tvc.dsj.org | December 11, 2018
COMMUNITY
9
On a Firm Foundation: Aunt Mary’s Pizza Night
Mary Quilici Aumack
Executive Director
Catholic Community Foundation of Santa
Clara County, [email protected]
If you’ve read even a few of my articles, you know
that I am BIG on tradition, from the sacramental to
the silly. I deeply appreciate the rituals of our faith,
delighting in the Eucharist and attendant songs,
prayers and gathering.
AND I love the traditions of friendship, such as
the periodic gatherings of our “Friday Group” with
whom we grew as a family in the community of
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception. I love the
traditions of family: Our sister gatherings, celebrat-
ing “Little Christmas” in January, and my revered
Christmas EVE EVE on the 23rd.
Our Thanksgiving tradition started 35 years ago
when we decided to join my sister and her family
in Portland. Our niece and nephew were 9 and 6,
and I was pregnant with Kacey. What started as
a one- time visit has grown to a deeply treasured
tradition. We’ve only missed three years since 1983.
While certain aspect of the menu are set, we spend
the weeks and months beforehand strategizing on
the best desserts. We attend the same holiday ba-
zaar every year. And we bake. Sometimes we catch
a movie. We always try to get in some good walks.
And we bake. My sister and I have coff ee at a favorite
spot on Wednesday morning where no one else is
invited. And did I mention baking?
Wednesday is “minestrone night.” We tell our-
selves that we are eating light, in preparation for
the next day feast, as we slather butter on freshly
baked bread.
On Thanksgiving we gather as family and refl ect
on our countless blessings. Some years we’ve had 30
at the table. This year was 14. Some young family
members have moved away and are starting their
own sacred traditions. We text pictures back and
forth, sharing our love of mashed potatoes, new
stuffi ng recipes, a spicy take on cranberry sauce,
and family.
A couple of decades ago (no one can remember
exactly when it started), we decided to make Aunt
Mary’s pizza for the night after Thanksgiving. Be-
cause, you know, we hadn’t EATEN enough during
the week. And again, what started as a one-time
thing has evolved to a “must have, must attend”
tradition. A couple of years ago we moved pizza
night to the home of my niece, where we have a huge
island and two ovens. We started a new practice of
making the crusts earlier in the week (just too many
to roll out the night of the party).
And here’s how it’s grown:
• My niece Arian and two of her closest friends
were still in high school (we think) when we
started. They now come with their families
• Kids who weren’t born in the beginning are
now fashioning gourmet pizzas
This year we had:
• Close to 40 people
• 28 pizzas!
• A couple of pizzas with caulifl ower crust for
the fi rst time (pretty tasty)
• Habanero and egg on our pizzas (also pretty
tasty)
• Kacey & Arian invited new people, sharing
the tradition
At one point during the festivities, one friend came
up to me with her 14-year old daughter and said “Do
you remember? Madison walked for the fi rst time
at Pizza Night 13 years ago.” I did remember, and it
made me cry.
One of our nieces missed pizza night this year be-
cause she and her husband and daughter were leaving
that day for new adventures in Montana.
When we started pizza night most of our parents
were still with us. My brother-in-law’s mom Jilma
(who we all called Mimi), provided a highlight of
our annual gathering with her gentle smile and mis-
chievous laugh. We had not met Jason, my niece’s
wonderful husband who we lost last year.
We are bound to family by history and tradition.
Gratitude for these ineff able gifts fi lls me.
And so it is with our faith traditions. We gather,
we are transformed, and we serve. And all of that is
in community, providing support on our journey.
For me, in all of this, is God. And I give thanks.
Learn more about preserving our traditions a
www.cfoscc.org.
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