Our family has a lot in common with Jesus whose birthday is celebrated Dec. 25. My grandfather, Earl Mann, was born on the 26th, his sister Mattie Mann Cone on the 28th and his first wife who died when my mother was 11, Maude Goza Mann, was born on the 30th — all in close proximity of years.

Decades later, 61 years ago today, I was born. The bummer for a child, born during winter or summer breaks, is listening through the school year to all the birthday wishes and going to parties for friends because of being in school together. Dec. 27 has not always been a joyous time to celebrate a birthday, it was closer to the bah-humbug attitude — but, we ate cake. 

My mother was never short on recognizing the importance of celebrating a Christmas birthday with all the trimmings including an icing-laden cake after all the festive sweets of Christmas — and there were always wrapped presents. Naturally, there were years when a big present was substituted as a mixed gift, but even then something small was wrapped for under the tree or birthday giving.

On two occasions friends and family attempted to “surprise me” with a party. One failed attempt was given by my high school and college friends spoiled by the cars parked along the route “to” our family home. The dead giveaway was the shade pulled down in the breakfast room window that was never down, night or day. Shouts of “surprise” and “happy birthday” greetings were loud enough to deliver the expected shock and excitement.

Turning 40 brought a more sophisticated and real surprise, with only mild suspicion when my family planned a Lafayette City Club dinner outing. It was a nice event and great to see a group of old friends I rarely visited with in person since my move to and residency in Nashville had disbanded the closeness we once experienced. It was a great birthday surprise with good food. 

When my grandfather, who lived to be 94, turned 80, we threw him a perfect surprise party by faking the usual Christmas gathering of family from north and south Louisiana at their house, and added his sisters who usually stayed home in Arkansas. We just didn’t have the big meal, just finger foods, of which my cousin consumed a lot of deviled eggs upset we weren’t eating the usual full Christmas fare.

Somehow he missed the message we were going to the local restaurant for a private dining experience to celebrate the big day. I think it was actually on the 26th due to Christmas falling on a weekend. It was hard to tell which of the two men were more surprised. My grandfather for sure, but equal was my cousin’s reaction.

Until that day, no one knew that my grandfather had never celebrated his birthday with a party. As a child and youth in the 1900s, I suppose it was just too close to Christmas. Growing older, who knew he had never had a party?

A few years later his sister Mattie was surprised when we celebrated her 80th birthday with us in Lafayette at LaFonda, a usual place for my December birthday. We were surprised to find out she had never had a “birthday party” either, that close to Christmas on the 28th.

By the time I turned 50, and the legacy of making something of just another birthday was behind, but I threw myself a tea party. I invited all the ladies I wanted to share the day with and had all of my favorite desserts of every kind, and a few finger foods to break the sweet. Family cakes are today’s featured recipes.

That birthday was like Alice in Wonderland served with my teacup collection and enjoyed even more because of an extensive hat collection that inspired a game for the event.

Certain hats were numbered corresponding with a sheet listing events from my life when the hat was worn. The person that guessed the most right answers won a prize. The hats began with my mother’s nursing school cap and father’s oil field hardhat. Everyone figured my sister would win, but I threw in some surprises and another friend won the prize. It was a lot of fun.

Best birthday ever is eating all your favorite desserts at one time. However, it was hard to get rid of the leftovers, but well worth the effort — a recommendation for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Generation to Generation

Christmas is definitely a time for food.It’s almost a month of constant eating considering the company parties, friends’ and club suppers or cocktail parties. Food, food, glorious food. 

The Teche Life Food page will feature different kinds of foods for the season but with Catherine Wattigny taking the lead today, I wanted to make a contribution by writing about some favorite Christmas candy memories. 

As my sister and I approached high school graduation, my mother, the late Earlene Branton, decided it was time to return to her career as a registered nurse. She stopped when my sister was born in 1954 but maintained her license. 

She knew getting back in the field would be a challenge and the perfect job opened up as a nurse in the recovery room at a local hospital. The camradery in that department was supportive all the time, perfect for a new or returning nurse to become accustomed to new procedures.

Mom retired in 1994 as head nurse so you know she achieved more than just a job after her children went off to college. She gained a career that was full of accolades and accomplishments — including trips to the Louisiana legislature to campaign for one health issue or another. 

One of the women who came to work at the hospital in mom’s department was named Lois Domingue. She was a widow with 12 children who had gone back to school and educated herself to care for her family. Mom was impressed by her efforts and even helped to find a new house so the family could move to Lafayette closer to Domingue’s new job.

At some point after I moved home to Lafayette, mom arranged for us to visit one of Domingue’s daughters who owned an event house with a bed and breakfast. We took the drive from Lafayette to New Iberia and met Linda Freyou, owner of Antique Rose Ville.

After moving to New Iberia, Freyou all but adopted me and has fed me more meals than I deserve  without reciprication. Good intentions have just not found their way into a schedule that fills the pages of this paper week after week. Domestic responsibilties are the last thing on my mind.

But recently looking through some cookbooks for one of the weekly Food page stories, I ran across a hand written recipe that will have to make its usual appearance in the Christmas holiday cheer. 

Since the years of helping mom  prepare neighbor food bundles of various family recipes, we have made the featured recipe. I can remember the hot candy being wrapped in just the right cloth towel — one without a nap — shaping the molten sweet with nuts so it would be a certain shape and size for cutting, once cooled. 

Funny how little memories are carried with us from year to year especially when the person they are connected to is no longer around, as in the case of both my mother and Mrs. Domingue. Oh, did I tell you, it was Lois Domingue who gave my mother the recipe for Date Loaf Candy featured to day and still prepared for special occasions by Freyou and on my agenda for this Christmas. 

Date Loaf Candy a great treat to eat especially at Christmas, but I think the memory of making it with my mother carries much more appreciation. Now that I know where she got the recipe, it is even more precious to me — and Freyou, too.

Thanks moms for the memories and for raising us to treasure these moments enough to pass them along to other generations. 

Date Loaf Candy

1 large can evaporated milk

4 cups sugar

1 8-ounce package dates, chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons butter

2 cups of nuts, chopped coarsely

Cook sugar and milk to soft ball stage. Add dates and cook again to soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Add butter, vailla and nuts. Beat until stiff. Roll in damp nap-less cloth and place in refrigerator. When cold, cut thin slices and indulge.

— The late Lois Domingue via the late Earlene Branton