Reactions to Bipolar on a Holiday

Thanksgiving Day and all the trimmings!

White and milk chocolate home made fudge, brownies, and pumpkin cake to die for! Spinach dip with french bread, cream cheese with salsa and chips, mix nuts with cashews, and vegetables with french onion dip.This was just the first layer of goodies that my wonderful friend, Jilly planned and with her convincing me that I, her Bipolar friend, would be a great help to create the BEST Thanksgiving Day of the decade.

A week into October and I got a call from Jilly wanting to organize a small dinner party on Thanksgiving at her new house. Jilly's family consists of her hubby, Dillan, 6yrs old and Nate, 2 yrs old. I was extremely hesitate at the first call. I have always had a hard time with a large group of people, even family, but this time, I was being asked to contribute to a Thanksgiving Feast and to help host at an unfamiliar new home, of two children and 5 male guests.

Bipolar disorder does not always allow me to be without worry regarding my appearance, my cooking, my cleaning etc.and to prepare myself for something as large as a Holiday meal, takes a lot of inner thought, reading and counseling.

When I am around children I tend to get overwhelmed as they seem to be talking, asking and telling something all at the same time. This caused the hesitation in my voice but Jilly would not succumb to my fears. Jilly is young enough to be my daughter but very understanding of my disorder.

As the phone calls continued throughout the month of November, the dinner was getting more and more organized. How would we cook the turkey, what type of potatoes and vegetable would be appropriate? How would we decorate the table? Would we have store bought or home made pies for dessert?

With Jilly being a stay at home mom, she was glued to the TV food channels and agreed with me that a twenty pound brine soaked turkey would be the main course. Green bean casserole with cream of mushroom soup and canned french onions for the topping. Corn bread giblet stuffing that we prepared in a small slow cooker. Jilly prepared pistachio with marshmallow and pineapple jello while I prepared a family favorite of cranberry, chopped walnut and sour cream cherry jello dish.

A wonderful new home with a warm and cozy fire in the fireplace next to a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and table for seven adults and two children made the best Thanksgiving Feast of the decade and great new perspective of the holidays for a mental health survivor.