holidays

There's is no greater pressure in the holiday gifting season than between partners and spouses. My husband and I decided early on in our relationship that we wanted to be a little different about gift giving. Most of the time, we give each other tokens we call Happy Presents. A random Tuesday, or just because. If one of us sees something we think is perfect for the other, we don’t wait, we just give.

Traditions are wonderful. Having celebrations to count on year after year, to look forward to, sometimes are the very things that can tether us to joy in times of adversity. Knowing that whatever else happens, my friend Doug is going to have his annual holiday party and there will be ham, and turkey tonnato, and spicy peanut noodles and good friends and generous drinks gets me mostly through whatever else December may throw at me.

Ranch dressing: it’s either a savory, buttermilk-y nectar of the gods. Those who love ranch, love it with an intensity reserved for few other foods (at least some of which can also be dipped in ranch). In fact, you could say that some ranch lovers without ready access to napkins tend to wear their hearts on their sleeves when it comes to their favorite dipping sauce disguised as a salad dressing.