I spent Easter weekend at my parents’ home in western Massachusetts. Per usual, it was a great holiday spent with the family and dogs. However, we missed one thing this year — the Easter ham! Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter, my mom always does a fine job of creating a traditional, home-cooked meal. Whether it be a juicy turkey with homemade stuffing, a tasty prime rib with Yorkshire pudding or a savory ham with green been casserole, the anticipation of Mom’s holiday cooking always keeps my mouth watering as I ride the train home to Massachusetts. Of course, the holidays are more about family gatherings than delicious food. I learned this last weekend when my mom forgot to buy the ham! The plan was to have a family dinner on Sunday with my mom’s traditional Easter ham. Plans get sidetracked, priorities get rearranged, especially when you add wine into the mix the night before. On Saturday, we spent the day and evening at my aunt and uncle’s house. Everyone was enjoying their holiday cocktails, and my mom decided instead of buying the ham on Saturday night, she would buy it Sunday morning before church. Sunday rolled around, and as we all dragged ourselves out of bed and fought our way to the coffeemaker, my mom came huffing and puffing through the kitchen door. “I forgot grocery stores are closed on Easter!” We all laughed and decided this was a great excuse to go out to eat! No, we did not need ham this Easter. Seafood, pasta, prime rib and mimosas at a local favorite, Spoleto’s, did the trick! In fact, I think we started a new family tradition … -Courtney Centeno, account executive