I am so glad my Christmas shopping is done! I do not have to brave any more shops, tomorrow I can just prepare all the food and ensure my house is clean and tidy for our guests....PHEW!
I was doing the food shop today, so that I could still get nice, fresh produce and so that I didn't have to go anywhere near the shops tomorrow, and I had gotten everything on my list. Eggs for salads and breakfast? Check. Rocket, zucchini, pasta, coleslaw? Check. Drinks? Check.
As I was going towards the checkout, I was plagued with doubts about the contents of my trolley; it looked very small and filled with fresh things, compared to other shoppers trolleys. Where were my lollies? Shortbread? Rumballs? Nibbles? Entree? Sweets? Second Sweets? After dinner mints? Well, you get the picture.
I had everything on my list to make 10 people a full cooked breakfast and 7 people lunch. Why am I doubting myself? Because Christmas is a festival of the affluent.....which today felt a little on the effluent side. People expect to gorge themselves on rich, indulgent foods. Not just for one meal, but two or three. (Or more, depending on how many family parties you are attending!) Having a feast is a time honoured symbol of wealth, and that translates into the modern Christmas tradition of eating and drinking until we feel sick. Or be sick.
The thing is, we have evolved since then. We don't believe that the earth is flat, or that Mercury is a cure for constipation (or anything for that matter!), or that blood letting does anything more than relieve you of some much needed blood and probably give you a nasty headache. So why do we have to buy every Christmas food and table decoration and confection?
Well, I don't. I don't need a weeks worth of leftovers, and I certainly don't need to gorge myself. I am going to make a beautiful big green salad and a pasta salad, and have coleslaw, ham, turkey and some nice, fresh bread rolls. For sweets we will have some homemade pud, icecream and cream, and that will be more than enough, thank you very much.
Happy and healthy eating everyone!
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