There are many of us who want to execute the most perfect holiday spread from the appetizers , the tablescapes, the main course – with side dishes and deserts – of course EVERYTHING from scratch! Then there are those who are content with pre-made everything ,paper plates, cans of pop and frozen pies and boxed cookies
I was always the first group for the longest. I will admit I was a major snob when it came to the holidays. I literally made everything from scratch including the green bean casserole. Yes, that concoction with the canned condenced soup, canned green beans and canned ” friend onions? I made my own soup, fried my own onions, snapped and cooked my own greenbeans.
Cooking is a labour of love for me, but things have changed for me over the last few months , and I have re-evaluated some things.
A couple of months ago I was in a pretty bad car accident that injured my back. While trying to plan this years menu , my husband gave me a catalog from our local grocery store saying ” why don’t we just get this catered” . I will admit, I felt offended at first. I felt like, what he doesn’t want my cooking?
I stopped myself in my tracks, and realized, he wasn’t telling me he didn’t want my cooking. He was offering to help me, because he knew he couldn’t cook like me without me being over him the entire time.
I got to thinking again. Why did I judge others who bought canned gravy, packaged biscuits and frozen desert? Who am I to judge how someone gets to spend time with their families and what is on their plates, and to go even further, there are many who don’t even get the luxury of having a holiday dinner at all – with family or not. With that said, I’ve had the blessing to be a part of a group of friends who will be providing and serving Thanksgiving dinner for our local homeless population.
The important thing that we all need to remember when it comes to these holidays is to do what works for you and be mindful of others .
What are you all going to be doing with the upcoming holiday celebrations. I would love to hear your stories whether you have a 20 course spread to a Tofurkey roast to a deli turkey sandwich. Please share your stories in the comments. Can’t wait to hear them
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