Back in the day, when I was still changing diapers and always had binkies in my pocket, I had naively ambitious dreams of creating perfect Holiday traditions and memories for my kids. Images of me serving the consummate Thanksgiving dinner on fine china with cloth napkins while wearing an apron with harvest leaves all over it.
I am thankful that phase passed.
Every year, when we are leaving my husband’s mom’s house, he gets mad at them- about one thing or another- and says in a huff, “we’re just going to do Thanksgiving at our house next year.” “Yeah right,” I always think.
I’m not going to lie, I get kind of excited at the idea of it. My mind starts wandering about what size turkey I will need to get and what sides I will make and how I can hand make place cards out the beautiful autumn leaves in our back yard and stick them in pine cones that I can steal from my neighbor’s yard. The anticipation and planning only lasts a few minutes until the reality sets in that I’ll be back at my Mother in Law’s next year- again.
You see, hosting Holiday dinners are a rite of passage that I’ve never been able to experience.
Both of our parents are set in their ways (read: stubborn homebodies) and prefer we just come to them. Sure, I get two huge meals, don’t have to lift a finger, or clean up a thing, but still.
Every year part of me wishes I had a reason to call the Butterball hotline.
I wish I had a turkey to thaw.
I long to be an OCD basket case, trying to time the sweet potatoes to finish at just the right time.
I envy the people that are on the news after their house explodes from deep frying a turkey.
I watch old episodes of the greatest TV show ever, Roseanne, and long to have family fights in my dining room where hot rolls are flying and mom is admitting to being a lesbian.
Those are what Thanksgiving memories are made of! I guess I’ll just have to wait 30 years or so.
Trust me – having the lady of the house declare herself to be a lesbian isn’t as much fun as you might think it is. Not that it happened to me, mind you. But I was there when it did.
I’ve never cooked a turkey before. *gasp* My mom and MIL always do the cooking. I can bake like a mofo but cooking…meh. I’ll leave it to the pros.
Dude! I was just thinking about this the other day. I won’t have any sort of Thanksgiving/cooking mishap post because I’ve never done one. I’m the cluster who everyone makes sure to invite over so that they don’t have to come to my house and suffer through me trying to put this together…Someday, though!
I love hosting holidays. Last year we hosted Thanksgiving with my family (almost 30 people, I believe) and then Christmas with my husband’s family (about 7 people plus us). This year it is flipped, though my husbands siblings can’t come, so it’s just my in-laws and my parents. Christmas however, will be a free for all once again with my family.
I hope you get to host some day! If not, you can come here and help me!
When I burn my house down in two days I’ll send you pictures!! This is the first year I’m doing it all, because my mom is recovering from surgery and both of my grandma’s have passed away and my sister and brother don’t cook. So yay, it’s all on me
Never cooked a turkey either, not sticking a fist full of stuffing into any carcass if I can help it. I’m all about the candied yams, and I’d rather eat chicken.
Are you kidding me?! you don’t have to help with the cooking OR clean up?
Wanna trade?
I am SURE your day to defrost a Butterball will come…
Happy Thanksgiving!
Yeah, it’s a double-edged sword; having it at your house means they’re gone. In our family, Thanksgiving has always been an “in-law” holiday; Mom doesn’t host it. So, we just invite my husband’s mom over here with my mom, and it’s all good. Good luck this year
i have had it both ways, and i really don’t care for either one! i just don’t like being around people (especially relatives) anywhere, anytime! my poor kids…
I’ve never cooked a whole turkey before. I’ve done the breast and it has turned out ok, but something tells me that I would need that Butterball hotline. All I have to do is bring a pumpkin roll with me to my mom’s and I’m good to go.
Hope you all had a fantastic Thanksgiving!
I am definitely claiming hosting rights when I’m older. I love cooking. Maybe not cleaning but if I get to cook then it’s worth it (I guess)
EHHHHHHHHH cooking the whole thanksgiving thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be! Hope you had a good one!
Your time will come-it will come sooner when your husband invites his family over and you find out because you overhear the conversation while you are just getting out of the shower.