unable to spend the holidays with their own families. We welcomed everyone around the table-clothed ping-pong table and introduced some of our traditions. I don't think we realized it at the time but by the end of college- the Wilinskys had built all new traditions with our new extended family.

During Jewish holidays away from my family and my extended family of friends, I desperately miss so many things. Ping pong ball props for hail during the seder, plastic frogs on the table, silly plague masks. My mom has a way of making every holiday feel electric and full of fun. One time my dad dropped the entire brisket upside down on the ground, then my mom picked up and and served the parts that didn't touch the floor. It was hilarious. Every year my dad asks if we want one [matzo] ball or two then announces he's a two ball man. Every. Year. It's all those little things that make holidays great.

For the first time ever, I'm making my own seder this year. My table seats four and my living room has a maximum capacity of about 6. But we're hosting a 13 person sit down dinner. It's going to be wonderful. I'll incorporate old traditions of the past with fond memories and a heavy heart and smile at the thought of brand new Jewish holiday beginnings with my family of friends in New York.