Christmas – diy vs stress free??
even the most anal among us (slight raising of hand despite typing) admits that the making of Christmas dinner is a bit stressful. it's not even the anticipation of the kids announcing that they don't LIKE mashed potatoes and gravy all they WANT is a bowl of plain white rice that is the stressful bit.
i can pre-slice carrots and potatoes (and save the water of course), pre-make desserts, have the table laid the night before, fill the pepper and salt shakers (see how nice i am? i put salt on the table when we celebrate our Lord's birthday)…the last hour before the food goes on the table can be stressful. all the sort of last minute things.
it isn't entirely a bad stress. it is anticipation stress. like a wedding?
so anyway. here we go.
this year, we have been invited to spend Christmas lunch at a friend's house. and she is making the ham, turkey, greens, etc. they aren't big on sweets in their family. literally, there is not a lot for me to do but to try and make a dish that involves vegetables that my kids will eat.
i am SO UNCOMFORTABLE with the concept of being catered to on Christmas Day! i am sure if we were in canada our various families would treat us very well, but we would all pitch in…right?
i have bought champagne and i will make a happy birthday Jesus cake because that is what we do on Christmas day. but friend and her fam aren't so big on sweeties, so the cake is no good to them. friend is very competent but not controlling.
what to do, friends? every time i suggest what to bring she says, "darling, you're making some vegetable that your kids will eat and that Jesus cake! enough! i have everything taken care of!"
i am sure she does. should i just accept the gift? take the grace? i don't want to take advantage of a friend. not used to accepting in this way.
my family is so much bigger and louder than hers!
!!!!!!! eee!! after you comment here, head on over to charles' blog and check out my sans makeup face from this morning's annual gingerbread house decorating extravaganza.
we always have teams of two. this year it was girls vs. boys. we had a lot of fun. though both houses were great, i do need to mention that charles brought in outside decorating assistance that the girls team did not have access to. he brought in his special icings that he uses for cakes.
the kids inhaled all the leftover m&m's (at 8am) and have been on a red dye hyper haze all day long. and tomorrow is the church pageant!
