Asta’s memories of Christmas Eve

Today we have the privilege of sharing Christmas Eve traditions and memories straight from the Kaunas, Lithuania childhood home of Asta R., my guest blogger and a real “Lithuanian in Springfield:”

Christmas was a very special and magical time in our family when I was growing up in the 1980s and ‘90s in Lithuania. We were living in the same house with my father’s parents much of that time, as well as my father’s sister’s family. My parents and grandparents would prepare us for Christmas by telling us stories about Jesus, as well as Lithuanian folk stories of the season. We loved them all. I truly believed that animals talk on Christmas Eve, and that the longest straw pulled from under the tablecloth during our special Christmas Eve feast, called Kucios (or Kuciu vakaras), would mean the longest life.

Kaunas town hall square with Christmas tree

Our grandmother would stress the importance of having a clean house and clean bodies in preparation for Jesus’ birth. We all would help to clean and scrub the house, change all the sheets, and wash and iron clothes. I think that rush of cleaning before Kucios made it even more special.

The day before Christmas Eve, or even on the same day, we would decorate a real but modest-size Christmas tree. I still remember that evergreen smell, so crisp and fresh! We would decorate the tree with regular ornaments, but also add paper snowflakes, garlands, cotton balls, and of course, chocolate candies–those were the best! My brother, my cousins and I always ate the candies right off the tree, then arranged the wrappers on the tree so they still looked full and none of the adults would know.

traditional straw ornaments

The kitchen on Christmas Eve was too busy for kids even to enter because my grandmother and mother were preparing 12 special Kucios dishes. These traditional dishes always included several combinations of herring: herring with plums and nuts, herring with red beets and beans, and sometimes with dried apricots, or with carrots and onions. Our bread was neatly sliced under a linen cloth to keep it warm. The table was also set with hot boiled potatoes, baked fish patties, and sometimes with a mushroom and cheese dish that melted in the mouth.

traditional cold cranberry drink

Mom and Grandma always made kisielius, a thick fruity drink made from from cranberries and potato starch. We used to drink it cold, and I still remember how we kept it cool outside because our small refrigerator was so overstuffed. One of our main dishes was kuciukai, little poppy seed crackers that were always homemade. We also always made fresh poppy seed milk right on Christmas Eve. When I was old enough, it was my job to grind the poppy seeds until they were white. Oh, it was such a long job at the time!

kuciukai in bowl of poppy seed milk

Then after all the cleaning, decorating, and cooking, we would wait until the appearance of the Evening Star. Only under its clear and beautiful light would we then go to the table, usually between 8 and 9 p.m., and sit down to our family Christmas Eve dinner. The oldest person said the opening prayer and broke the large Christmas wafer, which we all passed around and shared, each person breaking off a piece. (This is a communion-like wafer that is specially blessed in church in preparation for Christmas.) After that, everyone did their best to sample at least a portion of all 12 traditional Kucios dishes and not overeat. There were never any alcoholic beverages on the table on Christmas Eve and no meat, just fish. Wine was tasted only on Christmas Day.

After the meal, we used to sit around talking until about midnight, when there was a sudden knock at the door. This was the exciting moment when we children would rush to the door to find a bag full presents for everyone! Some years, Santa, himself, brought the bag. Only after midnight was it permitted to play music and dance—if anyone still had enough energy.

Lithuanian Kucios table with traditional dishes

My last Christmas in Lithuania, before our whole family emigrated, was in 2003. Although my grandmother was gone, my grandfather was still alive, and it was great to have that last Kucios with him (he died in March, and we emigrated in June.) I do miss those Christmas Eves with my grandparents—but I am so happy to have all these memories.

Our happy Kucios tradition continues here in the U.S., where we have had some very nice Christmas Eve dinners in Chicago with extended family.

Merry Christmas to you all! Asta

Angela and Darrell Tureskis at Schnuck’s on Montvale in December 2012.

This year the bell did not toll for Lithuanian-American Darrell Tureskis after two years holding the world record for continuous Salvation Army bell-ringing. In December 2011 and 2012, Darrell took his stand and held it from a Sunday midnight to a Thursday midnight at Schnucks supermarket on Montvale Dr., where I happened upon him in action, complete with a countdown clock ticking away and his wife Angela by his side near the end.

In 2012, Darrell, owner of Springfield’s Nyilas Cleaning Service, Inc., set the high bar at 80 hours–20 hours longer than his 2011 record. You can read my original post and last year’s article in the State Journal-Register:

http://www.sj-r.com/breaking/x65615260/Salvation-Army-bell-ringer-breaks-records-still-ringing

https://lithspringfield.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=1040&action=edit

This year the record belongs to Andre Thompson of Tyler, Texas and two other men, who pushed a little past 100 hours early Sunday, Dec. 8 (today).

http://www.kltv.com/story/24163533/etx-man-ties-for-salvation-army-world-record-bell-ringing

A third-generation Lithuanian-American, Darrell is the son of former U.S. Air Force mechanic and Ameritech lineman James Tureskis. Darrell’s paternal grandparents Felix and Ann Tureskis of Divernon were Lithuanian immigrants.

Growing up in Springfield near the Fleetwood Restaurant with two brothers and two sisters, Darrell attended St. Cabrini Grade School and Griffin High School, where he was on the school’s state championship golf team. Next, Darrell attended Lincoln Land Community College and Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana, where he earned a business degree with a minor in accounting.

Darrell followed his college years with a stint selling cars at Green Toyota, then 15 years with the Ameritech Yellow Book, including management roles in Champaign, Collinsville, and Chicago. Darrell also worked as Director of Golf at the Rail Golf Course in Springfield and as a stockbroker for Merrill Lynch in Springfield before purchasing Nyilas cleaners in 2005.

Darrell said he sat out the Salvation Army’s 2013 “run for the record” because he wanted to see if anyone would break his 2012 record. His initial plan was to go for the 100-hour mark in 2014 if anyone beat 80 hours this year.

Even if he never rings another bell, Darrell is still a champion. In 2011 he estimates he raised $7,000–and another $6,200 in pledges in 2012–for The Mary Bryant Home, Camp Coco, Basket of Hope, St. Martin de Porres, the Animal Protective League, and other local charities.