I have to admit, I'm feeling a little left out of all the Thanksgiving stress. We're going to my in-laws' in Savannah, meaning road trip, meaning I'm not even required to bring a dish, meaning I am totally sidestepping a lot of what makes the holiday, for women. Granted, it's the hard part, but still. I don't like to miss out, especially on stressy things. (They give me a reason to blog.)
I was at Publix Sunday to just grab a few items to get us through the week before we leave town (how that turned into $85, I don't know), and I walked by the filled-to-capacity frozen turkey bin. There were couples milling about, chatting about how many pounds they need, young moms calculating how long will it take to thaw the bird... it seemed like a pretty major event right there in the poultry aisle, and I just skipped right through to the cereals.
Sort-of a bummer.
I've hosted Thanksgiving at my house exactly once, I think, when AJ was 5 months old. We held his baptism that same weekend. I'm pretty sure I was stressed about the dinner; I may have even had an emotional outburst but I don't remember (no need to chime in and remind me if I did, family). But I LOVED getting out my pretty wedding china, finding a new set of placemats and napkins, and getting to make my Grandmother's famous dressing. When we go to my in-laws' I always think I want to bring some of that dressing -- maybe make it a week ahead, freeze it, and transport it down in a cooler -- but I've not done that yet. I don't really think far enough ahead.
The set-up of my in-laws' house makes it difficult to do what I consider the important part of the holiday -- socialize and work together. Houses that are good for those things have a "flow" through the kitchen. MIL's kitchen, through no fault of her own, has one way in/out. The kitchen's like a dead-end. You can't just easily mill about, chatting and drinking wine, you know? You also can't hang out on one end of the counter and help with cutting or peeling -- or at least I can't, because the kids tend to velcro onto my pants and the kitchen is also rather small. Someone is bound to get stepped on. Oh, I don't know. I really want to make it a happy holiday, and to be the helpful daughter-in-law, and to have all of that social, warm, working-together feeling. In the past, I have felt like we spend the day just waiting around for MIL to finish cooking, already, so we can eat.
Somehow I don't remember her having appetizers. I think it'd be better if there were appetizers. Maybe I'll try to throw some easy dips together for the cooler.
(Now I can stress out like the rest of you.)
5 comments:
Oh, I know. I don't *have* to cook anything either, but I find myself like you and wanting something to keep my hands busy. I think that your idea of bringing appetizers is a great one! Maybe I'll do the same for the places we need to visit.
Safe travels & Happy Thanksgiving!
Your MIL doesn't do appetizers? You should come to my mom's house for Thanksgiving, we have to talk her into making LESS food. I have even refused to make yet ONE more trip to the store because we already had more food than we were going to eat. And then? When there's a MOUNTAIN of leftovers, she's mad everyone didn't eat more.
I'm potlucking it this year at a friends house, and I'm making dessert and one side dish. I'm with you, I like to contribute to the meal, it's what the holiday means to me.
I have never hosted Thanksgiving. We usually spend the day with Husband's family or my family, obviously. Usually I have had a newborn or toddler or have been pregnant, so I guess the family doesn't want me to stress out. I get asked to bring fruit, and that is only because I brought it one year to make sure my kids ate when they were little! We always have appetizers though, which definitely makes the day go by faster. :)
I guess it isn't that she doesn't DO them -- I can remember seasoned oyster crackers and a pineapple cheeseball for instance -- but they're never set out as if it's a 'party.' Again, maybe I could do that - my role chould be "facilitator."
I didn't have to do anything this year either. I felt like I was missing out too.
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