At this time of year as we head into Christmas my thoughts have turned to family. Not just my family but others too. Often there is an assumption as Christmas comes into view round the corner that everyone will have a happy day on Christmas Day. For those of us who have lost someone close to them, while there is still the joy of spending time with family, but there will always be a part of all of us that misses our loved ones.
Unless you know someone well, it is often not apparent that there may be things happening in their lives that make the Christmas season difficult.
Often families have Christmas traditions that can become difficult to maintain as we age and as health conditions deteriorate. I remember when I worked for an organisation supporting people with Dementia I had a particularly poignant interaction with the husband of a woman with Dementia. He came to see me and expressed frustration that his wife was insisting on baking Christmas cakes for their four adult children and their partners. Her Dementia had got to the point where her ability to bake had been affected and she was not really safe to make those cakes. In frustration he said, ‘Why can’t she just buy them a cake?’ After some discussion it turned out that she had done this for her family for many years and was a firmly entrenched Christmas tradition that was very important to her. It was I said, “Her, ‘I love you’ in the form of a cake”. We discussed solutions and came up with a plan for her Daughters and Daughters ‘in-law to come round and make the cakes with her and to ask her to show them how to make her wonderful cakes so they could bake them for their family in the future. In this way the tradition could be kept up and she would know that her gift was valued and something her family wanted to pass on.
For those of us with a condition that will deteriorate over time, perhaps it would be good to share with our families if there are Christmas traditions that have become difficult. Perhaps they might require some understanding and support to continue in an amended form? Rather than the PWP feeling they can no longer contribute to the festivities, they can be encouraged and supported to have a role and to continue to feel valued.
For myself, with having my knee operation next week, I may not be able to drive by the time Christmas Day rolls around. I will need the family to pitch in and pick me up so that I can be with them as my husband will be working. I usually cook a lot of treats to take, but this year, that just isn’t possible, but it is important that I maintain at least one of my Christmas traditions. I make amazing – if I say so myself – Christmas Meringues, with chocolate drops and freeze dried raspberries in. So, I’ve checked Google and it says that they can be frozen for a month, so I will be making and freezing some for the festivities. In that way, I can feel that I am still contributing and the tradition is kept for another Christmas..
As an early Christmas gift to you all. Here is my recipe. It never fails and looks very impressive. I dust on edible food glitter before I put them in the oven and they look rather special and taste amazing!
FORGOTTEN MERINGUES
From Sue Waight – never fail
2 egg whites
2/3rd cup castor sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Vanilla essence
Heat oven to 175°
Beat egg whites, add pinch salt.
Fold in castor sugar, and vanilla essence. beat again until stiff.
Fold in chocolate chips
Place on tin foil on oven tray.
Cook for about 5 minutes then leave in oven either for 5-6 hours or overnight.
Other ingredients such as almonds and freeze dried raspberries can be added. I also swirl through some food colouring to make them even more festive.
My journey with Parkinsons 