In spite of your best efforts, are the holidays always more complicated than you want them to be?
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Val123 (
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December 24th, 2009
I pretty much wasn’t going to do Christmas….my husband won’t be home, my grandkids will be with their other families so I was just going to sleep and read and, of course, Fluther. I was NOT going to do the huge dinner I usually do every year.
Well, then my daughter said she’d have her kids after 5 tomorrow, so they’d come “do Christmas” then. Urghsh. I really wasn’t going to “do Christmas” per Se. (Guilt trip now, tho!)
Well, we’re getting stormed in, we’re out of food, so I ran to the grocery store for supplies. While I was there started thinking, “Well, I could at least have Little Smokies for Corrie. And a Salmon Dip for Chris. And what for the kids….? OK, strawberries and colored sugar along with hot chocolate and colored marshmallows. Well, maybe I could have a roast cooking tomorrow…and you know, Onion soup really sounds good too.” So my quick trip turned into an extravaganza of trying to remember what all I’ll need for the roast and the soup and everything. (Damnit! I forgot the Swiss Cheese!)
And then I had to clean out my fridge to hold all the food.
And now I have to clean my house for “company” and Christmas….
And I need to start the roast today.
Tomorrow I have to put together the dip, and start the Little Smokies. And wash strawberries.
And set every thing out on the table for a pleasing presentation.
And clean up afterward.
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7 Answers
Doesn’t sound like it’s killin’ you too bad…
@stratman37 Just didn’t plan on it. I’m not really a big fan of cooking….well, unless there are other women around cooking too. Then it turns into a social event. I just hate having to do all this stuff alone.
Alone, got it. Maybe you can be honest with your daughter and enlist her help, and that of the older kids?
This could turn out to be a great memory, ya never know!
Ah, the kids are 4 and 6! Nah….I brought it on myself. I don’t HAVE to do all of this but…I have this idea of what “proper” is…..
It sounds more like your daughter just surprised you with it. Over the years my grandmother has been so insistent about “doing Christmas” that I pretty much assume that I HAVE to come over, no matter what. I always wonder if she likes doing this, because she cooks an elaborate meal all by herself and it’s a lot of work. I said I’d bring a dessert this year and she said, “I already have two, but thanks!” It’s more important to me just to get together with my family, and I’d rather do something simple so people would be less stressed out. Your daughter and grandkids probably feel the same way.
My holidays are always pretty stressful. My parents divorced way back when so it always means rushing around to multiple events. On Thanksgiving I went to dinner with my dad’s family (the same grandmother who makes the elaborate dinners) and brought my boyfriend, who they met for the first time. Then we rushed back to his house to make a second dinner for his parents. The next day I went to see my mom’s side of the family and ended up pretty much making the meal. That was actually a lot of fun.
@Haleth Meh…..it was probably just the wording….“We’ll do Christmas,” rather than, “Well come by and open presents” that sent me off on my tangent. She didn’t express any indication that she expected food or anything but….maybe it’s just a small surprise I can give them since I couldn’t give them much in the way of presents. It’s my own fault!
Sometimes. Handling a lot of guests can be tricky.
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