When I was a kid, my friend Frank’s parents always had a big Christmas Eve party, and their kids friends were invited along with his whole extended family. Just so you have an idea, it was Frank, his father Frank Sr., brothers, Richie, Tony, Sal. Cousins Tony, Richie, Apolonia, and on and on.
I distinctly remember scungilli, calamari, some shrimp dishes, fried flounder or some such type of fish (it was Long Island, after all), clams, mussels, baccala. And lasagna, turkey, etc.
I also remember the men, after all the eating was done, playing cards and smoking those little crooked cigars.
