For many of us, family holiday traditions become cherished childhood memories. In this episode, Robert St. John recalls the Hattiesburg Christmas Parade, his family’s traditional Christmas Eve meal, the annual shopping trip to New Orleans and Maison Blanche’s perennial snowman, Mr. Bingle.

Family Christmas traditions cover everything from how the tree is decorated to when the presents are opened.  St. John remembers his Christmas mornings growing up and reflects on how couples blend old traditions together to form new ones.

Season’s Greetings from Mississippi Moments!

PHOTO CREDIT: Mr. Bingle in the Krewe of Jingle parade. (Photo: Julie Dermansky) GoNOLA.com

The term “comfort food” is used to describe those dishes that remind us of home and family.

In this episode, Randy Yates co-owner of the Ajax Diner in Oxford discusses his idea of comfort food.  He shares his memories of dishes his mother prepared for the family growing up as well as the wide variety of foods they enjoyed at the Neshoba County Fair every year.

When Yates and his business partner opened the Ajax Diner in Oxford, they decided to offer a quality plate lunch.  He discusses what the average college student wants, the large variety of home-style dishes they offer and explains why the term “comfort food” is no misnomer.

  After graduating pharmacy school, Louise Lynch and her husband purchased a drugstore in her hometown of Waveland. In this episode, she discusses a variety of topics including her time at Ole’ Miss during WWII, the challenge of being accepted as a pharmacist by those who knew her as a child, and issues related to civil rights.

   When Lynch’s husband passed away in 1963, leaving her to raise seven daughters alone, she found comfort, continuity and invaluable assistance within the tightknit community.  Lynch passed away on July 12, 2016 at the age of 93.