Stealing Christmas

Holiday meals! How I love holiday meals!

And I love using my best china, crystal, napkins, and silverware that I take out for these events!

Did you ever have to count these things before you would store them away until next time? I never did until one year after a party I was hosting; I noticed that a piece of my flatware was missing. Now, I have junkie, mismatched flatware that I use every day but that was my good flatware that I used when company came over. All I could think was that this piece must have gotten thrown out in the trash!

Seven Forks! Where was the 8th? Not here! Oh no!

Christmas—best China, best crystal, silver, napkins; everyone had contributed their most delicious and best ever casseroles, vegetables, desserts—so why would we not use our best?

We sat down to devour the homemade meal and we also decided that we would open one or two of our gifts. So, we pass around some of the smaller gifts for each to open. Fun. While the gift exchange was going on and we were in desert mode, I decided to start clearing and hand washing the dishes.

Wash. Dry. Stack.

Wash. Dry. Stack.

But don't put them away yet.

Count: Spoons, knives, forks.

Forks? NOT ALL ARE HERE! Only 7. Should be 8! Are you kidding me?

By the time all the dishes were washed and stacked I was missing one napkin, one fork and one salad plate. Checked trash can, checked all rooms. Nothing.

Frustration set in.

No stone was left unturned but still these items were never found.

January and we decided that we would go through the pictures on my phone just to remember the holidays. In the pictures, we were all sitting around the dinner table. There was my mother-in-law (who had dementia) with a present on her lap—something my sister-in-law had given me—and then... there in Louise's hands was my dinner napkin that she was folding. I thought, “let me go get that present and check inside the box!” I open the box and there was my napkin where she had carefully folded and placed it inside.

Caught on camera!

Never did find the fork and salad plate but I do know the only place we did not check was her purse.

One would think that counting one’s silver, China, etc. would not be necessary when families gather to celebrate on special occasions to ask but think again.

So - yes - I still stack my plates, cups, silverware, etc. as I count each piece before placing them in a special spot on the buffet. We could never say (with 100% accuracy) that it was the “Sticky Fingers” of my mother-in-law but since she passed away a few years ago nothing has gone missing. It always gives us a chuckle at the holidays as we start to take out all the “company” dishes and we have the opportunity to retell the story to the newcomers.

Like my aunt used to say to me when she would see these items stored away, “Well, Jeannie, what are you saving them for?” You know, she was right. I don't save anything anymore I would rather have all these wonderful memories to pass down to the next generation.

~Jeannie Joyner