What Do You Mean You Won’t Be Home For The Holiday?

“Your Father and I won’t be coming for Christmas this year” my mother said. “You know your Aunt and Uncle are getting older and your Father and I haven’t seen them in three years. (Long awkward pause.) Are you there?.” she says.

Silence. What do I say? Like any dutiful child, I lied like a rug. I manage to get out something about how nice it will be for Dad and that we are so happy they are able to go. I reassure her that we will be just fine. It’s not like I can’t cook or decorate, after all I am 40 something years old and have run my own household for a good number of years. Who needs them anyway, they will just dirty up the dishes (that I have to wash by hand because they can’t go in the dishwasher).

So I am in panic right now! Christmas without my parents is almost inconceivable, in fact, it is WRONG! It just isn’t done and I felt like calling her right back and giving her a piece of my mind. For the last 15 years everyone comes to my house for Christmas. I get up at 3:00 am, I cook and clean all day, I whine and complain about how hard it is to work, shop, cook and clean. It is a miracle I still have my husband by the New Year. Even so, they could have invited my Aunt and Uncle to join us for Christmas rather than going to visit them. By now, I am very mad and completely irrational. My darling husband steps in to console me, but I am furious, and won’t hear a word he has to say.

So what am I to do, create my own Christmas WITHOUT my parents? Then it hits me, this is my “dry run”. It is time for me to make lasting memories with my family that my children will tell their children and so on and so forth. This is a test, one that I have not studied nor prepared for – and I am afraid of failing. My parents are testing me to determine if I can do it on my own, in fact, they probably already know that I will fall flat on my face. Clearly I am in some deep trouble here and a phone call to Dr. Phil may be in order.

What am I going to do? Immediately I knew the perfect answer, procrastinate. Like an Ostrich, with my head buried in the sand, I will pretend this situation simply doesn’t exist. It will be perfect! Until Christmas Eve and then the kids will jolt me back to reality. Obviously, that won’t work. Again, my ever patient and non-overreacting husband says, “Let’s go out”.

“Out?” I said, “Like not eat here, with the table set and the music playing?” My husband said, “Yes, Out! This way, we won’t have to wash the china, polish the silver, set the table, listen to you complain and whine about how hard it is to work, shop, cook and clean. OUT!” he stated. By now the kids are in the kitchen wanting to know what we are talking about – apparently, our voices were raised. One by one they said it would be fun to go out. They told us tales of other children whose parent’s have gone “out” for Christmas dinner. I know some of these children and they seemed very well-mannered, polite and perfectly well-adjusted. In fact, I know and like their parents very much.

So that is how it was decided. This year we will spend time together having fun (apparently polishing silver and washing china is not fun) and we are to go out for dinner.

My mother called back because she knew I was going to have a difficult time with their decision. I don’t really know if she called back to console me or offer a kind word of support to my husband. At any rate, I’m not mad now. I am really looking forward to a day with my family. Funny, I thought it would be hard to decide where to go but it was a unanimous decision in our household. “Bonneville” was the resounding vote. My husband adores the Fillet of Beef, and all of my son’s praise Chef EJ for the “best burgers they have ever eaten in their life!”

In fact, Chef has prepared a menu for holiday dinner this year and it will be available in addition to our regular menu items from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I am posting a copy of the menu for inspiration, in hopes of encouraging you to create your own lasting memories with your families and friends. I’d like you to think of this as permission to take the time to enjoy your family rather than spending the day in the kitchen. Spend your new-found time putting the toys together, playing with your children, visiting your friends and family, telling the funny stories of years past and enjoying the moment – take the time to create your own memories.

Christmas Menu 2012

I’m not sure about being on my own this year, but I know that my Bonneville family will be amazing. In fact, the smell of fabulous food will waft through the air, a comfortable chair will be near the fireplace, there will be plenty of great photograph opportunities and good cheer will fill the halls. I suppose it isn’t any different from home.

From each one of us to every one of you, we wish you peace in your hearts, joy in your life and a season filled with traditions both new and old. Happy Holiday’s from your family at Bonneville Hot Springs Resort and Spa!

