Don’t get me wrong. I love the holiday season–the spirit and festiveness. I love the coziness of curling up on the couch as our Christmas tree glows in the corner, and everything about putting up the decorations for Christmas gets me in a great mood.

I have fielded about a dozen questions from well-meaning relatives this holiday season alone, all who have asked, “What should I get the kids for Christmas?”

Pasta has always been, hands down, my favorite food. You don’t grow up in an Italian family without consuming your weight in carbs weekly.

In my family, we jokingly call it the Tree of Life for its regal, storybook appearance: Massive trunked, straight and broad, with branches that fan out like so many veins in a heart.