The Perfect Holiday

You want everything to go right during a holiday celebration, but even if it doesn't, a positive spirit and gratitude for the moment will make for a great day and happy memories.,

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Welcome to the Gratitude Diaries, a production of My Heart Radio.
Hi I'm Janice Caplan. Thanks for joining me for more
practical advice on how to be happier. Today's tip be
grateful for the things that don't necessarily go right this holiday.

(00:23):
They may make the best stories going forward. Most of
you are probably working really hard right now in preparation
for the holiday. You're cooking, wrapping presents, and coming up
with all the new traditions we've talked about to try
to make it a special and festive day. I hope
all goes wonderfully well and that your holiday is imbued

(00:44):
with the spirit of joy. But if something does go wrong,
take heart, there's a good chance you can be grateful
for that too. At big holidays, and really any time,
it's sometimes the unexpected events or even does asters that
make for the most memorable moments and the happiest stories

(01:04):
going forward. At one holiday a few years ago, my
house was packed with friends and family staying with us,
and we were expecting about twenty people for dinner. I
had a big turkey that I had properly dry brine.
I turned on the oven that morning and it didn't
turn on My husband is a pretty good mechanic, and

(01:26):
so he said not to worry. He fiddled and fussed,
but he couldn't get anything to happen with that oven either.
The oven remained stone cold. Instead of panicking, he went
to the garage and pulled out the grille that we
had already stored away for the winter. He dragged it
out to the deck and we all figured why not.
We cooked the whole dinner on the grill. It was

(01:49):
such an adventure that instead of sitting cozily inside, our
guests kept bundling up to go outside on the deck
and see what was happening. I don't know how that
grill survived the gallons of broth we kept pouring over
the turkey to keep it moist as it cooked. It
wasn't the most perfect meal, I'll admit, but it was
a joyous time. Everyone laughed and gotten the spirit. We

(02:13):
ended up buying a new oven, and we're pretty sure
that when this one eventually gives out, it will be
on a holiday. Lots of other people have survived holiday
meals gone wrong and lived to laugh about it. The
dog eating the Christmas turkey seems to happen more often
than you'd think. I heard about one German shepherd who

(02:35):
nod on the raw turkey breast before it ever went
in the oven, and a more well behaved golden retriever
who waited until the cooked turkey was cooling on the
counter before he indulged in his holiday meal. Neither dog
felt great afterwards, but they did find as did the families.

(02:55):
The owners of the German shepherd supplemented their dinner by
ordering in pizza, and the other family made a quick
call for takeout Chinese food. I expect that for both
of those families, the story gets better and better as
it gets told and retold every year. Once in the
early years of our marriage, my husband and I planned

(03:16):
to celebrate our wedding anniversary by going to a fancy restaurant.
We didn't have a lot of money then, so this
was a big occasion. The reviews of the restaurant we
picked all talked about the amazing basket of cheese and
crude taise that were served when you first sat down.
We arrived and got to our table, and the waiter
brought over a small plate with a couple of stale

(03:39):
looking rolls on it. We asked about the famous basket
of crude tais, and he looked at us officiously and said,
we don't serve crude tays after eight pm. When he
walked away, my husband looked at me and made a
funny face. What do you think happens to crude tays
after eight pm? He asked. I started to giggle, and

(04:02):
then we both began laughing loudly. In that fancy restaurant.
The food that night turned out to be kind of disappointing,
but after that ridiculous start, we were happy to find
the whole experience just funny, and we reveled in how
upside down the night had become. We kept repeating the
line that we don't serve crudy days after eight pm,

(04:23):
and I don't know why, but it made us laugh
every time. It's even become a long standing joke in
our marriage. Whenever something doesn't go the way we want
and we need to cheer each other up, we repeat it.
All these years later. We're not food ease by any means,
but I do think it's telling that one of our
happiest and most memorable anniversary celebrations included bad service and

(04:48):
lousy food. Not every holiday special event or Christmas dinner
turns out the way you imagine. But sometimes the unexpected,
the problematic, the frankly really annoying become moments of happiness
and gratitude for the future. You're grateful for the chance
to laugh, let yourself, be grateful for the chance to

(05:10):
experience something you didn't expect, and be grateful simply to
be with the people who can understand and laugh with you. So,
with Christmas coming right up, I wish you a very
joyous holiday, a delicious meal, and perfect presence to unwrap.
But whatever happens, know that a positive spirit and gratitude

(05:34):
for the moment is what will make the best day,
the best holiday, and the best memories of all. Merry Christmas,
Happy Holidays, and I will see you next week. The
Gratitude Diaries is a production of I Heart Radio. For
more podcasts from I heart Radio, visit the I heart

(05:55):
Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite shows.