It's Christmas

[LaVern]

Oh Santa, I am going to turn over a new leaf. A lettuce leaf. I am going to be the best old 99 year old girl you ever saw. That is the coolest thing I have ever seen. It probably will be the thing I remember from 2009 Christmas. I will never again grumble about folks coming and just be glad they want to come. You guys have got to look at my message.

 

[SantaClaus]

LaVern, I knew you had it in you. I know you are so generous with your time and all you do for your family and others at this time of year and throughout the year as well. Take a deep breath and don't try to do it all yourself. If my elves weren't so overloaded themselves I would sent them all to you to help you. Come to think of it, why don't you ask your guests, the vegans and vegetarians to bring something they like and explain to them that you feel overwhelmed with all the preperation of your bountiful menu and that it would great help to ease the stress of hosting so many? I think you will be surprised but these guests will probably be very happy to contribute and give something of themselves. Christmas should be a time of love, a time of compassion, a time of sharing. Jesus came to this earth to show us what humility and love is all about. Bless you my dear child for making so many others Christmas a memorable one.

 

[wantminimore]

Ask them to bring their favorite dishes to share, that's easy and takes all the burden off your shoulders and puts it back on theirs.

My SIL (and my brother til he decided he needed more protein and now will eat meat) is a vegetarian and has been a very long time. The only one in our family and still comes to every family get together where meat is always served. She brings her own "main" dish and eats what she can from the rest.If you choose not to serve your guests something that they can eat; ask them to bring their own...usually vegans and vegetarians are more than willing to do that. As a hostess, tho, I would think you would be more "hostess-like"...JMO

As far as the smoking goes...while I do not smoke, I do agree that you have the right to smoke inside your own home if you choose to and if someone doesn't like it they can choose not to go to your house...period.

I hope you will change your mind and welcome your guests to your home even with different eating preferences than your own and serve some things that everyone will enjoy.

Merry Christmas!

I agree with these replies.

 

[LaVern]

One more thing. And I think you guys are right and Santa sure brought me around. But I still can't stand people bringing stuff and I can't change how I feel, but I will keep my mouth shut and say it looks lovely. My home and my food is my gift to them when they come.

 

[KanoasDestiny]

One more thing. And I think you guys are right and Santa sure brought me around. But I still can't stand people bringing stuff and I can't change how I feel, but I will keep my mouth shut and say it looks lovely. My home and my food is my gift to them when they come.

That a girl LaVern!

I'm trying to listen to Santa's message but it isn't loading up for me...tick, tock...

 

[txminipinto]

Lavern,

I'm chuckling as I read this because you sound just like me!! Except my issue is the definition of "family time" and "church" used in the same sentence. Christmas for the first time in history is happening at my house. Complete with Christmas Eve, Morning, and Dinner! All because of our newly adopted son who needs to be at HOME on Christmas. My sister is flying in from Michigan with her hubby and my parents are driving in from the hill country. But they are only staying until Saturday morning which isn't long enough since we haven't spent a Christmas together as a WHOLE family in over 6 years! My sister has insisted that we all go to church on Christmas Eve. Well, my husband and I don't attend Church. We don't have a problem with it, we just don't go. And our son has some very bad memories of church and I'll be darned (no pun intended) if I allow the stress of additional strange family and forcing him to go to church when we haven't in the 4 months we've had him disrupt and ruin the peacefulness and joy of Christmas(and those that know our son know that a temper tantrum will occur). My sister laid the guilt trip "it would be nice to spend some time as a family..." Well, I think God will forgive you if you skip Christmas Eve service just once to spend more time with your new nephew. But if you have to go that's fine, but we're not.

That didn't really go over well but I'm sticking to my guns and am going to enjoy Christmas instead of fighting with a 6 yr old about going to service. Its just not worth it.

 

[ruffian]

I only had 20 people show up for my Christmas, and everybody brought something. For a lot of people, sharing the work - cooking, baking etc, - is part of their gift! I had a whole table full of food, and we just added tables to put their contributions on. They feel that since you have done so much work, they want to help out. Especially at Christmas! To say "Don't Bring anything" can make people uncomfortable.

So my advice, for what it's worth, just let the vegetarians and vegan pick what they want, don't push them to eat the GOOD food, and try to enjoy the other 70 people who are salivating over your offerings!

Hmm - thought -- Jim Beam, Johnny Walker, etc - is made from grains - -- maybe I should turn vegetarian too!

 

[SantaClaus]

One more thing. And I think you guys are right and Santa sure brought me around. But I still can't stand people bringing stuff and I can't change how I feel, but I will keep my mouth shut and say it looks lovely. My home and my food is my gift to them when they come.

