It’s Christmas Eve and some may expect a simply stated, yet inspiring Christmas post from a writer who also happens to be a Christian. Well, I’ve done that before. Check out my Christmastime posts from last year. I’ll run out of things to say that aren’t cliche. So I’m going to talk about defying other expectations.
I recently overheard some grumbling about how all the women who do Christmas baking, decorating, and the like are taking women back in our advancements for equality. What?!
First of all, there are plenty of men out there doing the same thing. There was a year my husband made both an apple pie and a chocolate pecan pie, because he wanted to, and they were good too.
Second, who cares, as long as they’re enjoying what they’re doing? I don’t do much out of the ordinary in the kitchen most of the year, but nobody wants to get in my way in the kitchen from Thanksgiving until Christmas. I can and do cook, and even occasionally bake throughout the year, but not like I do for this glorious month. Most of the time, Robert and I team up in the kitchen, but I just spent three days holed up in the kitchen making candy, cookies, and bread to give as gifts to my close friends, and I loved every minute of it (except when I took a look at my doggies on the other side of the doggie gate- they couldn’t understand why Mommy wouldn’t let them in the room that smelled like Heaven).
My point? If I am a woman enjoying what I’m doing, how am I setting the movement back for women? Isn’t it all about equal rights and getting to make choices of what we want to do instead of being told what to do? It’s not like my husband says, “Woman, get in that kitchen and don’t come out till you’ve made me 12 dozen cookies and a plate of toffee!” He knows that would earn him an actual kick in the butt, the evil eye, and I’d eat my treats in front of him while not allowing him to have any… and honestly probably a few other punishments I feel I shouldn’t elaborate on since I just mentioned I’m a Christian and they would likely not be very Christ-like (though I could then write a post on forgiveness). Robert recognizes that it’s my choice; of course, he doesn’t mind reaping the rewards of my Christmas kitchen frenzy, even though I don’t let him eat any until I sort out where all of it is going.
Sometimes what happens in the kitchen is about bonding too. I found an ugly sweater cookie kit at CVS this year. I baked the cookies, but Robert and I decorated them together and we had fun doing it. Sometimes moments in the kitchen are bonding times for families, and that’s ok.
Women, if you want to spend some time in the kitchen, don’t feel like you’re letting down womankind. If you want to send your husband to the grocery store to pick up some cookies already made in the bakery, that’s fine too. Maybe you’d rather just eat healthy snacks like celery with peanut butter for your treats, and that’s creepy, but its still your choice. Whatever you choose, have a Merry Christmas!
caverns of my mind 