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Here in Pa. Dutch land--the first meal of the new year should be Pork, Sauerkraut, (dumplings) and whatever veges you want. BUT sauerkraut is for good luck and to start over and clean!

IT literally cleans you out (doesn't work for me)--but everyone swears it brings good luck.

I made a special brownie (2batches) for 2 daughters to have, then New Year's Day spent 7hrs making the boiled sauerkraut with pork loin in it, mashed potatoes and other veges. and then dumplings. The one daughter & SIL showed up, had dinner and left within 1 hr.

I felt sort of used-as I'd worked all those hours and didn't get a chance to talk to them or relax with them. That was NOT fun---I felt like I was running a restaurant! Other daughter stuck around for a little while but not long either. EVeryone took left overs home.

Marcydaisy, so sorry that happened. Did they have a legitimate excuse for not hanging around? Did they have to travel? I know how you feel. You work so hard preparing, executing and cleaning it seems no one gets how much work is involved. My 28yr old DD just gave her first dinner party, and you would have thought the world was spinning off it's axis! I keep telling them that there is no holiday fairy that comes in the middle of the night to put together what they look forward to each and every holiday. I've made a New Years resolution, that there will be a whole lot more delegating going on in 2013! Care to join me! LOL

MarcyDaisy----Well, I look from a different viewpoint and please take no offense. 1). Maybe the girls had had enough of "family togetherness ", after all Christmas was just a week ago. Our own parents never expected us to be together for all holidays, outside of Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, or Easter. They, as well as us, always had friends to share the other holidays and do things with friends. Or 2). Maybe they had spent New Years Eve over celebrating or stayed out too late and just needed to get home and get rested for work the next day.
I do feel bad for all the work you went thru and have them basically eat and run. I know I'd be very disappointed and feel used.

Was your meal served at noon or during the evening dining hours?
I don't understand or get why folks tend to host the big holiday meals in the evening hours. It leaves little to no time to socialize.
We were brought up in a agrarian setting, so our celebration meals were at noon and called dinners. Then we had all afternoon to play as children and our parents visited. We have leftovers for a suppertime snack and then head home about 8 or 9 pm from the extended family gatherings.

If you don't eat until 6 or 7 pm on NY day, then of course everyone heads home in an hour to get to bed for they have to work tomorrow!

I just don't want my guests arriving much more than a few minutes before I get the meal done and on the table, so I expect to have time to visit afterwards.

The meal was ready at 3pm as scheduled. They both called and said they were sorry they left
so fast and that next year they'll stay longer! (I hope).

Sounds like a very good meal!

We eat some green leafy vegetable (collard greens, cabbage, etc.) to signify "wealth" (don't ask me how that is working for me although it could always be worse) so your sauerkraut would substitute for that!

As for the DDs staying a short time - at least they came! I cooked Christmas dinner the Saturday after Christmas and invited ALL the family members. A nephew said he wouldn't be able to make it...I understood since he lives out of town...then I found out he and his family were actually in town that day. Ahhh...Facebook!

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