I think I have recovered from Thanksgiving now. Two solid days of baking and roasting everything in sight at my stepson's house in Virginia culminated in a feast for 23 guests. I was an enthusiastic kitchen helper and sous chef for daughter-in-law Gail in their Poquoson home.

The meal began with baked brie, mushroom toast and crab bite appetizers and continued on with turkey and ham, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, corn casserole, green beans, roasted Brussels sprouts, buttered corn, gravy, cranberry jelly, cheese biscuits and two kinds of wine. For dessert there were two apple crumb pies, a pumpkin pie, a pecan pie, a carrot cake, a cheesecake and bread pudding with caramel sauce.

By the time the food was prepared, four tables were set and family and friends were called to dine, I was, to be honest, too exhausted to really enjoy the meal. Gail said she felt the same way. The next day, we both savored every bite of the leftovers, once we had rested.

On the drive home from Virginia, I thought to myself that in another month, during Christmas week, the whole exhausting process will begin again, this time at my house – and then a week later, on New Year's Day at my son's house.

I immediately began the Christmas housecleaning on Sunday evening when we arrived home from Virginia. Days of cleaning will be followed by days of home decorating, days of shopping and days of gift-wrapping. And then there will again be days of baking and roasting.

Sometimes I wish there were two months between these two special holidays, to give us – the mothers especially – more time to rest and prepare. With a large, blended multigenerational family, I will have 31 people to shop for.

Perhaps my Christmas wishes this year should be more of a list of resolutions for approaching the season in a way that won't wear me out.

· I resolve to play very peaceful holiday music to keep me in a calm, relaxed mood while working my way through the month.

· I resolve to get the house clean without getting into a squabble with my husband over his "junk" and my "stuff."

· I resolve to do some of the baking early on so I am not up all night during Christmas week.

· I resolve to let my husband put the lights on the tree while I am not in the house so I get to skip that not-fun task this year.

· I resolve to not make myself crazy trying to spend the exact same amount of money on each grandchild.

· I resolve to wrap gifts a little at a time so I don't get a backache from trying to do it in a two-day session.

· I resolve to get to the post office early so I am not in a last-minute panic to get packages mailed in time.

If I can keep all these things in mind, I should make it to the end of Christmas dinner and still be able to enjoy eating the meal.

Happy holidays to you, and may they be as peaceful for you as I hope they will be for me.

Linda

Wojciechowski

associate editor

Catasauqua Press