This year, in my Christmas stocking, was a copy of Bonnie Stern's Friday Night Dinners. The premise is that having Friday night dinner with friends and family is the perfect way to say goodbye to the week and start the weekend. She writes "Friday night dinner means different things to different people, but to anyone who is Jewish, it means a special family dinner to celebrate the end of the work week and to welcome Shabbat, the day of rest. It is a wonderful tradition that everyone can enjoy."
I've always thought of Friday night as the perfect take-out night after a long week of cooking meals but the book is so absolutely appealing, I'm changing my mind. The beauty of Friday night is that it can be casual and without pressure. I have been looking to appropriate traditions for our little family of three and this one is perfect. So I resolve to begin hosting Friday night dinners in 2009.
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Gina, we should also do a couples' Friday-evening dinners, my place can hold 2 more kids and 2-4 more adults.. tightly :)
ReplyDeleteThat's such a wonderful idea. We, too, normally order take out on Fridays (almost always pizza). But I agree, there is something quite appealing about having a special dining experience as a way to welcome the weekend.
ReplyDeleteOn another note, it sure is fun starting family traditions. Like, this year we went apple picking Thanksgiving weekend. We decided to make it an annual tradition. I love it!
What a lovely idea! Like Tina, I've been thinking a lot about starting family traditions (having kids will do that, I think). I'm not much of a cook, but I could probably pull off one nice dinner a week! My parents are wonderful dinner party hosts, which are lots of fun, but I also like the idea of a more casual option.
ReplyDeleteYou realize of course that your friends will start measuring their importance to you by how soon you invite them over...
ReplyDeleteNo pressure or anything...
;P
Sounds like a lovely tradition. I hope it's a resolution that lasts the whole year.
...and I'll try not to be offended when I don't make it to your dining table before...what...June?
uh...August...?
Happy 2009!!
Great idea! We'll swing by around 7p. :D
ReplyDeleteKim