For many of us, this holiday season is very different from every other year gone past. We are missing the office parties, the family gatherings, the hugs, and the visits. It might even feel like a holiday version of The Twilight Zone at times. But just as any good holiday movie begins with some sort of challenge, there is always a chance for a change of heart. Instead of lowering our expectations for the holidays this year, perhaps see this as an opportunity to adjust our traditions. Let’s make the most of what we have to work with - and get creative!
Who wouldn't want to gather in this Whitefish, Montana real estate property's gorgeous kitchen?
Adopt new recipes
Since the kitchen is the heart of the home, let’s share some of the love this year.
One way to get creative is to not only make our classic family recipes, but to also share them with friends, and vice versa. It is in the kitchen that we traditionally pass down recipes within the family and get one step closer to mastering grandma’s fare. This year is anything but traditional though. This year let’s pass them laterally to our friends! Get crafty in the kitchen, and in the days that follow, make a 2020 cookbook with all your new recipes.
A special culinary surprise for your loved ones
Big-name restaurants across major U.S. cities are in the mood for giving, too. Some of these high-class eateries are sharing their recipes for you to cook at home. This year’s holidays are the perfect time to test out some of these dishes to add to your normal holiday feast because we all know - this year has been anything but normal! So spice up your usual menu and wow the family with these 5-star chef’s secrets
This Hamilton, Montana home's gourmet kitchen gives room for lots of chefs to be cooking!
Rockin’ around the kitchen table
Crank up the tunes and make cooking THE party. Instead of rushing to make your famous cookies and delicious casseroles in advance, as you normally would do in order to arrive at the in-laws on time, make the preparing and the cooking of the dishes the main activity for the day. Space out each dish and dessert throughout the day and have your “in-house” family participate. Give yourself permission to let loose a little here, and allow for the kids to make a bit of a mess - and maybe even let your partner take the reigns on that sacred dish you have always prepared yourself. See how this can bring everyone together in a new, yet old-fashioned way.
The long center island in this Bozeman, Montana home offers plenty of room for everyone to get involved with the cooking.
Step back in time
Speaking of old-fashioned, consider putting away the devices. Yes, THOSE devices - the little handheld computers, also known as our phones, that we tend to live and breathe by. Make a game of it! Collect everyone’s phones and put them together in “jail”, and see who can last the longest without reaching for theirs. In the meantime, share stories, bake, listen to music, and perhaps even sing carols together. If you want to get really old-timey, turn off the lights and just have candles and the twinkling from the tree or menorah for awhile.
And then, we Zoom.
Ah, the power of everyone’s new mainstay video platform: Zoom. Love it or hate it, there’s no denying it has the ability to connect us to one another in mass numbers. So, set a laptop on the center island, and invite the relatives and friends into your kitchen 2020-style. To make sure you can fit everyone into your day, schedule specific times in advance for different groups. If you haven’t done this yet, you’d be surprised how fun it can be and how natural it can feel! After all, it is the company of one another- the laughter, and the conversation - that truly makes the holidays.
From our offices (and homes) to yours, have a wonderful 2020 holiday season. This one is sure to go down in history!
Feature photo Hamilton, MT home that takes the old west design of a turn-of-the-century homestead and bringing in the luxurious modern comforts used today.
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