Greetings, Fellow RAers! The Holidays are just around the corner, and it is time to come up with a plan. Just hoping everything will go well doesn't cut it. Trust me! I have done that many times, and I ended up worn slick, grumpy and hurting.
I do NOT want to repeat my earlier attempts at celebrating the holidays by trying to ignore my RA. That just didn't work, because no matter how hard we try to ignore RA, it is always there. Our constant companion is just waiting for an opening to sneak up on us and knock us off our feet.....literally!
Last year I had a wonderful holiday season because I came up with a plan and followed it faithfully. I intend to do the same this year.
The most important thing I do is to S I M P L I F Y. Gone are the days when I used to attend a Cantata, three church services, cook one family dinner, and attend another in the space of one week. When I think about it, that was an insane schedule and would have been tough on anyone.
It is important to decide which events and gatherings you would most like to attend. We all must learn to pick and choose. We cannot do it all.
By prioritizing your activities, and choosing only the ones that actually fit into your schedule, you just may find you enjoy your holidays more than you ever have. That is exactly what has happened to me. I sincerely wish I had done this years ago.
I know, I know. I can see you shaking your heads and wondering how to say, “No” to people who keep insisting you attend this or that holiday function. I can hear them saying, “Don't be a wet blanket! Everyone else will be there!”
I have been through all that, too. I just pleasantly explain that I appreciate the invitation very much, but that I just cannot fit another party, or whatever, into my schedule. If they persist, I start singing, “Fa La La La La,” and then I smile and walk away. Works well for me!
When it comes to cooking holiday dinners, I use the same tactic. I simplify. Instead of cooking a whole turkey, I cook a Honeysuckle white turkey breast. I cannot handle cooking an entire turkey with my swollen hands, wrists and elbows. No way would I even try to wrestle with a big bird. The bird would win. Not a pretty mind image!
Sometimes I buy a bone-in ham...usually a Little Dixie. I mix up my concoction of brown sugar, BBQ sauce, mustard and cloves. I coat that big old ham with my brown sugar mixture, and cover it tightly with aluminum foil. I put it in an oven set at 225 degrees F and let it cook for eight to ten hours. I promise that if you try this, your house will smell wonderful, and the ham will be awesome.
If you need some help, ask someone else to take the ham out of the oven and slice it. Your dinner guests will love it!
I make all of my pies or other desserts the day before the holiday dinner. I usually take a day off work for just this task. Or, I ask someone else to make the dessert. Both of these choices work well. Sometimes guests like to bring side dishes or desserts. It helps them feel more a part of the holiday celebration.
