Your Family Traditions.

[Stephen]

Thank god for dishwashers.........mechanical or otherwise

[Marie Lloyd]

About 50 years ago (pre dishwasher days), an uncle (by marriage) was with us for Christmas lunch and afterwards he stood up and announced: "Now Gentlemen, the ladies have laid on this magnificent feast; it is now our turn to clear up and wash up." The rest of the men were so flabbergasted that they followed him into the kitchen like lambs. Since then, the men have always dealt with the washing up. I extended the rule so that once the lunch was on the table on Christmas day, I did not set foot in the kitchen for 24 hours.

[Meg 50]

our dishwasher became poorly just before Christmas a few years ago.

the repair man came out and I expected him to condemn it.

while he was tinkering he told me about his plans for Christmas ,including having Christmas Eve afternoon off. Eventually he said he could repair it, but needed a part which he couldn't fit until Christmas eve afternoon or otherwise a day or so into the new year. Having heard his plans I refused to let him do the job on Christmas Eve... (Had it been the washing machine, I might have been less noble).

We had to hand wash everything for best part of 2 weeks and we had a wonderful time - partly novelty value cos we've had a dishwasher for 20ish years and partly cos we knew it was only temporary.

The teamwork was historic - no nagging etc etc

[CaroleF]

Going back to the Christmas of 1978 - the year we got married - we lived next door to my in-laws - no it was very successful - and they had a dishwasher and we didn't. I was doing Christmas Lunch so after it was all over, my husband and his brother loaded all the dirty dishes, pans etc. into a wheelbarrow and took it all next door to the dishwasher! We still have a photo of my brother-in-law with a silly hat on pushing the wheelbarrow. I had just announced I was expecting our first child - my in-laws first grandchild so they were all in a very merry mood and no way was I doing the washing up!

Carole

[Stephen]

Going back to the Christmas of 1978 - the year we got married - we lived next door to my in-laws - no it was very successful - and they had a dishwasher and we didn't. I was doing Christmas Lunch so after it was all over, my husband and his brother loaded all the dirty dishes, pans etc. into a wheelbarrow and took it all next door to the dishwasher! We still have a photo of my brother-in-law with a silly hat on pushing the wheelbarrow. I had just announced I was expecting our first child - my in-laws first grandchild so they were all in a very merry mood and no way was I doing the washing up!

Carole

I like your style Carole

[Silver_Shiney]

I do think that getting pregnant is a bit extreme to get out of the washing-up......

[Andrea S]

Take heed Gentlemen.

[Dancing Queen]

I think our only Christmas tradition is that we are usually on a ship somewhere and someone else is doing all the hard work .. works for me

[Stephen]

The easy answer is to use paper plates and plastic knives and forks. Problem solved

[Silver_Shiney]

Easier still is to fast for the day