Sunday roast at six o'clock sharp. The smell of gravy wafting from the kitchen. Everyone seated around the same table, no exceptions. The clatter of cutlery on proper plates, not a phone in sight. If you grew up in a boomer household, this scene probably triggers some serious nostalgia. But describe it to today's kids, and they'd look at you like you're describing life on another planet.
I'd gently suggest that you're not helpless against the changing tide. You've noticed a pattern that seems to be in conflict with your hopes and expectations for the holiday. So, for next year, you have the opportunity to talk about it with your daughters in advance and find a solution that makes everyone happy. Every holiday meal is, of course, about the food, but its primary purpose is togetherness as a family.
When the world feels chaotic-when grief, uncertainty, or heaviness settles into your body-gratitude can feel distant. Yet these are often the very moments when giving thanks becomes a steadying force. Naming what we're grateful for can't erase hardship, but it can anchor us. It reminds us what is good and what is possible, even in the hardest seasons. Gratitude, from the Latin gratus-thankful, pleasing-is a multidimensional experience.
When it comes to homemade pumpkin pies, George shares her experience from a self-instigated baking extravaganza. "I put myself to the test myself by baking 12 different pumpkin pie recipes (mostly from food bloggers, with a couple from cookbooks)," she explains. Only one of the recipes required puréeing fresh pumpkin, so it was easy to distinguish the results compared to the other 11 pies. In her opinion, all the extra work didn't justify the time, mess, and effort.
Valentine's Day is about expressing love for special people in your life. One way to do so is to pamper that person as much as possible. That can mean starting the day off with delicious breakfast in bed. Muffins can be prepared in advance and are easy to enjoy in hand for a breakfast that involves lounging and love. Blackberry Crunch Muffins marry coffee cake and muffin elements and tart berries for something that is equal parts breakfast and dessert.
