Since I can remember, my family and I would always visit my grandparent’s house after church every Sunday for pasta dinner. My grandma, originally from Italy, would always have fresh pasta made when we arrived with a variety of side dishes. My family would all gather around a beautiful mahogany table in the living room of their small house; my grandmother was always a stickler about keeping its pristine state while we ate. She always hated the idea of using expensive china only for events that were deemed special, so she brought it out on regular occasions. My grandmother was the most family oriented person I knew; she believed that every Sunday we gathered together called for her special Italian china. She had hand-painted bowls, silver utensils, and an arrangement of fresh alstroemeria flowers on the table every Sunday. My favorite, however, were the hand-painted coasters that each had their own unique design. Every Sunday we would pick the same coaster to use for the meal. After she passed away from breast cancer, my grandpa gave me a set of the coasters. The four he gave me had very symmetrical designs and were done in yellow, orange, blue, green, and white glaze. They remind me of the importance of family gatherings and also the memories of Sundays at my grandmother’s. I will pass them down to my future children and grandchildren to continue the celebration of our family and our Italian heritage. 

– ZL

Relationship:  Grandchild of im/migrant Grandchild of im/migrant