ugh.

[cimorene]

Well, compared to how well Channukah and Passover have always gone with my friends, Thanksgiving on my part yesterday was kind of a failure. This isn't to say anything negative about my guests - all my friends were incredibly gracious about having to wait forever because I hadn't started to fix the vegetables (only the pumpkin bread!) and they had to sit around chatting while I cooked.

I forgot to finish setting the table, I didn't have the serving implements in the dishes, I couldn't find the matches for the candles, I didn't have any proper substitute for the wine and Wax made orange juice from a box and served it in a plastic liquid measure with mL markings on the sides. I didn't have any spare wine when Sugar forgot to bring it. There was still enough food to stuff everyone and leave leftovers, but it didn't feel like Thanksgiving anyway because there still weren't enough dishes. bluesbell's heavenly apple pie was the best part. The roasted potatoes were a good second for deliciousness, but they weren't particularly fancy.

Maybe it's really just that I've been feeling depressed lately, but I was nervous and inadequate-feeling compared to the magical dinner-party powers of my mom and my aunts. I didn't even have a proper tablecloth on the table, or a real vase to put the flowers that Chi brought in. I really ought to have baked the pecan pie yesterday, but I didn't do that either. We actually didn't finish off the one pie, but it feels utterly wrong to have only one pie at Thanksgiving. Honestly, I'd like to look forward to Channukah and getting it right, but it seems likely that in a month's time I'll still be too full of fail to cook a full meal.

You know, growing up my Mom would always have post-holiday stress and depression around every main vacation or trip to visit anyone, feeling grumpy and growly during the whole period. That never happened to me, at least, not unless I was so terrified of being yelled at that I was hiding and withdrawn the whole time in self-defense; but maybe it was something like this.

Comments

[anglepoiselamp.livejournal.com]

I felt right at home because our holidays at the parents' place always proceed in a state of chaos and unpreparedness and laissez-faire.

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Poor Sugar. :(

Holidays and dinner parties

[indolentncrazy.livejournal.com]

My dinner parties often pass in "a chaos of unpreparedness and laissez faire." Nowadays my friends like to cook too and don't mind that I have a bunch of squash and no decision yet about how to prepare them. (And sometimes, though the event was planned well in advance, the table is piled with junk as is every other surface in the dining room and living room.) Occasionally I had time to plan the timing of the meal so everything gets done at approximately the right time, but not so often as I want. And after a major holiday I usually feel inadequate, regretting not doing more, and snowed by all the work left to clear the holiday away. Tina usually does a really low-fuss kind of entertaining, and she never seems to sweat it.
Remember that Christmas when I was going to deliver meals on Christmas day before our dinner party, and got confused, spending about 2 hours on a 25-minute chore? I think your friend came over.
I am planning to try Rachel Ray's 60 minute thanksgiving meal... today! I'll let you know.

Re: Holidays and dinner parties

[cimness.livejournal.com]

Well, I know you're stressed out, but your dinner parties always impressed *me*. There was always an elaborate meal plan with so many dishes, and the table was always sparkling (although the latter was due to me :D! But I find that when I'm doing ALL the cooking, because Wax acts really put-upon when even asked to do anything like chopping vegetables or making tea, I'm not able to really do the table as well).

How'd the meal go?