Friday, March 21, 2008

Having the Holiday Off by Nannette Croce

In the category of never being satisfied. When I was a young married, it frustrated me no end that I couldn’t host my own holiday. Slaves to tradition, my two aunts and my Mom wouldn’t switch holidays, even amongst themselves.

Fast forward twenty-some years with the aunts gone, my sister four hours away, and my Mom unable to entertain. I now cook for every holiday. I never realized how soon Easter followed on Christmas until it meant one more day of setting tables, cooking a big meal, washing dishes, and scouring pots. I swear there are years I could decorate the Easter table with my left-over Poinsettias.

But ever since my daughter left for college and couldn’t come home for Easter, I’ve had an excuse to take that holiday off. Maybe she’d prefer to spend the weekend like any other, partying Friday and Saturday and sleeping in on Sunday, but I bring her a basket anyway and we go out to brunch.

Saratoga Springs’ weather where Skidmore College is located usually precludes Easter outfits even in April, let alone mid-March when Easter falls this year. I’m planning to pack my snow boots, but I don’t care. Given the alternative of feeding instead of being fed, I’ll take it.

My daughter graduates this year. Then what will I do? For now, I’ll just be grateful for my one holiday off.

3 comments:

Barbara Quinn said...

Enjoy your time with your daughter and your holiday off. I'm happy to have a holiday or three but all of them? Yikes! Everyone brings a dish now which helps a lot. And boy, do I have my shortcuts down.

Angie Ledbetter said...

We have tradition which can't be broken (Christmas Eve Mass and potluck) and then there are a few nontraditional holiays too. We've eaten out, had a picnic on a college campus and fed the ducks, skipped the "big meal" completely and delivered Meals on Wheels with others instead...so all that's to say, variety is nice, and so is tradition. Wherever you find yourselves this Easter, I hope and pray it's good, relaxing and memorable.

Kathryn Magendie said...

Here's to days off!

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