Food, Glorious Food!
Is it worth the waiting for?
If we live for eighty four
All we ever get is gruel!
Every day we say our prayer —
Will they change the bill of fare?
Still we get the same old gruel!
Those are the opening lines to the song from Oliver Twist the musical. At Christmas time we rarely serve gruel but it’s probably safe to say that the same dishes come out year after year. How are they received? Like the orphans, with moans, resignation, and grumblings? Or like my husband who had us checking every grocery store in Langley last year for the “right” ingredients to make his favourite Christmas morning traditional cinnamon buns?
Hopefully like my husbands’!
Whether you serve ham, roast beef (I almost typed Roast Beast – must have The Grinch on my mind), turkey, or another culturally traditional meal, there is a lot of thought and preparation that goes into one meal. Or, in the case of the story I told with this sketch, one day.
As I alluded to in the video, my food preferences, diet and eating habits in general, have changed greatly since the birth of my third child. Dairy is now on my “no go” list. (Insert sad emoticon here!) All those butter and cheese laden goodies that typically show up on the Christmas Dinner table or at the Open House buffet are now only enjoyed after slugging back several pills.
This year, unbeknownst to my family, I made everything dairy friendly. Except the Wife Saver. For that I baked a special one for me with lactose free Swiss cheese and no added melted butter. Gotta say, better than the original I think! There were universally good comments about the food so I think I got away with it! Score one for the Mama!
Does your family struggle with allergies or other special dietary needs? How do you manage to keep the traditional favourites on the menu while making sure all the members of your family feel included? It can be challenging at times. We have a neighbour across the street whose eldest has Celiac Disease. Last year my eldest and I made a special gluten free round of shortbread for her. It’s the smallest of gestures that are sometimes appreciated the most. When one of my friends remembers that I can’t eat dairy so puts out hummus instead of cheese, I know I’m loved!
Now it’s your turn! Share your family’s Christmas Day food traditions with us. Do you have any favourites that have been handed down through the generations? I can’t wait to hear about them. Don’t forget to share a link to any pages you make in the comments below or over on my Facebook page. We’d all love to see your work and read your stories!
Happy Scrapping!
