Food Glorious Food

Each family member of mine makes the same dishes for the same holidays every year. I am very much content in the safety and familiarity of the ritual of our family gatherings. For Thanksgiving: Nana makes orange jello salad with fruit inside and marshmallows on top; Papa makes the stuffing, the ham with pineapple, the turkey, and green bean casserole; my mom makes a large pan of sweet potatoes with toasted marshmallows on top and some sort of salad or veggie dish, and also makes another turkey; I make a homemade pumpkin pie; my aunt buys a chocolate pie and bakes a blueberry pie and brings some sort of unrecognizable salad glop of some kind; my other aunt and uncle bring themselves and that's it...my mother provides our home and all the plates and silver wear and drinks-she loves coordinating these things. I just like the pie and sweet potatoes, to be honest. But the smells of our usual foods are comforting and inviting, and mean good memories, warm hugs, loud laughter, and full bellies. This year will be different for me, though, because in addition to my mom's side thanksgiving meal, I will be attending Dane's mom's and dad's dinners as well to meet new family members and try new dishes. I am nervous and excited! I really hope they like me and that the atmosphere isn't painfully different from my own home, or at least not different in a bad way. I doubt it will be, the parts of his family I have met so far have been excellent cooks and extremely friendly. I cannot wait to feast.
Christmas is the most diverse holiday for me of all. I visit two or three different events on my stepdad's side, one on my mother's, occasionally I'll go to my biological dad's side, and then there's Dane's mom's and dad's sides of the family as well. I love the food at the Christmas morning brunch the best, held by my great step grandparents. There are so many various kinds of eggs and bacon and biscuits with gravy, honey, jam, you name it. I love the coffee and angel food cake and one uncle even brings sushi! On Christmas Eve, my step grandparents will usually hold a gathering at their house with chips and cheese dip, mini meatballs, and Christmas cookies. We will eat and then open a present or two just to keep us satisfied so we can get some sleep before the big day. Last year we went to a relative on my stepdad's side out in the country for the first time, and it was a wonderful experience! New people, games, and food! I absolutely loved it. I love the smells, sights, and sounds.
Dessert has got to be my favorite part of both of these holidays, I have such a horrid sweet tooth, self control and discipline have to be begrudgingly enforced upon myself. I am not so much a cake or pie person, I am only partial to pecan pie, but I am a chocoholic! Especially around Christmas time when there are all kinds of peppermint chocolate candies and sweets, I just go nuts! My favorite indulgences are a peppermint mocha from Starbucks and homemade fudge I had last year made by Dane's grandparents.