Holiday Season Celebrations

Don’t Hit The Panic Button Yet!

Wow! Thanksgiving came and went. For those of you who were able to spend Thanksgiving with us here at the Resort, we are so pleased. It was a fantastic day for us and we certainly hope that it was equally relaxing for you, your friends and your family. With that being said, we all need to fasten our seatbelts because that was the beginning of the countdown to the end of the year. Now begins the decorating, cooking, cleaning, card sending, party going, gift shopping, gift mailing, church going, grocery shopping. out of town traveling, airport loathing race to new year. It is a joyous time of unrealistic expectations and emotional outbursts!

Do you feel overwhelmed?

We want to remind you to take some time to ENJOY the last part of 2012. Did you all hear that? Enjoy!There is no law that says every gathering or function must be at your home with you doing all of the work. Use your expert multi-tasking skills and carve out some time to create memories with the people that you love this year. After all, isn’t that why we set those unrealistic goals? So that we can create memorable moments?

Here is a scenario, imagine that you had to go to work early today because there were those “reports” due. But while you were assembling your reports, you realized that you forgot to place the order with Harry and David’s to send your cousin in Wisconsin a pear basket. Somehow Wisconsin makes you think of the winter coat that your son outgrew last year and you remember that Macy’s had a couple on sale that you should pick up. You frantically try to get the reports done while calling Harry and David’s. At that moment, your boss walks in and asks if you wouldn’t mind picking up the lunch order at the deli down the block. He mutters something about the holiday and how hard everyone has been working – of course you agree to do it. The customer service representative jolts you back to reality and makes you aware that your Visa card has expired. As you dig through your wallet for your new card, you give up and tell the customer service agent you’ll have to call back.

Do you need a break?

You bolt out the door to retrieve lunch and decide to dash by Macy’s to pick up the coat. As you look through the racks of coats it dawns on you, “today only save 40% on all children’s outerwear.” You realize it was an advertisement that you heard on the radio earlier this morning and it was not for Macy’s, but Kohls. Not wanting to go to another store, you take the coat in your hand to the register. Your phone rings at the same time the cashier says, “Miss, your credit card is expired.” With the line forming behind you, you hand the cashier a different card. You try to answer the phone and realize you have missed a call from your husband. The cashier calmly tells you that you are in the wrong store that you have handed her the Kohl’s card – unfortunately you are at Macy’s. She quietly labels the coat and agrees to hold it for you.

Feeling embarrassed and irritated because your husband isn’t answering your return call, you leave and get almost back to the office before you realize that you have forgotten lunch. You turn around, grab lunch and are greeted by a mob of angry staff. Complaints of, “It’s cold” or “I thought I would expire from hunger!” resonate through the office like the flu.

Disgruntled and behind, you begin finishing your reports. A small text on your phone reminds you that you have date night with your husband and you forgot to make plans.

A normal person would fall apart at this point. But here is the great news – you aren’t normal!  Thinking about pears and Wisconsin – you remember a small blog from Bonneville Hot Springs.  You pull it up and realize that you could grab your husband, enjoy some time together in the car and make it to the Wine Tasting by 7 pm.  You’re saved!

You end up having such a great time that you stay for the night, have a great breakfast in the morning and spa services before you leave.  You are happy, in love and the best part – you have a positive mental outlook!  When you feel rejuvenated and relaxed, Wisconsin, pears, coats, cards and work don’t seem like an effort – they seem fun.  The people around you are happy, the everyday tasks bring you joy and there seems to be more of you to go around.

Did You Overcommit?

We are attaching our event calendar – take a look and see if it can help you gain some time.  Everyone has to eat and no one said it has to be at your home!  Maybe you should grab the kids and come have breakfast with Santa before you get your Christmas tree.  Or, maybe you should plan to join us for Christmas dinner so you don’t have to worry about shopping, cooking or cleaning.  Or maybe, you can come for New Year’s Eve to celebrate and start the New Year with a positive mental outlook!

How Can We Help?