We're having spaghetti for Christmas dinner, and I don't care what anybody thinks about it. If they show up around 1130a - 12pm, that's what's in the pots. None of my dear siblings made plans to invite Mom and Dad to dinner this year, and I don't feel like doing a big holiday feast, so it is just another routine day for us. No bitterness here, really, my family helps in their own way, whenever they can, and I do appreciate them.
My husband and I have been making, and eating, cut out cookies for a week or two and whoever comes over can have some.
I expect relatives to "pop" in unexpectedly and we will just go with the flow.
Hope all of you have a peaceful, happy, serene and routine Christmas Day, today!

Dear Sammi,

I love spaghetti. May I drop by?

I hope that you have a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year! Cheers!

Peace,
Marcie

Spaghetti is one of my favorites also!

Have a calm, peaceful day, enjoying the little things which mean so much more.


Marci

we're doing Family Christmas on new Year's Eve. A cookout, kebabs, rice, salad, two kinds of cake.... I supply the house, everyone else does the rest. And, of course, I get Mom ready.

What's wrong with spaghetti for Christmas? It's red; it's festive!

When people start whining about the menu with the "but it's just not <fill in the holiday of your choice> without the <fill in the ridiculously complex casserole with 2 dozen ingredients of your choice>" comments, then I tell them they are more than welcome to help me out by bringing it. I may end up with 2 types of stuffing and 3 types of potatoes on the table, but no one can whine about missing their beloved turnip casserole or whatever.

We have a sign over our table

MENU FOR TODAY

1)TAKE IT
2)OR LEAVE IT

I dont know where it came from now but it was purchased when my brother and SIL were living with Mom & Dad. SIL didnt like anything Mom cooked. Mom was tired of trying to please her so she hung up the sign.

I dont know why but shortly after that they moved.

I hope you enjoy your Spaghetti. I know I would.

Merry Christmas!

Please, have what you want, do what you want as long as it doesn't end you up in jail. Those are my guidelines now as I get older. I wasted so much time trying to please the unpleasable, keep the peace with holy terrors, smooth ruffled feathers, put up with the unputables, you get my drift. I am still kind to folks but I no longer quietly endure rudeness. I, like John Wayne, plant my feet and state my case. Love, Sandra22 Wayne

Sandra - You said it all! We had ham sandwichs and fries for Christmas dinner today. Not quite traditional but was very good. Both of us are worn out this year. My husband has been working many hours this month hoping his job will still be there next year. I have 3 internet businesses that have run me to death, closed now for Holidays. I am grateful for: Lovely home to live in, my health, friends who love and care about me (family and church family) having pleanty to eat (am very grateful for ham my husbands boss gave us and the many baskets and gifts of food from church members). I am happy to have family and friends still with me this year even though I lose my patience with them at times. I hope everyone has a great Holiday Season!

as long as you are happy and satisfied thats what matters. Our lives are full of stress as it is caring for our LO's who needs more stress. We did cold cuts and tomato pie for dinner with birthday cake for my son who turned 19. We were all together and that's what mattered.

I love spgti!!! I'm too lazy to spell it out all the way. As long as there's a nice hot home cooked meal,,and you're with your hubby,,parents,,,thats a blessing. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

I totally agree-- what's wrong with spaghetti??? It's one of my favorites. Who made the rules of what makes Christmas dinner?? We have something that is not traditional and I don't care what others think- if I'm cooking I'm making what I want.

Merry Christmas

Christy

It's the company not the food... so the ways we can give ourselves mini breaks is always good. Merry Christmas...

Thank you all so much for the heartwarming responses. We ended up with a full house, overflowing with my 5 grandkids, assorted nieces and grandnephews, at different times throughout the day! My daughter brought ham and her signature terrific pumpkin cheesecake and my husband cooked a pie.
I made a decision to not stress, to focus on my parents' needs and enjoy each beloved face that walked through the door. It couldn't have turned out better if I had spent weeks planning and cooking.
And the spaghetti-- thank goodness for COSTCO's Kirkland brand HUGE bag of meatballs-- it was like the loaves and fishes story in the Bible-- I just kept adding meatballs to the simmering sauce which never got used up! People served themselves and enjoyed themselves.
Merry Christmas to all of you. Yes, Marci, there's some spaghetti left. Come on over!! Let yourself in, Mom and me are taking a nap.

