The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (and the Great Pumpkin Flop)

It's the Day after Thanksgiving. Known as Black Friday to many. But to me, it's the first official day of the Christmas season.

For those who don't know, Brian always has to work on Thanksgiving. The day before is the last day of November sweeps, and since he does the 11 p.m. show, we wouldn't be able to fly anywhere until Thursday, and that would just be a really quick - and pretty stressful - trip home for Thanksgiving. Once we landed in California, we decided to embark on our double decker (both families) Christmas trips and just stay home for Thanksgiving. When we moved to San Francisco a few years ago, I started a little tradition that helps pass the holiday

(productively), even when he's not here.

I always cook Thanksgiving for two, and we have that for lunch. The good thing about Thanksgiving for two it that it's really easy to throw together (turkey breast only) and control portions! (No big families sitting around, talking, and just picking at the food - that's where I always get in trouble). Here's a look at what we had yesterday:

Turkey, stuffing (my favorite - Granny K's recipe with a few additions of my own), sweet potatoes (healthier than mashed, and we don't need both for two), broccoli (needed something green) and cranberry sauce (I LOVE the canned kind...don't judge).

Where was the pumpkin pie?

Can you see where the inside is all soupy? Yeah, it wasn't edible. My mom makes this awesome, double-layer pumpkin pie that you don't bake - it's graham cracker crust, a layer of cream cheese and cool whip, then the top layer of pumpkin, vanilla pudding, milk and some spices. In the five years or so that I've made this, I think I've only done it right once. This year? First I forgot the pumpkin and had to pick that up late Friday. The reason it was soupy was because I hadn't bought instant pudding (even though Mom had written that in all caps in the recipe...). I'm going to give it one more go - I will NOT be defeated by a pumpkin pie. But in case you're wondering, I'm a cook, not a baker. Good thing Brian doesn't really care for sweets!

But the main course - for me, anyway - is putting up the Christmas tree.

I wasn't sure if all these ornaments were going to fit, and it took about four or five hours from start to finish, but another part of my tradition is breaking out Love Actually for the first time of the season and watching that. Luckily Elf and Home Alone were on TV after, so I not only got my Christmas tree up, I also got in some good holiday movie time.

Since most of my shopping is done (thank you, Asia), the tree's up, and the other decorations are out, the next stop = Christmas cards. Be on the lookout for your card soon!