50+ Lifestyles

PUBLISHER’S CORNER

By Eloise Graham

Great Expectations  – Bah, Humbug!

There is nothing like borrowing words from Charles Dickens to sum up the upcoming Yule season.

Do you have great expectations for December? Have you been awakened by the enticing aroma of that first cup of coffee? You know, the Maxwell House one that your son or daughter who just happened to arrive before sun-up and snuck into your immaculately clean kitchen prepared for you. And now you can just sit with them and enjoy.

Well, I don’t remember that ever happening at my house. No matter what my expectations, I am sure I never had an immaculate kitchen during to month of December. Flour everywhere, a little cookie dough under the baseboards. A clean kitchen? Bah humbug!

Have you been binging on the Hallmark Christmas movies? Those beautiful trees, immaculately decorated. The lights always work, never have to be untangled. It didn’t happen that way at my house. Snowfalls that are two feet deep, pure white, but never on the sidewalks or streets. Happy people strolling on those clear sidewalks seldom wear hats or gloves. Looks nice, but that’s not how I remember last December. And those festive meals with happy friends and family coming together. The food looks great, and seems to all be at perfect temperature and on the table all at the same time. But we are never shown the table after the meal. Or the cleaning up. No wonder our expectations for the meal are unattainable. There is no prep, no dirty pots and pans or any clean-up. Ideal Christmas dinner? Bah humbug!

My advice: expect to make the best of any situation. Know that family, friends and love are the most important. Keep a sense of humor about things – you know, the tangled wad of light strings, the one bulb that burns out causing an entire string to go black five minutes after finishing decorating the tree. Or maybe the turkey that you didn’t get thawed completely and the internal temp won’t reach the desired heat, but all of the sides you prepared are ready to serve. Accept and laugh about it. The friends and family are still there with you. Keeping all of this in mind, you won’t have to say, “Bah, humbug!”

Have a great season!