Every family has that one Christmas tradition that year after year everyone looks forward to. Some may bake cookies or watch certain Christmas movies. Whatever it is, it's something the whole family looks forward to.
While my family does participate in baking cookies and watching movies, we have our own unique tradition. It's a little out there, but perfect for our crazy family.
Our tradition actually started at Thanksgiving over 50 years ago. It eventually evolved to Christmas because that is when we are all together for a proper sit-down meal. I had never heard this story before because nobody knew or really explained this.
Every year to start off Christmas dinner, whoever is sitting next to the basket of rolls grabs one and points to someone at the other end of the table. They then proceed to yell, "Roll!" and throw it down the dining room table. After this dinner can commence.
Now, nobody is truly sure how this tradition came to be. Here is one possibility for this famous family Christmas tradition.
My mom believes this began when my great-uncle brought his girlfriend who he then married to Thanksgiving dinner for the first time. He wanted everything to be perfect and had everyone acting on their best behaviors.
When the turkey was brought out, my grandfather and other great-uncle attacked it with their bare hands. They were trying to break all of the tension in the room. My grandmother and her sister were supposedly so appalled that they would do that, that the tradition of throwing food at dinner was born.
Nobody is quite sure how it evolved into the roll toss. Maybe throwing rolls is easier than turkey. Who knows, but it is something we do now whenever the whole family is gathered together.
We even have milestone roll toss ornaments. My parent's roll was from when my father first joined my mothers family for Christmas dinner. It's been glazed over and now sits front and center on our tree each year.
To many, this seems like a ridiculous tradition. And it is, but it's something that never fails to make me laugh.
This year, the kids are starting a new tradition. We'll be wearing ugly Christmas sweaters to dinner, and who knows, this may be something we continue to do for many years to come.
