| Holidays Made Simple
by Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes, Editors of Together newsletter and co-authors of the award winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions
This article has been provided by www.Together Parenting.com
Holidays Made Simple
Many people panic over preparing holiday meals. Whether you're worried about the last minute preparations, cooking for large numbers, or having a house full of relatives, you should still be able to relax, and enjoy the celebration.
Nava Atlas, author of Everyday Traditions, says, "Meals aren't only about the food on the table. The setting, atmosphere, stories, and conversations that accompany the food all contribute to making even the most ordinary meal memorable."
Here are some tips to make your holidays stress free and more memorable.
Don't Stress.
You are not super human. If this is your first opportunity to impress family and friends, you don't have to do it all yourself. Ask family members to bring a favorite dish. Many hands make light work. Most people are happy to help out. And, you are including some of their own favorite holiday traditions. Better still, you don't have to worry if your pumpkin pie is as good as your mother-in law's. You can also buy sumptuous pies, dinner rolls and side dishes from your favorite restaurants and specialty stores. I have often concealed store bought items by presenting them in my own serving dishes.
If you are expecting a large crowd, here are some great tips from Denise Vivaldo, author of Do it for Less! Parties www.diflparties.com
Plan Ahead.
Your family would rather have you on holidays, instead of having you slave away in the kitchen. The hardest task in making a holiday dinner is having it all ready at the same time. Much of the preparation can be done in advance. Pull family recipes ahead of time. Cookies and pies can be made a week or more in advance and placed in the freezer. Casseroles can be made the day before and re-heated in the microwave. Celery mushrooms and onions can all be chopped a day ahead of time and placed in zip top bags in the refrigerator. Vegetables can be blanched so that they only require a last few minutes of re-heating. Here is a copy of our week by week Holiday Planner that will take you all the way through January.
Cook Together.
Involve your family and children in the process. Cooking provides a quiet time to pass along the wisdom of family lore. Recipes, passed down from one generation to the next, are one of our most cherished traditions. They often conjure up memories of past holiday celebrations or time spent with a favorite grandmother.
Connect with Family and Friends
Enjoy the Conversation. Food is often the common denominator for bringing family and friends together. This is a time for celebration. Often, it is the only time our children get to see cousins, relatives who live far away, and grandparents. Children today have far too few role models. Holidays are the perfect time to express your personal values and cherished traditions.
I hope this holiday season you are surrounded with people you care about. Most of all enjoy yourself. Family celebrations don't last forever. Cherish the time you have together. This year, shape the memories that will become milestones to look back upon. We all have much to be thankful for.
For each new morning and its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson
Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes, Editors of Together newsletter and co-authors of the award winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions
This article has been provided by www.Together Parenting.com
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