What Happened to Sunday Dinner?

Ballance Family late 1940's, Lowland N.C. Photo from Lewis Family Collection.

       Long ago, before the day of everyplace being open for business on Sundays (for our convenience of course), Sunday dinner at Grandma's was a traditional part of our Island upbringing.  Before the days of microwave ovens, fat-free or cholesteral-free diets and take-out, there was Sunday dinner.
     I was riding around Harkers Island yesterday after church.  Yes, Harkers Island has a lot of similarities of Goose Creek Island.  The only difference is location and language.  I drove by a home that had 4 or 5 cars in the driveway.  Instantly, I knew what was taking place.  Somebody was having Sunday dinner.  In this day and time, several cars parked in a yard arouse suspicion that "something is wrong", but not at that house.
    "What has happened to our Sunday dinners?  Have we as a society become uninterested or impatient that we no longer gather with family and celebrate a meal on this day of rest?"
     Tommy recalled to me that during his youth growing up in Sea Level, Sunday dinner was at his Granny Nina Williamson's.  Sometimes it would be at Grandparents Nellie and Tull Williamson's, but that depended on where preaching was at.  They were Primitive Baptist, so Sunday dinner for them may have been in another community.  Regardless who hosted Sunday dinner, Nina Williamson had dinner EVERY Sunday.  Whether a house full gathered or just her by herself, she always prepared Sunday dinner.  Tommy said after dinner, the grown ups would spend the rest of the day resting and he and his neighbors would play along the sound in skiffs or play in the woods.  He said those were good days. All was good in the world those days.
     I remember after getting out of church in Lowland, we would gather at Granny and Granddaddy's for Sunday dinner.  Grandmama Melissa would join us sometimes.  Fried chicken or a platter of fried shrimp or softcrabs would be on the table.  Something fresh from the garden also was an accompaniment.  But a special treat would be a slice of Pepperidge Farm cake, straight from the freezer.  Isn't it funny, to this day when I see those cakes in the freezer section of the grocery store, that is exactly what I think of....Sunday dinner at Granny's.
     Afterwards, when everything was cleaned up and put away, me and Heather would end up in the yard to play.  Grandmama Melissa would take a nap before her afternoon visit with Miss Minerva Lupton.  Granddaddy would flip through the TV channels (only three may I remind you) and he'd find a golf game or a "hillbilly" movie to watch.  By late afternoon, we'd all end up down to Granddaddy and Grandma Potter's house to sit on the porch for a visit.
     Today, families still come together but not as often as we should, at least not like we did in the days of our youth.  The traditional Sunday dinner at Grandma's predates the current trend of "going out to eat" on our day of rest.  When we gather for Sunday dinner, we show the value of the family getting together. Sunday dinner in our past was not an occasion nor was it spontaneous.  It was a ritual!  Comfort foods like a beef pot roast or an uncomplicated creation of a baked ham signified that Sunday dinner was made with love.
     Let's bring Sunday dinner back into our lives.  Let's make Sunday dinner an opportunity to bring together several generations of family back to the table.  Let's continue those traditions which our ancestors began.  We will not be disappointed.


I apologize for not updating my Journal in recent weeks.  Sickness and death have been burdens this month.  But we all know that God is in control and spring is on the way. As the weather warms and burdens are lifted, more stories and memories will be forthcoming.  Tina