Planning Ahead: Holidays

We don't do anything for Halloween in our home.  When the children were here we did try to make fun with the day even long after there were past the age of trick or treating.   Living so far off the road here in the country we don't get any trick or treaters, either.  So  Halloween  has become sort of a beacon light.  Time to flip the calendar to November...and that is a reminder that the holidays are coming up and I'd best get busy with my planning if I haven't already started!

I don't do deep cleaning this time of year, unless a job is just glaringly obvious in need of being tended to.  Deep cleaning can wait until the New Year is well started when I go on a declutter and cleaning spree.  It suits me best that time of year.  This time of year, it's enough to work on holiday stuff.

As it happens I'm already in planning mode.  We're to have guests sometime around Thanksgiving.  So far, that's all I know.   John's brother has said they are coming 'around Thanksgiving'.  I do prefer a little better plan than that but obviously I'm not the one making the plans.   John is off Thanksgiving Day this year.   He's said he'd like to have a family meal for a change.  I've invited the two kids who live here in the state.  Mama will come and perhaps a few other family members.   At this point I can count perhaps  10-15 here.  Katie is tentatively planning to cook Thanksgiving in her home this year for family and friends that live nearer by.  I sat down last night and wrote out my menu.  I'm clearing out the freezer as much as I can so that I can start to bake a few things and pop into the freezer.

My menu includes: Turkey and Stuffing and a separate pan of cornbread dressing For you non-Southerners, dressing is stuffing that hasn't been stuffed into the turkey.  We all like stuffing just fine but at least one of my more vocal guests demands that dressing be on the table, too.   I need to have another smaller pan  of dressing that doesn't include onions if indeed John's brother does come that day.   What I can do in this case is go ahead and make up my breads (Cornbread and biscuit bread) and put them in the freezer.  I can also chop onion and celery and freeze those.  I have a lot of chicken broth in the freezer already.  No need to buy that.  Since the other ingredients are going to be in the freezer, I'll just need to remember to take out plenty of broth to thaw.  I tend to under estimate the amount needed.  This year, I mean to get it right!

Green Bean Casserole  and a pan of green beans with no onion or just maybe steamed broccoli which I can do in the microwave.

Sweet Potato Casserole  Two of these as well, sigh, because when I mentioned it Mama immediately told me she didn't want marshmallows on top but the pecan topping like Granny made.  Well John wants marshmallows on top.   I don't really want to do two casseroles so I'm thinking one big dish with half strewn with pecan topping and half with marshmallows and everybody choose what they want.  I'll just bet you all the die hards who simply must have the one they want will get some of both.

This reminds me that I need to figure out oven space NOW....I don't know that I have room to do dressing and turkey and two big casserole dishes of food, too.   I'll choose my dishes and place them in the oven to get a feeling for how they might best fit, including shifting the oven racks about.  I may well end up having to figure my times so that the turkey comes out before other dishes go in.  I can keep it hot in one of our insulated bags.

Mashed Potatoes  I'd suggested leaving this off but heard nothing but groans over it.  Fortunately only one pan of these will be needed.

Gravy  Just plain chicken gravy.    I didn't even mention that it wouldn't be giblet gravy to Mama who thinks it has to be, because John loathes giblets.  Frankly I figure at this point I'm having to double up on enough dishes that nobody has a say over the gravy except me.

Cranberry Delight  This is a jello dish that I made for Bess last year at her request.  She hasn't asked me to make it for her, but it's part of her own personal tradition and I'd like to make it for her.  Fortunately it can be made ahead.

Cranberry Sauce  Because some folks can't think of turkey and dressing without plain old cranberry sauce.  I have homemade whole berry in the freeze and there is canned.  I'm not sure which I'll put out just yet.

Pecan, Pumpkin and possibly Coconut Pies.  I'd thought I might make a carrot cake.   Part of my reasoning is that Bess offered to bring pies, but I know full well with a baby and a toddler there's no telling what might come up.  I  thought I could make the cake layers and freeze them and if indeed she doesn't have time to bake pies, then there's dessert.  I could also put a pumpkin pie in the freezer ahead of time, all baked and just needing to be thawed and served.  It's not like a pumpkin pie will go to waste in this house.  If we have plenty of pie, I'll save the carrot cake for Christmas, which is my favorite time to have one anyway.

There will be no pretty table settings.  Large gatherings like this tax my energy as it is without adding in doing a double load of dishes, too.  John will insist on paper (Chinet) plates and plastic cups and throw away coffee cups.   I will try to find something that isn't too clashing with autumn colors.  Perhaps clear cups and maybe pretty napkins.  I thought I'd work out simple  table centerpieces and I'll use khaki colored sheets to cover the tables.  I bought four folding chairs the other day and may go get two to four more since they were not expensive.  They can always be used as extra seating in the living room, too.

I must get the guest room cleared up.  Thank goodness I've pretty much stayed atop that this year.  I want to make room in the chiffarobe for the guests to hang their clothing.  That means moving out the craft storage but it's a simple unit that I can easily remove and put in my room until they leave.  I've gone over details with friends who have recently had guests or were guests and got some good tips of little niceties to add into the spaces they will be using.   I have a mirror I'll try to get John to hang for me.  I don't really want to hang the one I have but I haven't looked around for anything more suitable. There are empty drawers in the dresser, enough that our guests should have plenty of space to put things.  The top of the dresser will be empty so a suitcase can go there if they'd like.  I've asked John to reconnect the TV in that room now that we've got wireless service.  It should pick up a few more channels.  Maybe.  If they have a Netflix account they'd be able to access it through the internet.

