Community Chat

[AuntG]

My company will leave tomorrow.....and be back on New Year's Eve.

[luv-the-Q]

@AuntG

You're a saint.

[GCR18]

I am thankful it's over.  We went out visiting today.  When we got home, I cooked a simple dinner and pulled out some tasty desserts from Trader Joe's.

[Sooner]

We had relatives over to open gifts on Christma Eve when I was growing up.  We would eat then open gifts.  My dad was always the last person to come in the living room for the gift giving.  I knew what he was doing.

He'd wait until we all got out of the kitchen and settled in the living room by the tree and I'd hear him quietly open and close the freezer door.  He was putting three small bottled cokes in there for mother, him and me. 

When everyone left and we'd settled thankfully into the den he'd get those cokes out and they were perfectly frozen slushy and they were the best things I could think of!  What a blissful time that was. He did that every year! 

[Mominohio]

---

@Sooner wrote:

We had relatives over to open gifts on Christma Eve when I was growing up.  We would eat then open gifts.  My dad was always the last person to come in the living room for the gift giving.  I knew what he was doing.

He'd wait until we all got out of the kitchen and settled in the living room by the tree and I'd hear him quietly open and close the freezer door.  He was putting three small bottled cokes in there for mother, him and me. 

When everyone left and we'd settled thankfully into the den he'd get those cokes out and they were perfectly frozen slushy and they were the best things I could think of!  What a blissful time that was. He did that every year! 

---

@Sooner

This is such a sweet memory! Thanks for sharing it.

[Mominohio]

I must be getting at the core of simplification, because this evening when everyone left, I wasn't in the least worn out or stressed. 

I knew I cut back on everything this year, did it all (baking, decorating, etc.) but just reigned it in and did less. It felt good during the process, and feels good right now that it is over, and I'm not exhausted, in debt, or regretful in any way!

[Sooner]

---

@Mominohio wrote:

I must be getting at the core of simplification, because this evening when everyone left, I wasn't in the least worn out or stressed. 

I knew I cut back on everything this year, did it all (baking, decorating, etc.) but just reigned it in and did less. It felt good during the process, and feels good right now that it is over, and I'm not exhausted, in debt, or regretful in any way!

---

@Mominohio  No matter how simple or complicated it is, it always stresses me out to have company.  I am always tired after they leave and appreciate the quiet.  My husband is the same way.

There is a certain amount of tension in listening and responding, remembering what is being served and people are always asking to help and where does this go, and such.  And it's not easy to be on your toes seeing that everyone has what they need and is having a good time.  When you are the host, everyone wants to talk to you too!  

[BeccaLou]

Auntg, suddently I don't feel so lonely!!!

[Cakers3]

---

@nana59 wrote:

Family just left.....had a nice day......resting with heating pad on my arthritic knee!!  Looking forward to a snack of cheesecake!!

---

@nana59  Cheesecake isn't a snack.  It is one of the food groups and preferably consumed as a dinner.  LOL

[Gramy24]

@luv-the-Q 

---

@luv-the-Q wrote:

@nana59

I'm there.  I've been cooking and baking for days, been to the grocery store 3 times since Saturday, had 13 people here for two days (four teenagers), two little dogs to worry about with all the commotion going on.  Everyone's gone and I'm sitting here nursing a cognac (Christmas gift, God bless my son-in-law) and watching Rear Window.  I feel like I've been run over by an 18 wheeler.  It's been rough, but so worth it.  I hope my grandkids remember and do the same for their kids. 😊

---

Oh I so hear ya! I think I'd been in the kitchen for 10 days straight baking and cooking and washing dishes! And there's the very expensive trips to Walmart and grocery stores for "supplies"!!  One day I told my husband I was pretty sure a Mac truck hit me and backed up and got me again. He didn't respond - doesn't get it! Go figure. While I wrapped gifts endlessly in the basement (enjoying Hallmark movies too) and bustling about the kitchen, he reclined watching rerun after rerun of NCIS! I think he did wash dishes once. With all that, I have such trouble coming up with regular meals for us and my visiting sister (while doing all other prep, baking etc) and NO ONE offers to prepare anything or to take me out! Sigh! All in all, my Christmas with family and grandkids is always so special to me and LOVE having them. But I'm pooped! Next year, God willing, I'll try it all again!