Thanksgiving Stress

I keep seeing these articles about avoiding the stress of Thanksgiving. I feel like I'm missing out on something because I don't have stress at Thanksgiving and I can't figure out why I'm obviously supposed to.

I did have stress once. I was twenty-three and my mother informed me in October of that year she wasn't doing Thanksgiving anymore. We had just bought our first house and my mother decided it was time to pass the turkey duty to someone else. I had the room and it was now my job. It wasn't like I had any choice in the matter.

So I said what every child says to their mother, "Yes ma'am".

To her credit she came up the day before (with the turkey) and we went off to the grocery store to get the remaining ingredients. She then proceeded to teach me how to make the side dishes and prep the turkey.

When you're mother is stepping you through the process it's pretty freaking easy.

The next year she again brought the turkey but wasn't all that keen on doing side dishes with me. I had bestowed upon her the best gift ever: a grandson. He was three weeks old and she only had eyes for him. She threw me an occasional comment and answered any questions in a vague tone so I pretty much gave up and was on my own.

Since that time it's become a no-brainer for me. I make the same sides every year. I am free to add a new one but I am not allowed to take away anyone's favorite. We all have a different favorite. I buy ingredients beginning in October each time I go shopping. By the time the day before comes around I really don't need to get anything and get the sides done and come the "day" all I have to do is stick that turkey in the oven and pray it cooks the way it's supposed to.

I have forgotten rolls in the oven and had smoke billowing out of the oven forcing us to open windows. (My MIL: Karen, I think you left a little something in the oven.) I have forgotten to make the white sauce for creamed onions, left cranberry sauce in the fridge and had turkeys take way too long (or too short) a time to cook. That's what makes the meal interesting.

And in the end, it really doesn't matter what you eat or if you choose to do your Thanksgiving dinner in July or on a Saturday or you like hot dogs and chili.

It's just a dinner with family and friends. People do that all the time.