I got up a little early Christmas morning and made a brreakfast buffet, and put out the nice tablecloth. My nephew was in town - his parents weren't - so he came over, too. It was a wonderful morning; somehow making a breakfast feast is more fun and easier than a lunch or dinner feast. And then all the adults took to their beds for the afternoon... my husband did repeat his absurd allegations about my snoring, but I allowed him his delusions, it's Christmas.
Neverending Spaghetti - the Miracle of the Meat and Sauce and Noodles. Doesn't have the same lyrical quality as "Loaves and Fishes", nope.
I'm makin' s'getti tonite, you got me in the mood.

Well, mom and I went to Auntie's for Xmas and it wasn't traditional either! We had a ton of appetizers, then ravioli. We served ourselves, used paper plates and ate wherever we found a spot. MUCH more fun.

Xmas Eve it was just mom, Cyrus the dog, James the cat and I so instead of the traditional 7 fishes I made...SPAGHETTI! Only with clam sauce to satisfy the fish tradition.

Mom had no idea about Xmas or Xmas Eve. I just wanted us to have a great meal and some fun with the pets.

quote:

Originally posted by sammichj9:
...My daughter brought ham and her signature terrific pumpkin cheesecake and my husband cooked a pie.
...And the spaghetti-- thank goodness for COSTCO's Kirkland brand HUGE bag of meatballs-- it was like the loaves and fishes story in the Bible-- I just kept adding meatballs to the simmering sauce which never got used up!

Yummmm.... Spaghetti and ham!

Ya know... traditions HAVE to have a starting point! You may be remembered for this for generations yet to come!

Just a little more proof that you can't sweat the small stuffr... no matter how BIG it seems at first. Everything always works out... and with holidays, if you ignore them they DO eventually go away

HAPPY NEW YEAR everyone!!!

Traditions do indeed have to start somewhere.
After dad passed away, we did Christmas... and a bunch of other events... differently. We got pretty off-the-wall with our first year of Firsts Without Dad. And each time, one of my sisters would say "This is our new tradition. We're going to do this every year now". My daughter finally said of her aunt "She'll try anything, but she won't try it once!"

Sammi,
Thank you! I am trying that next year. Spaghetti is my favorite dish, so why not? Enough of: keeping all of the dishes hot, because the "kids" are running an hour late, spending more on a Honey Baked Ham than everything else put together, kids fussing because there are only THREE choices of potatoes.
You may be remembered in my house, for sure!

Maebee

Dear Sammi,

It's sounds like everything turned out for the good! You're very gracious to welcome me over. Now, I've got the image of Jesus, Peter and the "guys" with overflowing baskets of meatballs and loaves of bread.
Nothing is impossible with God.

Merry Christmas

Peace,
Marcie

Sammich....you can cater my Christmas dinner any time. We had Stouffer's Lasagna, bagged lettuce. We ate off dixie plates and plastic silverware. It's not WHAT you eat that makes the meal...it's the company, the relationships, etc. I remember one thanksgiving growing up where we had Spaghetti. It was awesome. It was different, it broke the monotony of holiday tradition, and it was memorable because we were with friends and family. Breaking bread together...whether it is a loaf of French Bread, or stuffing...is a holy experience. Bravo for breaking bread. period.

I want that sign..."Take It or Leave It". If I hear my grandkids snarl one more time--"I don't like thaaaat!" I'm going to choke them.

I remember when my stepkids were visiting us one summer. My Stepdaughter was about 7 or 8, and she had been immersed in "eating Kosher" when their mother married a man who was Jewish, and converted to Judiasm. Sarah was a picky eater before, but then it was worse..."that's not kosher." "I can't eat that" "I don't like that" "Can't you fix something else." became the mantra at every meal. Our household was not eating kosher..and the children weren't being raised Jewish...only the mom...but Sarah was used to having her way...and would raise a stink until she got it. So we gave Sarah 2 options. PB& J 3 meals a day (it was kosher) or what we were eating. It only took a couple days of the same thing at every meal to change her tune.

I told my husband if we are not on a cruise next christmas like the Grisswalds .. i getting



My SIL suggested next Christmas that we order pizza's the day before..tHAT SOUNDS GOOD TO ME.



p

We had lasagna, salad, and garlic bread for Christmas dinner and it was delicious! We had sugar cookies and chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

i realize that is an old thread but thats
exactlywhat i cooked for christmas!

this year i wasnt feeling it and didnt feel
like cooking the traditional meal, mom
wouldnt know the difference. i cooked the
traditional meal thanksgiving and didnt
want a ton of food laying around

so quick and easy it was! spaghetti, stuffed
shells and caesar salad.

mom said...ummmmm
so thats all that mattered!

happy new year to all!