LaVern, LaVern, LaVern

I told you I would be watching you. My elves came running into my office today to tell me about the above

Being :arg! is not a good quality and you know better don't you. You don't want Santa to bring you a lump of coal

in your stocking? No, I didin't think so. You have to put

in your heart LaVern for everyone, even those you may not like as much as others. LaVern, why would you deprive others of feeling joy and pleasure at helping in bringing "stuff". This is the "grinch" in your talking and Santa Claus is disappointed in "grinches". You have now until Christmas Eve to open your heart LaVern. I hope you do that because i don't like to give out coal and it makes my sleigh alot heavier and that means I can't take as many presents with me because of the weight restriction for my reindeer. You don't want to deprive someone of receiving their gift because of the way you are behaving, right? RIGHT LAVERN? I thought so.

See you soon

Oh and LaVern, you CAN change the way you feel you are just choosing not to. You control your behaviour, nobody else does so if you really want to change those feelings, your the only one that can do it my dear.

 

[miniwhinny]

One more thing. And I think you guys are right and Santa sure brought me around. My home and my food is my gift to them when they come.

YAHOOOOOOOO You go girl

Santa...you have to cut her a little slack...LOOKIE at how much her heart has opened up during the past day or two

It's a HUGE deal for a meat eater to put up with veggie crunchers...ask my hubby hahhahaha

LaVern...may you have the very, VERY merriest Christmas EVER ((((((HUGS)))))) With prime rib, and spare ribs and little crunchy carrot slivers

And lots of happy full guests.

 

[SantaClaus]

You know what Miniwhinny, you are RIGHT!

LaVern has truly climbed a mountain and Santa was wrong to say I might have to bring her a lump of coal. It's just that I know LaVern so well, I have known her since she was just a wee thing. She could be stubborn even back then you know

but laVern, I am sooo very proud of you and if truth be told, I love Turkey and all the trimmings too. I didn't get to be my size by just eating veggies, hohohoho. All I ask of you my dear LaVern is take the time to enjoy all the warmth and happiness you will be bringing you family and friends on Christmas day. They truly do apprecate you and so do I

 

[HGFarm]

LOL, yikes LaVern, after I watched the message and read Santa's notes to you here, I ran around and closed all the blinds and curtains! You dont want Santa to put you on the 'naughty' list!! Really, just enjoy the company of friends and family, dont pay attention to what they do or dont eat and have fun.

And I hope you get something in your stocking besides a lump of coal! LOL

 

[Marty]

Holy cow LaVern, you really are being watched like a Hawk.....be careful young lady! You don't want Santa to rip you a new one! Not this close to Christmas!

I have to commend you that you seemed to have come around nicely in the past few days so keep up the good work. You'll never be sorry that you were the hostess with the mostess on Christmas Day. I know you can get through this. I just know you can!

When you gonna invite me?

 

[LaVern]

Holy Cow Santa, This trying to be a good Christian at Christmas is tough. Made it through the neighbor ladies yesterday. That darn Alida brought her lefse. She is the best lefse maker in the county. There sat my dry half burned stuff. No body took mine.

I was dreaming last night of how I am going to someday outdo her. See- now we are dealing with competition and pride. Oh, Santa, bring on the coal.

 

[HGFarm]

LOL, LaVern you know how to make lefse??!!! Oh man! Where's mine?? I guess I should just learn to make my own! Uff da!

 

[LaVern]

Uff da Mida. The "Mida" is for emphasis. Mine is awful. But I will keep trying to beat Alida.

 

[HGFarm]

LOL LaVern.... yep, keep after that lefse!!! Are you leaving some out for Santa??

 

[LaVern]

If I left him some of mine, I am sure he would give my presents (if I get any) to Alida. You don't suppose I could get him to peek in Alidas cook book and find out how she makes it and let me know. No, I don't suppose he would do that. Maybe he has an elf that could be bribed.

 

[Littleum]

Dumping cheese all over the veggies to spite the vegans? Are you serious? How rude is that. Would you do that if they were lactose intolerant? Diabetic?

How hard is it to put the cheese in a gravy boat and let people put cheese on it if they wish? How hard is it to throw a Tofurky in the oven? How hard is it just to smile and shut up and be grateful your familly/friends are there for the holidays at all?

David was a vegetarian for 10 years and we found it better to alert any hosts/hostesses that he was vegetarian. The few times he didn't and he declined the main (meat) course at the table, there was always an akward moment and the hostess was always very upset at not knowing. Don't assume they were calling to let you know so you could accomodate them with special food- they were probably calling to let you know so you wouldn't feel bad when they declined the main meat dishes. Most of the vegetarians I've met are perfectly content to eat whatever is suitable for them and do not expect special treatment.

Excuse me if I'm short tempered. We are working through the holidays this year. We weren't able to send gifts to but 2 people. I haven't seen my family for the holidays in 4 years due to living so far away and with our work situation. To be spiteful and bitter over something pitiful as the menu *$()#$#() me. Making tiny little concessions to valued guests is an act of love. It's not hard to put cheese in a gravy boat and it's not hard to swap chicken broth for veggie broth in stuffing.

 

[Allure Ranch]

[SIZE=12pt]LaVern you make me laugh.... Your just to darn funny. I love your soul bearing honesty. [/SIZE]

Merry Christmas sweetie and have a great New Year....