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What does holly, that untidy
traditional greenery you just have to festoon your house
with every year, have to do with not tearing your hair out
before it's even Thanksgiving? Plenty. You can use
H-O-L-L-Y to help you get organized.
1. H: Help
How many times have you
tried to do the perfect turkey all by yourself just so
your mother-in-law would be impressed? Here's a reality
check: (a) If your mother-in-law is any kind of a real
woman, she remembers that her mother-in-law put the exact
same pressure on her, and (b) if she's the kind of person
who complains because the cranberries come from a can,
she's the kind of person who complains anyway and would be
unhappy if she couldn't try to make you look like an
incompetent nitwit, and how a woman like that could raise
your wonderful husband is beyond everyone.
If that husband is such a
great guy, get him in the kitchen. Sit down and plan what
the two of you really want---he might not want a
six-course dinner, which is fine, because you don't
either. Get the kids involved. By now some of them are at
that stage where they want to show off what they can do
"all by myself," and you know that even though
you hate your daughter's taste in music, she did make
killer stuffing last Thanksgiving. And your son makes a
great omelet for Christmas morning. Then there's your
sister who loves to chat, so put her to work while you
listen to her endless monologue.
Electronic help is great
too---use a PDA or the family computer to keep a list of
recipes and ingredients. There are many great, sometimes
free, computer programs available.
2. O: Oh-No
Let's face it. You'll make
mistakes. The sugar cookies will burn. You can always
"eat" your mistakes and try again---just don't
try a new recipe for the first time Christmas Day. In
fact, plan for your mistakes. That's right. Most of us
spend so much time agonizing over avoiding mistakes we
forget that they are going to happen anyway, and not
necessarily at our hands. So your best girlfriend Susan
brought over deviled ham instead of double chocolate
cake...there's a reason we have bakeries, right? Just
cheerfully accept the mistake and move on. People can get
over a slightly too well-done roast, but they will be
downright uncomfortable if you spend the entire dinner
moaning about it.
3. L: Love
You know Christmas is the
season of love, and you can have as much fun with take-out
pizza as you can with an elegant dinner if the company is
right. One sure way to recapture love is to bake cookies
together. There's nothing like the sight of kids rolling
dough and decorating their works of art.
4. L: Let It Be
Sorry for the Paul
McCartney overtones, but once you have your plan in place,
stick to it---that doesn't mean you can't compromise
slightly. Agonizing over turkey versus tofu causes you to
lose your appetite, and is as harmful to your cooking as
disorganization. Sticking to a decision and keeping your
plan, no matter what everyone else thinks, gives you peace
of mind.
5. Y: You
Remember that there will be
stress around the holidays, but that your mind can choose
not to give in. You can choose to refuse another beer
because "I'm frazzled" or avoid inviting people
you really can't stand just because your mind thinks you
have an obligation to be popular and kill yourself feeding
25 people. You can throw snowballs, or, if you live in
California, go throw some water on the wildfires...just
take your mind off your cooking. You'll rediscover just
why it is you're cooking and what you love about
Christmas.
So that's your H-O-L-L-Y
for a happy holiday. And when all else fails, there's
chocolate.
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