We make old family recipes for the holidays, we sing while we cook and we tell stories. These are all part of Christmas with our family. From the oldest to the youngest, we look forward to all the laugher, silliness and the cooking. Oh the cooking...we HAVE to make the Ravioli, the Zeppoli, the Christolen...all the things our grandmothers made.

There is a connection in this, a connection to the past, to the larger family, to the love we share with each other no matter how crazy we may sometimes feel or act! In fact, we call each other across the country with the questions "How did your ravioli dough come out? We are frying the Zeppoli, are you?  Tell me how much salt you used this time."

You think we would know after all these years but part of the fun is the talking on the phone since we can't be together.

This year my 24 year old made the dough for the Zeppoli himself (under his father's direction) while I took my mother to midnight mass. He was so proud of himself and I was so proud of him. And so happy to see the tradition being passed down so when I am not around, my children will do it together.

We also love to share these traditions and foods with our friends. Since our greater family lives across the country, we create our family here with our friends.

So I sing the ravioli song in this show and tell an old Italian story called The Wise Sentence about a man who does NOT like to share. Listen and you will see what happens.

And then write and tell me about YOUR tradition!