Special Occasions

by Sherry Holetzky | More from this Blogger

08 Jun 2006 04:52 AM

One way to make special occasions feel more special is by enjoying a lovely meal. A grand meal with all the trimmings is the theme for many holidays, so it makes sense that it carries over to other occasions. For other occasions and events, that may mean dining out.

Many families opt for a restaurant meal to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, and the like. While Mom and Dad definitely deserve a chance to get out and spend some time alone together on their anniversary, and the chance to be served on occasions such as Mother's Day and Father's Day, birthdays and other occasions may be better off celebrated at home.

Doing so takes nothing away from the occasion, and in fact, it may even be more special if Mom or Dad prepares a family favorite or an infrequently enjoyed treat such as seafood or steak. While a family may only be able to afford a casual dinner if going out to eat, they can enjoy a great steak dinner with all the trimmings at home, for the same price or less.

We have developed a tradition in our home that allows the person of honor to choose his or her favorite meal, cake mix, and flavor of ice cream for a birthday celebration. That person is then treated to each of his or her favorites. One time, my daughter chose steak, rice, and salad. I found steaks on sale, and they ended up costing about $10.00 altogether. Adding the trimmings, and the cake and ice cream, the entire meal cost about $18.00. For around $3.00 per person we all enjoyed a lovely dinner complete with dessert. At that price, we would have been ordering Happy Meals if we had gone out to eat. Just imagine the cost of the dinner we did eat in even a semi-upscale restaurant.

While making money stretch as far as possible is important, the best part of our family tradition is that the kids love it. It makes them feel special to choose the entire menu and be served their favorites.

Learn more about Sherry Holetzky

Sherry Holetzky is a work at home mom and freelance writer. Married to her best friend, Sherry and her husband are raising their family in a quiet rural setting in the beautiful Ozark Mountains.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger