Christmas Meal Plans?

I am not going all out like I have in the past.I plan on staying in on the eve.Maybe do a cornish hen just for me.

I bought a standing rib, then DD gave me some news that was good & bad at the same time.So that made me re think dinner.I put the roast in the freezer.Wasted on kids anyway.In fact they would be happy with pizza ..  

So I am thinking chuck it all & make some sort of pasta.Lasagna or stuffed shells.  

I'm having a VERY quiet holiday this year. Just me. I don't want to go out. I didn't want to drive to be with Dane's family. I just wanted to sit and have a very quiet day and just reflect on the past year and all the blessings I have in my life.

On C Eve I'll help Lyn get things taken care of for her holiday meal ~ C Day is also her husband's birthday so it's always a big event at their house. She's having 16 for dinner (I opted out with an excuse....). But I will join in the fun of helping her prep and get things ready.

My holiday meal is going to be a nice strip steak (on the grill if no rain), roasted carrots, parsnips & onions, some sort of potato & a salad with my grandma's sour cream/vinegar/sugar dressing. I should have plenty of time to watch the holiday parade on TV or just read. No need to be out and about on the roads, that's for sure.

Isn't it funny how as we age some things are just that important to us as they used to be.I tell ya in years past I was slap wore out by christmas.All the shopping,wrapping,entertaining,cooking,baking,fixing up & cleaning the house.Cleaning all the silver etc etc etc.Oh & the chrismas decorating.Ghezz.

I get tired just thinking about it.I do still take my puppers to the nursing home.Makes me happy & sad at the same time.

I do wish I was closer to our girls to assist with THEIR holiday prep...but it's their turn. That's how life goes. I can remember going out to cut evergreen (got in trouble from Dane for cutting the ends off the blue spruce...such pretty and rounded needles) so the house smelled wonderful and was decorated with natural beauty.

Listening for hours as both the girls practiced the Christmas songs on the piano....never tired of that!

The cookies and treats we cooked and shared.

The meals! In our family it was always a big prime rib of beef, mainly because Grandpa was a cattle farmer and could pick the very best of the best. And just how many side dishes CAN you fit on a fully loaded table with 15 around it? lol

The saving and shopping for "the perfect" gift for our girls and the rest of the extended family....I put a huge amount of effort into getting it all just right.

But now I don't have to do any of that ~ and I'm enjoying my solitude and quiet. Maybe next year I'll want to decorate a bit or do some baking. But this year I'm happy to be just me.

Staying home so I can only be a 15 minute ride to the emergency room. I have no appetite and am really bummed this Christmas. Just want the holiday over...

Bummer, Lisa...but hopefully you will be fixed up soon and this will all be behind you. Christmas can be any day of the year.

I bought a spiral sliced ham and will make a sweet potato casserole, cranberry relish and homemade mac & cheese.  Probably a pie for dessert.  I have had a bad sinus/ear infection on my 2nd round of antibiotics and the doc has a refill for a 3rd.  So no baking yet, will hopefully get to it by the weekend as people have already been requesting them.  Hubs will have his remaining teeth pulled January 3rd and my cooking style will change to things that are soft and able to be pureed.  The VA doesn't provide him with dentures and the ones he needs are about $5K.  So my next project will be finding low-cost providers, maybe at the dental schools.  Merry Christmas and hopefully I'll be around more next year.

Oh, dear, Pea...so sorry you & DH are feelin' poorly. Do you have anyone close by who can help with the driving to get hither & yon for all the appointments? Please take care of yourself, will send you good thoughts, etc. Somehow, "Happy Holidays" doesn't sound appropriate.

Good health & no problems for the New Year for the two of you!