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Our Holiday Star: A Bridges® Family’s Cherished Memories

With Trisha Solomon, Daughter of Louise Solomon, Bridges® by EPOCH at Hingham Resident

The belle of the ball, the hostess with the most-ess, the star of the show – my mother was all of these at Christmastime, and she made the holiday special for everyone. On Christmas Eve, she and my father invited friends and family over for the Feast of the Seven Fishes, a Roman Catholic tradition that features seafood rather than meat, which is reserved for the Christmas Day feast. My mom and dad made everything from scratch – fried haddock, shrimp, pasta and all the desserts you could imagine. Everyone was welcome and no one left with an empty stomach.

I’m not really sure how Mom did all the shopping, cooking and entertaining, but it was always perfect. After an entire day of cooking, she would turn around and put her hair in an updo and don a beautiful dress and high heels. Throughout the years, this magical ability to work so hard and then look so wonderful for our family’s holiday celebrations never ceased to amaze me.

When we woke up on Christmas morning, we all had a very large pile of wrapped presents and stockings full of fun things. We didn’t always have a lot of money, but we felt like millionaires because Mom had a remarkable ability make it seem that way. She always made sure we got what we asked for and so much more.

After opening gifts, Mom would prepare an awesome breakfast and later that day she’d treat us to a delicious Christmas dinner. Mom’s many festive meals were the core of our family traditions. Like a scene from a Christmas movie, Mom’s dining room table was impeccably set with bright, sparkling holiday dishes, a beautiful display we looked forward to all year long.

But for Mom, the festivities didn’t end there!

She and Dad loved going out on New Year’s Eve. Mom would go get her hair done again and would put on a really fancy gown. Everyone thought she looked like a movie star, and on these nights, she was her own Elizabeth Taylor. My dad always opened the car door for her like a perfect gentleman, and the way he’d smile at her showed young me what true love looked like.

For me, it was these moments with my mother that made the holiday season so special.

So thank you, Mom, for making my childhood memories so wonderful. YOU are wonderful and I love you so much.

Love, Trisha

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