Italians have a tradition of eating fish and seafood on Christmas Eve. Absolutely no meat. This is best known as the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Calamari, salt cod, shrimp/scampi, scungilli, clams, monkfish and,

the eels! Ma-donna, the eels for Christmas Eve dinner.

First writhing in the bag, then writhing in the sink, then slithering across the garage floor trying to make a break for it, then writhing in my aunt's hands, then writhing on the chopping block, and STILL writhing as, she cut them into cross-sections, and placed them in the roasting pan!

Now, that's a memory many Italians can share.

I could never bring myself to even sit any where near the serving dish, never mind eating the greasy little things.