Daisypath Anniversary tickers

November 24, 2007

Holiday Insanity

OY! Thank you SO MUCH, Inkling, for letting me steal that!!!!

All I can say is - I have never realized just how much traditions mean to me!

We woke Thursday to the normal routine of breakfast, and then watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Broadway Production and Commercial Fest...I mean Parade...which BB promptly turned over to the Green Bay/Detroit game when MIL went to get dressed.

That is normal at our house...leisurely hanging out, watching football, playing football...eating yummy snack foods all day long, while you're smelling turkey cooking, knowing that soon, you'll be sitting down to a feast of the most decadent foods you can have at one time.

At home, we would have turkey, dressing, rolls, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes (yams for those south of the Mason-Dixon), green bean casserole (with the crunchy onion things), a broccoli cheese bake that makes your arteries harden just looking at the recipe, cranberry sauce, gravy, and then, of course, the pumpkin pie and coffee. During the time before and after the feast, Mom has a variety of yummy breads that she makes that are sort of desserty and breakfasty all at once, veggies and dip, crackers and cheeses, and some sort of punch and lots of coffee...All around the feast, we are playing games, cards, doing puzzles, watching or playing football (depending on the weather), just sitting around fellowshipping. We eat around midday, and by the time all the food is packaged up, and the dishes are washed, and you've had your first slice of pie, you start thinking about how good a turkey sandwich would taste...mmmmmmm...

Now, at the in-laws, no matter the circumstances (hospitalizations, etc), we have the following: turkey breast (not a whole turkey, just the breast), peanut dressing, rice, cranberry sauce, and if we're lucky, microwaved green bean casserole, without the onions. Oh! But, if you're a drinker, they've got the best selection of those Arbor Mist "wines" that are more like 7Up with alcohol added. MIL's pumpkin pie is to die for, mostly because of her crust, which is short! Oh, it melts in your mouth, and is NEVER soggy on the bottom, even 3 days later...mmmmmmm

We eat at dinnertimer (or suppertime, for you fancy folk), around 5. Up to that point, we do nothing. No card games, no puzzles, no board games, no walks, no visits to the beach...sigh...

This year, for some reason, it was SO hard for me to not be with my folks, taking part in those traditions...I wanted to cry...

I'll be sharing more over the coming days about Christmas traditions of my family, and invite you, once I post, to share your favorite tradition, and then one that someone else you know (in-laws', best friends, whatever) have, that seems crazy to you...sort of like chili with vanilla ice cream in it...*shudder* ;)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hugs to you, B.B. and Captain Chaos

Your family tradion sounds much like mine. I never survived when I went to my inlaws. When someone tells me they eat at Five, I look at them like they grew antlers. I much prefer my 1pm dinner for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I hope you are able to enjoy your last week with MIL. Hugs and Prayers

Inkling said...

Wow. Turkey with peanut dressing and rice. How do you do it? I think I'd cry. My life is relatively inlaw free, due to the earthly departure of Henry David's parents some years ago. And, lucky for me, his siblings live either many provinces away or a few countries away. Actually, I would have liked to have had a chance to know his siblings better, especially the brother who essentially raised my husband. But I don't know if I could deal with weird family differences. Fortunately, the mentor/pastor who married us dealt with the whole tradition thing firmly with Henry David. Henry David came from very few traditions, while I came with a boatload. The pastor told my husband that it would be very important for me to be able to hold onto some traditions, especially since I was the one giving up country and home and community. That statement has saved my life, for it's the reason we get to have more than half the goofy traditions we have. WIthout him saying that, I'm sure my husband would have thought they were frivolous and that our time and efforts would be better spent giving food to the poor or something. While that's important and something we still do, it sure is nice to simply have fun and some special, out of the ordinary rituals and treats with each holiday. And one of these days, I'm going to convert my husband into adoring the Easter bunny and the Tooth Fairy......but that's another post. =) Wow. I'm still trying to imagine turkey with rice. Where are you inlaws from? And what do they have against mashed potatoes? Oy. (You can use that anytime. I permanently borrowed it from another Sara because it so adequately communicated my feelings without getting me into trouble with my mother.)