topic Re: Holiday Stress in Kitchen

Holiday Stress

coffee drinker — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 01:52:43 GMT

Why do the holidays stress so many of us out!!! We just get over Thanksgiving and then it's Christmas. How do you cope with all the cooking, cleaning, company???

Re: Holiday Stress

pattypeep — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 01:56:21 GMT

I would give anything to have all of that stress back. Christmas and Thanksgiving was usually at our house, packed with noise and lots of kids. Now both of my parents are passed, along with two younger brothers, and all three kids live out of state. My dh's parents are both gone. It's quiet and I miss the bustle of the holidays. Be grateful.

Re: Holiday Stress

HonnyBrown — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 01:58:19 GMT

Coffee, I know first hand what you are saying!

I was so far into my head this past weekend, I thought Thanksgiving was next week.

I'm trying to destress by doing a lot of planning.

Re: Holiday Stress

piperbay — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 02:00:10 GMT

Planning and preparing as much as you can ahead of time helps...

Re: Holiday Stress

AuntG — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 02:12:14 GMT

Plan ahead and keep it easy. Actually the bad weather that is common during the winter season is what stresses me out.

Re: Holiday Stress

HonnyBrown — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 02:29:21 GMT

I'm also taking a few shortcuts this Thanksgiving

Instead of making the cornbread-bacon dressing, I'm making Stove Top with sausage. They're going to drown it in gravy anyway.

I'm buying pies.

DH will do all of the cleaning.

Re: Holiday Stress

willdob3 — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 02:33:34 GMT

No company, no decorating, very few gifts to buy, I just enjoy the holidays & remember the reasons we celebrate....

Re: Holiday Stress

Giordan — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 18:24:08 GMT

I hate every minute of it, ever since I can remember.

My Mom hated it, that's where it came from. Always a miserable time.

Re: Holiday Stress

PamelaSue72 — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 20:03:25 GMT

I truly love it all, everything about it. The shopping, the dinner, the baking and the cooking, all the decorating, driving around to see Christmas lights in other areas. DH taking his mom to church on Christmas Eve.

I plan, plan, plan. We don't stress over much for the holidays. We just do what we can and then let it go. I've got my list for cookies and candies that we're making for the holidays. I've made my lists for gifts and am working on the menu for Christmas dinner now (and I know it's not even Thanksgiving, but Thanksgiving is already under control). I love making the dinner, I love baking the pies. I just love it all!

DH was in the basement over the weekend, checking out the trees; we have three trees: one for the kitchen, one for the living room, and one for our bedroom. He was inspecting the strings of lights that he'll use to decorate outside.

We'll be out shopping on Black Friday, bright and early (I don't think we're going out Thanksgiving night, but we'll see. I think football may win out over shopping and that's OK, too). We're almost finished with our shopping, except for a few things for the grandchildren that we haven't purchased yet. And for each other, although I'm pretty much done shopping for DH, too. Still have to get a few things for the cats; they need some new toys.

I cannot imagine hating Christmas. I start to get excited for the holidays around the middle of October.....I hope I never get too old to not care or to hate it all. It's still a very magical time for our grandchildren and we do what we can to keep it that way.

I don't like the bad weather, though, either. Ice and snow and all the cold. You can keep all that.

Re: Holiday Stress

RainyDayGal — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 20:13:22 GMT

I really enjoy it all. Go to hubby's sisters house for Thanksgiving and they come to ours for Christmas. The only thing I don't like about it all is when I'm ready for them to go home they're still there. LOL

It also helps that we are all very casual. No dressing up, no fancy table settings or any of that. I can't wait to start decorating for Christmas!

Re: Holiday Stress

jeanlake — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 20:27:07 GMT

Hi coffee drinker. It's nice to meet you.

