Kalėdaitis

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Since I'm half Lithuanian, I try to carry on some of the traditions my mother had.  One of them was sharing the Christmas wafer, on Christmas Eve.  I purchase it in a Polish deli.  There it is called oplatek.  It's made up of the same ingredients as a communion wafer.  Of course, it's unconsecrated.  Think of it as a traditional sharing of goodwill.

The Christmas wafer will have a Christ related scene stamped on it, e.i., creche, holy angels, Mary with Jesus.  It will sit in the center of the table and will be the first thing people touch.  The father, or in my case me, (Hubby thinks I'm nuts.) will say a blessing before we eat and then I'll break off a piece of the wafer and pass it around for everyone to break off a piece and eat.

I like to think of it as wishing everyone health and good cheer.  Hubby says he'd rather clink wine glasses, but it's the same idea.  In my family, we do both--pass the wafer and toast.