Celebrations past and yet to come

My husband and I celebrated our 22nd anniversary on Friday with a lunch out at a restaurant I have only eaten at since radiation treatment - so I still don't know what the food really tastes like, but the food's texture is acceptable, and the ambiance can't be beat! His gift to me - SNL's Christmas Past DVD - my kind of comedy!
I am a member of two teams to purchase party food for holiday events this year, and not too sure what I am doing. Right now, it all smells wonderful, but even if the caterer was handing out free samples by the shovel-full, I couldn't tell if it was good or not (and if it is spicy, or contains citrus or tomatoes, I could hurt myself trying it). I simply depend on the opinions of folks around me, and am glad that I am included in the festivities! (I think I mentioned before that there was a show on one of the tv channels about a blind decorator - I wonder if there could be a taste-blind chef show that would be worth watching? If there are any scouts out there, I am up for the challenge!) I have also been planning our family's traditional buffet that the kids love, and have purchased what we usually have each year: cheeses, meats, relishes, sweets (and the occasional vegetable). Since baked goods, sweets, most meats and cheeses are out of my league this year, I think I will add my current dish of choice: Kashi Pilaf http://store.kashi.com/heritage_pilaf.aspx?SID=1&Category_ID=73&
. As for toasting in the new year, I will be clinking my husband's wine glass with my water glass (don't tell Miss Manners!).
Being with the people rather than concentrating on food is what makes this time special for me. I am getting better at staying under the radar of overly-solicitous hosts and their worrying that I am not eating as much as they think I should be (again, my old Weight Watchers' skills coming in handy). If someone appears to feel slighted that I haven't tasted their special dishes, I may explain the reason why, depending if I know them well. Otherwise, I may just shrug and not admit to speaking English...

I bring up the subject of food and gifts because someone asked me recently what gifts to give to friends affected by major illness in their lives. It probably depends on your friends' taste, but you can't go wrong with laughter, creating or remembering good memories, and yourself. For more help on coping with cancer and the holidays, check out OncoLink's Holiday Survival Guide: http://www.oncolink.com/coping/section.cfm?c=6&s=61