It was December Twenty fourth, almost my favorite time of year. I was sitting in my bedroom when my mother shouts from downstairs “Jessie, meet me downstairs in five minutes. I have something to show you”. I pondered for those five minutes, what is mother going to show me? I thought and thought about it, hoping she was going to give me an early Christmas present or something along those lines. Five minutes later, I rushed down the stairs, and when I turned the corner, I saw mother sitting in the living room with a glass plate in her hands. I was very confused, but on the inside I was upset I wasn’t going to be receiving an early Christmas present. I looked at my mom and asked “why are you holding that plate?” I thought I had seen the plate before, but I wasn’t quite sure where. She replied “This may just look like an ordinary plate, but I can assure you, it is anything but ordinary. This plate has been in our family for generations. It began with Bachi, your great grandmother. This plate belonged to her during the great depression. During the great depression, your great grandmother had lost everything. She lost her job, her house, and was even separated from her family for a bit.
But, this was the only thing she had held on to throughout the entire tragedy. This plate meant a lot to her. Bachi kept this in a safe place, and was planning on passing it down to your grandmother. A few years after, Bachi had suddenly died of a heart attack. Nobody saw this coming, and it sure was a tragic death. Two months after her death, your grandmother and I helped clean up Bachi’s house, since she had lived alone. As your grandmother and I were digging through all of Bachi’s belongings, we came across this plate. Although your grandmother had never seen the plate, as soon as we opened the cupboard, your grandmother immediately realized this was the plate that Bachi had always talked about. Your grandmother did not want to take a lot of Bachi’s belongings, but she was sure this plate would always help keep Bachi in her heart. Your grandmother had this plate on display for years. Every time she looked at the plate, she did a prayer for your great grandmother, and promised that she would someday meet with her again. About thirty years after she received the plate, your grandmother had ended up in the hospital. Your grandmothers entrance into the hospital was also very sudden, and it nearly put me into depression.
But, I was there every second for your grandmother. I would sit by her bedside night after night, talking to her, and watching her sleep, hoping that this would not be the last of her. One night when we were talking, she mentioned to me, that if she was to pass away, that plate was the one thing that I had to take care of for her. I told her that the plate was safe with me, and that I would treasure it for as long as I lived. Surely enough, grandma became well again, and was able to leave the hospital. I had told grandma that instead of just displaying the plate, everybody should be able to use it.” It became a tradition, that every Christmas we put hosts on the plate, to celebrate life. Each Christmas every member of our extended family, takes a host off of the plate. We break a tiny piece of the host off, and we give it to a family member. As we are giving them the host, we wish them good luck, happiness and wellness. This tradition is extremely important in my family, and helps us remember those in our family that we have lost, and also cherish the members of our family who we still have with us. My grandmother told my mother that upon her deathbed, she wants my mother to take the plate, and keep the tradition running in my family. After my mother passes away, she wishes that I take the plate, and keep the tradition going through my children, and eventually my grandchildren.