Decisions, Decisions

My sister and I just discussed our upcoming Christmas Day menu. Here's all we decided:

We don't want turkey again.

You can understand can't you? We just had turkey at Thanksgiving. And to be perfectly forthcoming, I bet there's a good chance that you would still find some leftover turkey in my fridge. That is if you were brave enough to dive in there.

Personally I wouldn't risk it. It's a jungle in there.

But no. No more turkey.

Ham maybe. And she says she has a nice beef tenderloin.

Of course we have to have mashed potatoes or the boys (especially Ben) will revolt. There must be Nick's fruit salad, and a chocolate cake for Wes and Scott. Something has to be done with green beans, squash and probably sweet potatoes. There must be a pecan pie and a chocolate pie, pralines and divinity.

Heavens, who is going to make all this stuff? I should have started cooking.

I should have started shopping.

Why does this always happen? I have good intentions. I say "This year I'm going to start preparations earlier".

Then I don't.

Yes, I know. I have that syndrome where I constantly sabotage myself. This is bad.

Perhaps I should just go rogue for a week. Maybe people would be so worried about me that they wouldn't notice they weren't getting their fruit salad or mashed potatoes or silly chocolate pie.

No, I tried that once. Not successful.

Darn.

What to do, what to do...

OK, let's focus. I KNOW what Christmas breakfast must be. We absolutely positively must have bacon, eggs, sausage, some kind of cinnamon rolls, and

GRITS.

My family threatened to have me evaluated after the devastating Christmas Breakfast of 2004 when I chose not to serve grits.

You would have thought that I grew three heads and sprouted horns. The disbelief on their faces was shocking.

My Family: "Where are the grits?"

Me: "I decided not make them this year."

Cricket, cricket, cricket......

My Family: "No, seriously."

And then honestly I don't remember much after that. For about 2 weeks...

There must be grits.

What are your family's "Must Haves"?

Do you have to have turkey, dressing and giblet gravy? Or do you go Chili and cornbread, or maybe Mexican with tamales, enchiladas and guacamole?

I'd love to know.