We're on a simplicity kick. We used to be way too busy. My husband thought we had to accept every invitation and go to every church function or service. He's a hopeless extrovert. (smile)

In lieu of a tree, I lay out my Christmas village on top of our long dining room window seat. Grandson calls it 'Winter City' so we call him the Mayor of Winter City. He takes the title seriously! As far as other decorations go, I have a few Nativity Scenes and lots of interesting snow people. Throw out a wreath -- and there you go. I love it that we no longer decorate the bathroom, kitchen, stair rails, outside of the home, tree, etc. Don't miss it a bit. We ask that our grown children and grandkids give us zero presents. We're trying to 'downsize' or 'rightsize' and don't need a thing -- except time with family. They give us movie or dinner certs and join us after the holidays. Good times.

We give our grown children the option of money or big family gifts for Christmas. The 3 grandsons always have something to open, but we don't give a bunch of small wrapped presents. Can't -- we no longer have a tree!

Re: Holiday Stress

KJPA — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 20:31:42 GMT

To help with the stress let other people help you! I know for some that is even more stressful but for me I love it when others bring a dish. When we have the meal at our house we basically supply the meat, drinks, potatoes and bread. All the other side dishes and desserts are contributed by the attendees and it's so much fun to share what everyone brings. If they live close enough to bring stuff

Re: Holiday Stress

KarenQVC — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 20:33:10 GMT

Keep it simple--presents, decorating, and bake ahead and freeze goodies. Leave time at the end to clean, because that is the WORST. Get side carryouts from local caterers.

Re: Holiday Stress

151949 — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 20:38:11 GMT

A blessing of growing older is family invites me instead of me inviting and doing all the work. Going to one cousin for Thanksgiving and another for Christmas this year. Nothing for me to do but show up with pies.

Re: Holiday Stress

chrystaltree — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 20:42:19 GMT

I learned how to take the stress out of the holidays long ago. It was easy to do. I just had to stop trying to have a PERFECT holiday in every way. Once I put "perfect" away and replaced it with fun and joy; the stress just went away. Like the ladies said, plan. Also don't be afraid to take short cuts and make substitutions. And ask for help, even from the little ones, when you need it. Some of my fondest Christmas memories involve my kids in the kitchen "helping" Mama cook.

Re: Holiday Stress

Theoriginallacey — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 21:15:30 GMT

I can top that, my oldest daughter has a birthday the day after Christmas and my husband is Cuban who's family celebrates on the evening of the 24th, so "Christmas" is a three day event preceded by Thanksgiving and followed by New Years. Lol

Re: Holiday Stress

RedTop — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:29:58 GMT

I am with willdob3; no company, very minimal decorating, and few gifts, but definitely enjoying the reason for the season. My MIL died 3 years ago, which ended our Christmas drama, and allowed us to begin having our own family Christmas at home. We got locked into my husbands family gathering drama after we married, so the girls had never spent an entire Christmas Day in our home, until they were over 30. Forced gatherings do not make for pleasant gatherings, and 36 years of those memories, do not make me smile.

Re: Holiday Stress

misspammie — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:38:29 GMT

On 11/10/2014 HonnyBrown said:
Coffee, I know first hand what you are saying!

I was so far into my head this past weekend, I thought Thanksgiving was next week.

I'm trying to destress by doing a lot of planning.

get this! talked to my good friend yesterday and she was bound and determined that Thanksgiving was this coming Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Holiday Stress

glmama — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:39:56 GMT

I've been thinking about this lately, too. I often think I dread the holidays. But I realized that I do t dread the holidays, I dread the manufactured, gift-giving pressure. I love to cook and bake, I love having people over. I live sending cards. And I love spending time with my little family and enjoying our family traditions. It all seems so pushed and manufactured, and well, stressful.

Re: Holiday Stress

RedTop — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 17:51:06 GMT

Forty years ago after we married, my husband and I were pulled into his family Christmas drama. Until my MIL died 3 years ago, my girls had never spent an entire Christmas Day in our home, and they were both over 30. The 4 of us can attest to the fact that forced holiday gatherings do not make for pleasant memories. My husband and his siblings spend Christmas with our own families, and actually enjoy the holiday in our own way.