I'll need to clean out from under the sewing table so that we can just move it out and then move it right back in without too much fuss come the day of Thanksgiving since that is my secondary seating.  This is easy enough.  I only have two bins under the table and both will go to my shed with the other excess items.

I'll need to have my kitchen fully stocked to avoid going into the guest room closet to access the pantry once guests arrive.  I'll be sure and have a list of ingredients and take full stock of all that I require before their arrival.

It's my tradition that the Christmas tree goes up Thanksgiving evening.  We don't decorate it that night but we do set it up and plug it in.  I will need to be sure to have my extension cord handy and the tree fluffed and put together so we can just move it into the room and set it up.  I don't want it to be a fussy thing.  And if it happens that it doesn't get done then that's fine, too.  The world won't end if it goes up two or three nights later.

In the midst of all this I am planning a Jamberry party for Bess.  I have found I love planning parties.  She is the information person and the business owner but I have a grand time planning games and making the party pretty and such.  We'd talked this over a couple of different times but this last Jamberry party went over really, really well and Bess is adamant that it's to my credit that it did so.  We've decided to partner up.   So right here in the midst of the holiday stuff I'm going to start a part time job.   I'll need to have the theme worked out and my part of the party done ahead, especially if I'm to have guests during that time, as well.

So most of November will be prep work for Thanksgiving week in one way or another.


December is coming right along after that.  I don't know of a Jamberry party that month but that is prone to change.  I think a Christmas themed Jam party would be a load of fun to do.

I checked the calendar for Hanukah dates.  This year it falls between  Dec. 12-20.  I keep a holidays section in my notebook about what worked, what didn't, what proved to be too much, what was just right.  Last year, I made or bought some little something for each night of Hanukah that John was home.  It was nice to make a small fuss and made the ritual of lighting the candles twice as much fun.  I want to do that again this year.  I had Star of David sugar cookies one night and another we played the Dreidel game.  Another night we had a special candy.  I try to add something new each year as a complete surprise for him so I need to work on that this year.  On the plus side, I have sugar cookie dough made and in the freezer so the cookies will be easy enough.

I generally spend the first two weeks or so decorating the house and tree for Christmas.  I do it slowly.  I've already determined my color scheme this year and what I would like to see.  I think I have an idea for door wreaths and the mantle... maybe.  I've been on Pinterest pinning things.  I shopped Hobby Lobby and window shopped Hobby Lobby and know what I might make on my own and what I need to buy.  Nothing over the top but I do like things to look festive.  I bought ornaments while at Hobby Lobby so I'm assured of having the ones I want at least!   No faux greenery of any sort because I thought it all terribly pricey and not that nice.  I'm not sure how I'll get around that this year.

John has mentioned that he very much wants to go to hear a cantata or see a community choir or something along those lines this year.  I'll keep my eyes open for announcements of such doings and make sure I know his schedule so we can plan it in.



At some point in December we will have a family day.   We try to do this between Thanksgiving and Christmas.    That date has to be worked out and agreed upon and then we'll plan foods.   We usually do our gift exchange during this time, as well.  John and I are giving gift cards but we're making up little goody boxes of little things to share with the grown kids and the children will have presents.  I need at least one present for Josh.   I have something for Taylor and Isaac but nothing for Josh.   I have an idea what I want but must take time to find it.  I need to buy things for the grown ups.   I am already accumulating a few smalls.  We've  determined our budget  and I mean to stick to it hard.

There's the annual work party to attend.   It is usually in the early days of the month.  No dates yet.

I need to buy Mama's Christmas gift.   I'm not entirely sure what to do for her this year.  She's well past the wanting 'things' sort of stage and has a plethora of 2018 calendars already this year.  She gave me two of the six she had received and had a new one arrive the day I visited.  I'll have to think hard.   Mama has never been easy to gift, even when she had a list of wants.

Technically John and I gifted one another new  smart phones this year.  I bought him a stool to sit on and play guitar...I've asked for a larger cutting mat for my sewing table.    That's really all I can think of that I'd like to have.   We need new glasses so we might splurge and get eye exams, lol, so we can order new glasses from Zenni Optical.

I worked out on the calendar that John is off  Christmas Day...His partner's wife has invited me to come to their home for dinner because she said they are working.   I'll look at the calendar and plan accordingly.  If he's home I'd like to do  something special for he and I.  He likes me making a little fuss over holidays for just the two of us.  I'll even play with a pretty table setting, because he likes that 'special' something.  Of course he'll get his holiday breakfast of canned cinnamon rolls and sausage balls.

That brings us up to New Year.  Last year I indulged in my first champagne ever and I liked it!  I confess I didn't wait until midnight and I thought it a waste to open the bottle and have one glass, but later found a load of recipes that use up leftover champagne (chicken, cupcakes), but long after the fact.  I am undecided if I shall buy champagne this year.  If I could get a small bottle...maybe.  John is working New Year's Day proper so I'm going to make no further plans at this point.  If I have the day alone I'll watch the Parade of Roses and spend the day reading and dreaming of the Fresh New Year.

Well, planning is done...Now it's time I got to work!