The Party We Never Skip
The most important moments of my life happen at the table. The feeling that we are part of something bigger, that we are all connected and rooted in hundreds of years of the exact same ritual.
I love traditions and rituals. Truly, anything my family or friends will indulge in - I will make into a regular thing that we can look forward to. Traditions and gathering tether us. They remind us who we are and who we belong to, no matter how much the year has taken out of us. And for someone constantly moving as quickly as I do, it is what makes me feel most present.
For fifteen years, we’ve hosted the same annual Hanukkah family party. It’s nothing fancy and nothing precious. Just pure joy. A packed house, a truly absurd amount of food (I finalize recipes for months), kids running around everywhere, so many twinkle lights and tequila shots, ridiculous merch, and a white elephant gift exchange that I treat like an Olympic sport.
I’d love to know what’s on your mind. Questions, ideas, suggestions, recipes - please send them all my way: allofit@mandanadayani.com