Shall I tell you about my Easter Day after church? I shall. My three children and my six grandchildren came over for Sunday lunch. Many years ago, I'd plan a sit-down meal, not formal, but all gathered around two tables at the same time. I should say that my plan was to have that happen, but it never did. Someone or ones always drifted in late. On each holiday, we faced the question of whether to wait for the missing, or to go ahead and start eating without them. Finally, one of my children told me that my plan wasn't working, which was quite true.
The new plan is that we prepare a meal and people drift in whenever, sort of like an open house. The cousins like to be together, so I ask my children to try to be there at least part of the time AT the same time. Plus, we have an Easter egg hunt. This seems to work, and I'm a lot more relaxed than on the former, more structured occasions.
My daughter arrived first with her three boys. Grandpère had already started his meal. The food is ready. Why wait? I ate with the first shift. The next shift came, my son, his two children and his girl friend. I don't think his children ate a meal. They may have eaten while they were with their mom earlier. They plunged right in to the Easter candy. Then came the third shift, my son, his wife, and their son. They had already eaten, but my son ate again.
The children behaved decently for a good while, but then the sugar highs kicked in, and the scene began to get wild. We tried to get them to keep their wildness outside, but they continued to drift back in. We had a few clashes, some hysterical crying and consoling to be done, but no major injuries.
Diana, our dog, escaped from the yard only twice, and on one of the occasions, she took a swim in our neighbor's pool, returning home dripping wet. She thrives on all the excitement. I could see that Grandpère was becoming agitated, but I had my wine, so I was chillin'. He should drink on these occasions.
He tried to settle them down with a video - Wait! - "Fawlty Towers". Needless to say, that did not work, and soon all drifted away and back into mischief. When the wildness peaked, their parents decided that it was time to go, and I couldn't disagree.
God bless them all. I love to have them come, but it's a bit of a relief when they go, too.
Sounds like a normal modern family to me. Family dinners have really changed over time (meaning since we were young) and it seems as though you've made the best of it. A glass of wine really does help.
ReplyDeleteA glass? Glasses, my friend.
ReplyDeleteA bottle perhaps?
ReplyDeleteMy mother used to feel the same way, but she didn't drink. If us kids wanted food, we brought it. There was never much candy in the house until my stepfather quit smoking. From then on there were always peppermint rounds (stars?) from Walmart. The grandkids were not too fond of them.
ReplyDeleteMimi,
ReplyDeleteI don't know how grandmothers do it -- perhaps a bottle of wine is the answer!
I grew up with three sisters (younger) and had eighteen first cousins on Dad's side and twelve on Mother's side.
On the big holidays Dad's Mother had a Tidewater (VA) Buffet Lunch with tables for 4 or 6 all over the place.
On Easter Day, Lunch was served after the Easter Egg Hunt which was confined to the tennis courts -- no perennials to trample.
This would be followed in my sisters and my case by a Buffet Supper at my other Grandmother's with enormous Easter Baskets.
All the cousins would get home late; green from too much rich food and chocolate with grass stains and dirty dress clothes.
We children had a great time and our parents all looked like they would cheerfully trade us for a strong drink.
Amelia, not a whole bottle! Maybe three glasses, just enough to get mellow.
ReplyDeleteGrandpère did the cooking, and I made the salad. Sometimes the others bring food.
I remember how much I enjoyed being with my cousins on holidays. We were pretty wild, too. I like to see my grandchildren together.
The latest Easter basket grass is awful. It doesn't hold together, and it was all over the floor.
I have a friend who says that her favorite Christmas lights are the taillights of the car at the end of the driveway.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to ask her for her favorite Easter symbol.
Happy Easter, anyway.
Elizabeth, please get it for me. I'll use it next year.
ReplyDeleteHave you tried being really horrible to the lot of them?
ReplyDeleteIt works for me.
No, I don't, because I love them, and I remember what it was like to be a child, even though it was quite a long time ago.
ReplyDelete