Every year we go to my brother and sister-in-law’s for the holiday. Every year we get stressed out and have the same conversation at a frenetic pace.
“We should’ve started the potatoes sooner. They’re not going to be done in time.”

Thanks for the pic Pixabay.
“Where’s the box to carry the food?”
“The ham juice is going to leak when we drive down the hill.”
“What are we forgetting?”
“Did you grab the [fill in the blank]?”
“I think we have everything now. Kids, get in the car!”
“We should’ve left already!”
This year the insanity was punctuated by us pulling out of the garage and me noticing that we’d left a light on inside which resulted in another “discussion” about whether or not it was worth the time to go back and turn it off. We did, but one of us was unhappy about that.
“We’re running late! We should’ve been there by now!”
“You know when they say we’re eating at 5, we won’t actually eat until 5:30.”
“Let’s just stop talking.”
Stony silence.
We arrived with our food not fully cooked yet. We utilized their stove to finish things off. We had plenty of time to do so. They were just as frantic to finish as we were. We didn’t eat until 5:30.
Every year.
When we got home, I said, “We never seem to remember that this always happens. So we don’t have the same fight next year, I’m writing a note to us on the calendar.

Note to our future selves: “It’s going to be okay! Dinner will start a half hour late anyway!”
Let’s see if we can heed our own advice next year and just relax. Chances are not!
Haha! Story of all households and family get together. π
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Right?! Every. year. And one of the kids in that family told my husband that his parents are always running around like crazy to get ready too. Why do we all do it to ourselves? This is why holidays are stressful.
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Seriously, itβs crazy! We occasionally institute holidays in pajamas in our household just to avoid another hassle of getting ready lol!
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I love it!!
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I live that idea, so smart!!!
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Thanks, Beth. We’ll see if it works!
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Or you could set your clocks half an hour early so that you make it in time while still thinking you’re late…π
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Not a bad idea, Yacoob!
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I hope it works. I can think of similar situations and reminding myself (and others) it will be okay would be nice and hopefully, calming.
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I tried to remind us that it would be okay. I kept saying so, but it didn’t work. Maybe the note will. Time will tell!
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Love that note–it’s perfect! It also fits many, many dinner occasions. Cheers!
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True!
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Loved it! π€£ Showed my fiancee and she laughed quite a bit too because we’re the same way π good idea to put a note for next year we might have to do that π
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If you do, I hope it works for you. I’m still skeptical that it will work for us, but I’ll try! π
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Oh my gosh the history of family functions. It seems to be universal. π
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Haha! That makes me feel better at least. π
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Oh the stories we will share when we finally meet π
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:)! Looking forward to it!!
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The only way I’m on time to a holiday meal is if I arrive the day before. And diner is an hour late in our family (even when arriving the day before).
and I know we’ll leave something at your house. This year it was slippers, last year it was a pillow and I think you still have our big baking dish …
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π Ah, Andrew. Next time leave a cat!
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Life with kids, I think. A good thing to remember for next year, and the irony is… you’ll probably have everything done early. π Happy New Year, Betsy.
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Having everything done early might be a Christmas miracle. π Happy New Year to you too, Diana!
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LOL. So true! It is the same fight every single year. This note idea is brilliant. I really hope it works. What’s the point in doing this over and over? Great post!
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Thanks, parkermccoy. I really hope it works too!
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Ha! So familiar. The note is a great idea! For us, my hubs is chronically late when we pick a time to leave, as in: to get to (fill in relative’s house) by dinner time, we have to leave by (fill in time). I started telling hubs we had to leave a half hour before we actually have to leave because yeah, it takes him (yes, HIM, while the rest of us are ready) for-ev-er to get ready. I suppose it would help if he actually started getting ready more than five minutes before we want to leave.
So, sounds like you guys do okay π Happy New Year!
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I hope giving him the 1/2 hour earlier leave time helped–and that he didn’t catch on. π
Happy New Year to you too, Julie!
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I love love love the idea of leaving notes for Future Self – even if they won’t help with mayhem at least there will be less beating oneself over the head when the dust settles!
May the year ahead be filled with much love & adventure (and many advantages notes to Self)!
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Thank you, P.P. I hope it works for us too. I just wish I had thought of it years ago! π
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