Easter Dinner Entertaining: What’s the Feminist’s Role?

[Lesley1]

For a feminist, holiday meal preparation can seem like a bit of a trap. I was reminded of this conflict after reading this article; hopefully you can copy and paste it:
www . divinecaroline . com/article/22360/27705/?CMP=KNC-DC_YSM_6

If you celebrate Easter by a having Easter dinner, how do you and your family divide up the cooking and cleaning for the meal? Does it end up being the women in the kitchen, or is it a family event?

[Mama Mangia]

All my life it's been the women in the kitchen in our entire family. Every holiday and Sunday the entire family ate at our house - and all they were to bring was their appetites! Mom and I were the ones in the kitchen - cooking, baking, and cleaning up after dozens!!! With more than enough food and desserts for everyone to take home!

It will never change in our family.

[medako]

my family is like Mama's. It's the women in the kitchen (my mom and myself - my sister is a kitchen/cooking idiot ) while the men are watching tv or talking cars/sports/guy stuff.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist, so this arrangement really doesn't bother me one bit. I think it's my job to bring a meal to the table for my family to enjoy and I don't see that changing any time soon.

[Mama Mangia]

one more thing - regardless of gender and beliefs - it is nice when a guest that has enjoyed a full meal offers to give a hand with clean up, taking out the trash, cleaning the roaster or helping to get leftovers ready for the fridge, taking down the extra tables, etc. - it's just a courteous measure

mom and I both worked full time jobs (mine was always overtime) and it was a lot of work - but we did it and we never complained

[mtmomj]

It has always been a woman event in both my dad's side and my mom's side. We are on the East Coast.

Now on my husband's side.. the males do a lot of the cooking.. and the women usually help clean up. They are on the West Coast.

Not sure if that makes much of a difference, but I thought it was a little strange seeing the guys doing the holiday cooking.

[Mama Mangia]

Wow mtmomj! If the men in our family lifted a finger (other than to eat) it would be a miracle! They are too spoiled and too old-fashioned and some of them should stay out of the kitchen anyway. You know the old saying - "if you want something to turn out right you're better off to do it yourself!"

[medako]

we'd be having bowls of cereal if the men were left in charge to cook.

[Mama Mangia]

medako - LOL - that's if they don't burn the corn flakes!!!! LOL!!!

[medako]

I can't even count on my hubby to make a bowl of cereal right now. Stinkin' cripple has to rely on me to do everything....*sigh* I'm not the one that ran into a concrete wall. haha

[Mama Mangia]

OMG! is he ok??? was it an auto accident or did he actually run into a concrete wall?