Fun Friday – Turkey, Tinsel, and Total Chaos – My Family’s Christmas Dinner Adventures

 

Ah, the Christmas season – twinkle lights, scented pinecones, and family gatherings. This is my favorite time of year – sitting quietly at home, watching the colorful lights on my Christmas tree, sipping a warm beverage, and listening to the soulful sounds of the Temptations Christmas. Suddenly, I’m snatched/jerked from that relaxing state and begin to dash around the house in preparation for a visit from family.

At my family Christmas gatherings there is often turkey, tinsel, and total chaos. The turkey was juicy, my aunt and uncle gobbled it up right away (they were also the ones who cooked it). The tinsel was decoratively thrown into one section of my Christmas tree, thanks to my younger niece and nephews who wanted to help. This was the foundation that our chaotic meal was built upon.

Here's how our afternoon unfolded:

Sibling Shenanigans

Do you remember running around your yard or the school gym, playing tag with your friends? Well, that was the scene of my living room and dining room on that frigid Saturday afternoon of our family dinner. The younger kids were running from room to room chasing each other. They were snagging candy canes from the Christmas tree and grabbing Hershey’s kisses from a candy dish.

Every family member joined in the fun. My brother and I have this thing we do that stems from a cartoon from the 1970’s called Super Friends. We like to imitate the Wonder Twins; We bump fists with each other and say, “Wonder Twins, activate.” We are not twins, nor can we transform into anything, but it was a good excuse to be silly.

Holiday Karaoke

Our version of holiday karaoke was a finish the lyrics activity. As I was planning this activity, I shared it with my mom and she said, “We’re going to have to write things down, are we back in school?” So, I tweaked the activity a little to make it more fun and less like work.

Each team had to complete the lyrics to the songs listed on their sheets (all had the same songs). My adult niece was the most competitive. She and her family completed the sheet, then rushed over to hand it to me. She said, “I’ll put my name on my sheet, so you can identify the winner easily.”

 I smiled and handed it back to her saying, “the game is not over yet,”

To be crowned the winner, the team had to sing their answers…and boy, did they sing…off-key, loudly, and with animation. Yes, Team Norma was the winner.

Below are a couple of the songs we used, see if you can finish the lyrics:

1.      I’m dreaming of a white Christmas…

2.      Dashing through the snow…

3.      Rudolph the Red nose reindeer….

Did you just sing the lyrics to each one of those songs? It’s okay, it’s hard not to.

Photo Fiasco

You can’t have a holiday gathering without having proof that you survived the chaos. Well, you could, but where’s the fun is that? There was no need to stress over striking the perfect pose with our crew. They posed, and I continuously clicked the photo button. I like to use the phrase one of the kids in my Sunday school class once said, “you get what you get, and don’t have a fit.”

And that was the simple philosophy I used when planning this year’s gathering, “you get what you get, and don’t have a fit.” I had to remind myself not to stress over trying to make my house perfect for my guests; it was clean and welcoming. Our purpose was to come together for fellowship and fun.

Wishing you and your family a season filled with joy and a prosperous new year.

Fun Friday – Family for the Holidays

 

The coronavirus pandemic has everyone thinking differently – from ho hum to panic and everything in between. In my case, my thoughts are thistled, family frantic, and the Holiday feels hopeless.

Christmas is typically celebrated at my house with food, funnies, and family stories. This year I’ve decided to distribute a Holiday letter. You get to see it first…

Home for The Holidays (or Stay at Your Own Home)

Dear Family,

Due to the national pandemic Christmas dinner will be different this year. While my house is a comfortable size, the square footage may not accommodate our needs. The six foot social distancing would leave some of you on the front porch, with others waiting outside the sliding door to the backyard.

In order to save you from foreseeable frustration and bah humbugs, our celebration is going hybrid. Some of you can join us in person, others…we’ll send you a Zoom link. If you are not selected from the lottery to attend in person, you can still drive by and leave your dish on the porch or someone will come out to your car. A dessert and take-home activities will be pre-packaged and given to you.

For family members attending the in-person festivities, BYOM (Bring Your Own Mask) is encouraged. A limited supply of paper masks will be available. Come prepared for your temperature to be taken and a short screening questionnaire to be completed.

The only Hugs and Kisses this year will come from Hershey’s. Your safety is our utmost concern. The Happy Birthday song will be taped to the bathroom mirror as a reminder of the 20 second hand washing requirement. You may sing any version you like.

If you sneeze or cough, you will be sent to one of the kids un-occupied rooms for self-quarantine until the end of the party. This rule includes allergies, the common cold and sniffles. At the end of the night a family member dressed in a hazmat suit will escort you to your vehicle.

Overall, we at the Verges household are excited for those who will join us for family fun during the Holidays.

Stay safe, stay healthy.

Love you,

House Administrator/Correspondence Secretary/Head of Household

Don’t let the Corona virus take the fun out of your family event. What will your Holiday celebrations look like this year?

Muffins with Mom – Home for the Holidays

Dashing through the snow from school in the East was my son. His early arrival was a surprise as he appeared at my office door and said, “Angie…” It was his attempt to imitate someone other than himself. And that was the beginning of my Holiday with family.

As tradition would have it, my family gathered at my house on a Saturday afternoon, for our pre-Christmas dinner. Anticipating food, laughter and love, they did not leave disappointed. In our midst were cousins, nieces, nephews and others. It was the stories of my seven-year-old grand-nephew that drew attention.

My niece shared her conversation with her son:

Niece:              “Your teacher said that you need to spend more time reading. So, we need to turn off the T.V. so you can practice reading.”

Her son:          “Just turn on the closed caption and I’ll read that.”

In another conversation, my niece had the following conversation with her son when he misbehaved:

Niece:              “I’m going to call Santa and tell him that you are not doing what I asked.”

Her son:          “Let’s Face Time him so I can tell my side of the story.”

Kids are so precious. Speaking of precious kids, while everyone was home for the Holiday, we took a picture of the kids table. Things have certainly changed over the years, my little kids are full grown. My nieces and nephews who used to be the teens at the table, now have jobs and kids of their own.

The kids table...a new generation.

My mother has taken over as the matriarch of the family. My brother and I are the old family members at the dinner who want sleep after eating. And the kids…they are all together for the holidays still silly, still mischievous and yet, still loving.

What is your Home for the Holidays story?

Wishing you a blessed Holiday season.