Do you spend Christmas in the kitchen?

If a group of ladies spend Christmas in the kitchen together with a lot of camaraderie and joy, that’s fine. If they love to cook and take delight in creating a delicious masterpiece and the waiting guests applaud and approve with great smiles, then it was worth it.

But if the grandkids are over and all of grandmother’s time is spent in the kitchen instead of playing with them, then maybe some changes ought to be made. If everyone gravitates towards visiting in the living room except for the chef and whoever got grabbed, then it’s time to keep the menu simple.

Tables can be set ahead of time, and plasticware can alleviate a lot of the work. Dishes can be done after the guests leave, unless they are staying for a few hours and don’t mind lending a hand.

The biggest difference lies in what you serve. You can choose menu items that do not require a lot of last minute preparation, and do a lot of the work ahead of time. Doing things beforehand leaves you free to hug the grandkids and/or talk with everyone also and not feel left out of it all. For instance: meat/mashed potatoes/gravy/veggie dinner:  You can cook the meat a bit ahead of time, get it sliced, make the gravy, make the mashed potatoes, and then when the guests are there, you need only to heat it all up and set it all on. It tastes just as good. Desserts can all be made ahead unless they are sundaes, and even then, I’ve known hostesses who pre-scooped the ice cream balls so that they could just spear them out at serving time, saving lots of last minute effort.

You’re also more likely to get your kids to help if they don’t already have their cousins or friends or grandparents over. Same thought for your husband.

Another thought: variety is what makes the meal grand, and variety can be achieved easily: applesauce in a bowl, jello made earlier or the day before, a pickle tray, cottage cheese with fruit (I like it with mandarin oranges lately!) or cherry tomatoes.

The key is to think about it and plan to be in the kitchen as little as possible. Even when cooking pasta one can turn it on and then go in and out a couple of times, using a timer as a reminder. When it’s done, dinner is done.

Unless the kitchen is “where it’s at” for your party. It never has been for me.