Growing up, our holidays involved lots of effort and by the end of it my grandmother was exhausted. She did it all out of love. However, a lot of people were yelled at along the way! Now that I am an adult, I think there might not a better way to build that
mouse trap baste that turkey. I am beginning to think that if we don't have time to cook and be happy doing it, we should make other decisions.
Every working mom I know feels pressure to give their kids great holiday memories. Sometimes that results in our being frazzled, frustrated and no fun at all. Somehow we have minimized the role that our happiness and enjoyment plays in the our kids well being.
I love good food as much as the next person. I am also an excellent cook. However, I holidays aren't really about the food. They are about the love and the memories. At the end of the day, nobody really remembers who made the potato salad (unless of course it's terrible and everyone got sick. I know that we all remember who made the punch the year everyone got diarrhea...) What they remember is whether they enjoyed the experience.
So, I'm going to say the thing you shouldn't say, if you can't have Thanksgiving without somebody getting cussed out, because you're too stressed out to make everything, just make your signature dishes. And try calling Boston Market, Whole Foods, or Honey Baked Ham for the rest. You don't have to tell anybody and they probably won't even notice. In the end, it's all about the love!
With Thanksgiving coming up, and in the interest of promoting happier homes everywhere, I thought I'd share an article I wrote for Parent Society last year entitled,
5 Tips to Help Working Moms Prepare for the Holidays in Style. Check it out.
Bonus Cooking Tip: Here's a
recipe for a great turkey. Brining is the key!
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