IT is official, when the last Thanksgiving plate is washed today, we can unpack the Christmas dishes without guilt or fear of being criticized that we are rushing Christmas. Truth be told, I am one of the closet Christmas fairies that hide all the Christmas décor until I feel safe to bring it all out. For weeks I have had the trees up and the mantel decorated, plus Frosty has had the outside lights up for a week. To me it is just so much fun to have all the decorations up with lights to welcome the family and friends who come over. I just have a hard time waiting until after turkey day to put it all up. So we leave the dining room decorated with turkeys and use turkey dishes until Thanksgiving night, but then….drum roll please……those disappear and by morning the Christmas dishes are washed and in the cupboard and the turkeys are packed away until next November. The house is then completely transformed into Christmas by tomorrow morning, which gives us a feeling of relaxation since the decorating is done and we can just sit and enjoy the lights and sights of Christmas all through the house.
We are also experiencing something new this year. We are being treated to Thanksgiving dinner at our oldest son’s home where he and Tracy have been cooking all day and we are just suppose to show up with a few dishes. What a treat. Last night, Jason came over to pick up some green chile soup I had cooked. I had told them that since they were over there cooking their little hearts out that he could stop by on his way home from work and pick up a pot of soup so they wouldn’t have to worry about last nights dinner. When he came over he remarked that , “my goodness, cooking Thanksgiving dinner is really hard work, we have gone to the grocery store every day this week and now Tracy is out looking for a needle and thread to sew the turkey and what in the world were we thinking?” I just smiled and said, ‘yes and we are so appreciative that we just get to show up and enjoy it.” Isn’t it so cute that all the years that mom’s cook the complete dinner with kids all competing for attention and insisting that their favorite dishes are being served; trying to make it all come together at the same time, and trying to make it a table that would make Martha Stewart proud, the kids just don’t have a clue what all is involved until they feel compelled to begin their own traditions. Mother’s Day should be the first Sunday after Thanksgiving. I think that we would receive much better presents from our adult kids who have decided to host Thanksgiving dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving to each of you around the work who are kind to take the time to read chocolatecastles. May God’s blessings fall upon you and your families and may we all try harder to be more grateful for our blessings and keep our eyes open to opportunities to help someone who crosses our paths….To God Be the Glory for His abundant love and grace to all who call upon His Name!
Chocolate Castles as wel 