- I am retired so I should have the time, even though these dishes are ridiculously labor-intensive.
- If my great-grandmothers could make all this and still have time to milk the cows, darn the socks, feed the chickens, and so on, I should be able to handle this in my 21st century kitchen.
- I need something to keep me busy as I wait impatiently for my offspring to arrive for the holidays.
- I am bonding with countless generations of strong, resilient East European women.
- I suppose this is one way to make myself invaluable to the offspring and to the husband, because they do appreciate all the effort I put into this. I think.
- If I don’t make all these traditional dishes, my mother’s ghost will no doubt come to haunt me. (It’s still complicated, you know, all the Polish mother guilt I carry.)
- Some of these dishes are good for our health, right? I mean, sauerkraut is pickled and good for gut health, and all the fish has great omega-3 fatty acids. And the sour cream has calcium. And the beets help fight inflammation. And the poppy seeds are rich in antioxidants. Right?
- The days-long lingering smell of cooked cabbage reminds me of my childhood, and nostalgia is a necessary part of the holiday season.
- At least the vodka is easy to obtain.
- I want to pass on the beautiful Polish Christmas legacy to my kids and their partners. (And if they let the traditions die, I suppose I could always come back and haunt them.)
Monica Lists 