Angie and Invoice Stanislawski stand at their kitchen desk in rural Greenbush on Christmas Eve 2021. For 62 years, the Stanislawski household has continued the custom of serving chili following Christmas Eve Mass. (photograph by Ryan Bergeron)
Following Christmas Eve Mass, one will discover rural Greenbush couple Invoice and Angie Stanislawski sitting down for a meal they’ve loved collectively for quite a few many years.
This yr’s Stanislawski Christmas Eve desk featured beef and pork sausage— selfmade by Invoice and his son Shawn— bread, a cranberry-carrot sauce, a dessert with bananas, strawberries and cream cheese, and a tray of various pickled objects. It additionally included a crockpot of chili—crammed to the brim— a practice that has remained within the Stanislawski household for 62 years.
Invoice’s mother and pa, Christine and John Stanislawski began this chili custom, ever since Invoice was little. The time of Christmas Mass might have modified over time, however what occurs after that mass has not throughout the Stanislawski household.
“It’s all the time been that approach. They’ve by no means modified it,” Invoice stated. “So each Christmas Eve, we go to church then at 4 o’clock, after which we all the time come… house and have our chili and sausage. After which it’s into the lounge and it’s current time.”
The Stanislawski household makes this chili all year long, however all the time on December 24.
“She (my spouse Angie) does it for me yearly,” Invoice stated.
Angie doesn’t have a recipe for this chili.
“It’s only a chili that I discovered find out how to do from my of us,” Angie stated.
She added the way it’s the identical chili each time she makes it.
“He received’t let me change it,” Angie stated. “He stated, ‘No matter you probably did, hold it.’”
Of this 62-year Stanislawski custom, Invoice and Angie have continued it collectively for 36 of these.
“You get used to one thing,” Invoice stated, “and also you look ahead to it.”
Their three grownup kids, Justin, Shawn, and Sara, nonetheless additionally participate within the Christmas Eve custom, besides when Justin and Sara are with their in-laws. A few of Invoice’s siblings proceed to do it, however possibly not as a lot. As Invoice added, issues change over time— generally stopping individuals from finishing up this custom.
“However we’ve by no means let it change,” Invoice stated with fun. “We’re cussed.”
Angie added, “I don’t thoughts doing it both. It’s sort of enjoyable that we’ve achieved it.”
Requested what made this chili distinctive, Invoice talked about the truth that all of the components within the chili— outdoors the beans— come straight from the Stanislawski household. This contains tomatoes, onions, peppers, and celery from their backyard, and the meat from Shawn’s beef cattle.
“Every part that’s in there’s just about, we raised it,” Invoice stated. “And I feel that’s what makes it particular as a result of it’s all our stuff.”
To see the entire story, learn the December 29 difficulty of The Tribune in print or on-line.
