Christmas Dinner

Have you noticed as the years pass by your focus on the Christmas holiday tends to shift towards, "What's going to be served on the table," versus "What's under the Christmas tree?" Visions of prime rib, roast turkey, hand mashed potatoes, stuffing, home made rolls, wine and pies dance in my head as I remember Christmas past. What delicacies do you cherish from your Holiday food traditions?

Anyone remember sneaking the black olives off the  relish tray and putting one on each finger just for fun? Oh ya, I was that kid!

Norman Rockwell: Family Dinner

Christmas Dinner

Oh, the anticipation Christmas dinner brings
The smells, the aromas and delicacies.

Mom's and Dad's slave all day
measuring, concocting and basting away.

Children ask, "Is it time?"
"Let's get this thing on," they whine.

Soon the dinner call sounds
and the family gathers all around.

Find your place card near the plate
so you can sit down to masticate.

Men are ogling all the glories set before them:
Stuffing, potatoes, the big fat hen
vegetables, gravy and homemade pie
"Let's dig in," they all cry.

Women sit straight and tall with a proud face
at the picturesque scene and the feast
about to take place.

Now children are of a different mindset

I'll let you in on how they think…

"LET'S GET THIS OVER WITH

AND GET THE DISHES IN THE SINK!"

It's not that they don't like the food
or intend to be rude
They've just got different priorities, you see
and they are underneath the Christmas tree.

They wish their mom's would cut them some slack
and make Christmas dinner an evening snack.
Mom's test their patience to the highest degree
and won't excuse them from the table, no siree!

Not until it is socially appropriate and
the adults have had their fill
will Mom let them free.

AND STILL…

The kids will have to wait for the
dishes to be cleared, washed and put away
before they can open their gifts and play.

"Why," the children wonder,
"Do parents participate in this traditional ritual?"
"Every year, every Christmas it's habitual."

"It must be a rite of passage to make us wait,
when I'm older with kids of my own I'll make things straight."

It's funny how it seems like yesterday
I was the kid thinking the same way
and today I repeat the ritual,
my daughter's rite of passage to pay.