traditions

a few weeks ago, our family began making plans for our easter gathering. 
it usually begins with the location. not always the easiest of the plans as it usually involves some sort of ancient mating dance that involves bobbing and several do-si-dos… it's odd really. as in you know your parents (or in this case, the in-laws) are getting on in years and it takes alot of work to put together a big gathering (usually close to 18 people) and so you want to offer to host the event. but you don't want them to feel like they can't do it. so you offer to come, but you don't want to invite yourself over. because doing that means you'll be inviting the entire entourage. but you don't want to rob them of the joy of showing off their decorations (the in-laws were in the gift business, so there is a plethora {understatement} of springy/bunnyish brick-a-brack on display) and hosting the event. and if you offer to have it at your home, they will feel obligated to come, never insisting on having it at their house. ever. they wouldn't risk hurting someone's feelings like that.
and then there's the problem of hogging events at your home. so you have to consult the calendar of past events and make sure that you aren't over-entertaining or trying to out-marha-stewart the rest of the families.
the process of establishing a venue is exhausting.

and then the menu selection ensues.
all dictated by the host, of course. (or in this case, hostess-matriarch) she assigns… you bake/cook/concoct. and it's always the same stuff. whether it's easter, thanksgiving or christmas, the meal always has the same stuff. the meats switch up: thanksgiving it's turkey (never a deviation there, and that's fine with me. i'm not a big turkey meat fan, but it is the life support system for gravy and stuffing, so it's all good), christmas it's ham and turkey and easter it's ham. but the side dishes remain the same. broccoli casserole. sweet potatoes. mashed potatoes. (stuffing is missing at easter, but that's because there's no turkey, and gravy is also MIA at easter for the same reason)
not to complain, but i would like to see a little bit more creativity at easter. like asparagus. and potato salad. a yummy pasta salad. or a big ole tossed salad. fresh fruit. color!! my plate yesterday looked like an october quilt sampler. ham with orange. orange sweet potatoes. orange broccoli caserole (topped with cheese its), orange mashed potatoes (topped with cheddar cheese).
but to buck tradition is a dicey trick.
what happens if you make something different and everyone hates it? or harrasses you about it for years to come? (like the easter bread that my SIL made years and years ago that was some sort of braided bread thing with dyed hard boiled easter eggs woven into it. i applaud her bravery for attempting such a feat, but the result was suitable for a doorstop, and we haven't let her live it down since.)
am i the only one here who is hankering to switch it up a bit on holidays? i'm not lobbying to eradicate mashed potatoes, stuffing or gravy at thanksgiving or christmas, but is it okay if we try a new vegetable casserole? or if we skip those nasty sweet potatoes JUST ONCE FOR GOODNESS SAKES??
this year, my MIL's idea of switching it up was asking me to make the sweet potatoes.
irony, that's what it is. she knows i'm not a fan. so let's let the sweetpotatohater make them this year!! brillant!!
i made a mean sweet potato casserole. (and it wasn't bad, if i do say so myself). but do you think we could have a holiday gathering without one of the staples and survive it?