The Potluck: December 2020
Continuing the monthly tradition, The Speckled Palate’s The Potluck: December 2020 includes some new technology and music, as well as recipes for sharing. Come see what’s on my list for December, and tell me yours, too!
This month, like so many months in 2020, has had its fair share of ups and downs. Mostly because while there has been great joy, it’s also been tempered with disappointment and sadness.
In a normal year, we host our families—my mom and her husband, my dad and his wife, and my husband’s parents (and sometimes his sister, too!)—during the holiday break between Christmas and New Year’s. Friends have joked that we run a bed and breakfast this time of year because we typically have grandparents clamoring to come visit and spend time with us.
This year, that didn’t happen. We didn’t see our families for Christmas. We’re seeing no one for New Year’s. And we’re not hosting our annual gumbo party because, well, there’s still a pandemic happening.
Not all is lost, though.
Let’s talk December highlights:
- My little sister, who is a traveling nurse and frontline worker, drove through Dallas this month and stopped to say hello. While we couldn’t give her hugs (and still wore masks as we stood outside in the cold), it was so lovely to see her face. We spent 45 minutes chatting before she headed on her way.
- We still shared cookies with our friends. While this year’s sharing was a little different, we made it happen with the people who were OK with homebaked goodies. We served Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, Greek Yogurt Cut Out Sugar Cookies, Potato Chip Cookies and Gingerbread Cookies.
- Our girls have been playing together pretty much nonstop, and it’s terribly cute. Also, we’ve been spending so much time outdoors since the weather has been lovely.
- So many of our frontline worker friends and family members have received the COVID vaccine. I feel a glimmer of hope that maaaaaaaaybe life will look more “normal” come this time next year.
Now, let’s talk about this monthly love list…
To recap, my potluck, as defined by the folks at Merriam-Webster is:
the regular meal available to a guest for whom no special preparations have been made… a communal meal to which people bring food to share —usually used attributively ; whatever is offered and available in given circumstances or at a given time.
Now who’s ready to see what ended up on my list for November 2020?!?
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2014: October | November| December
2015: January | February | March | May | June | July | August |
September | November | December
2016: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December
2017: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December
2018: January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December
2019: January | February/March | April | August
2020: January | February | March | April | May | June | July/August | September | October | November | December
2021: January | April | May | July | August | September | October | November/December
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Uh, this gooseneck phone holder looks cool. I could use one of those.