STORY INFO
Round the World at the Holidays
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Author
Wendy Kaminski
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Categories
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Danh mục
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Update
1 year ago
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Part Chapter
1/??
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Reads
157
Content
Today is the Friday before Christmas. This would normally be relevant news to at least one of us, because I have Fridays off and I’d have the time to shop for traditional Christmas dinner – you know: ham and turkey, side dishes, pie, the works. I may be a little late to the scene on that, but if you put off something long enough, you avoid the rush of the better-prepared, is my motto. Only, it snowed last night, and I can’t get out of the driveway now. The door of my car is frozen shut, even. Good grief… I don’t hav...
Outstanding reviews
Jeez, Wendy. I felt like I was sitting by the fireplace with a glass of wine and having a nice chat with an old friend. This story was incredibly warm and comforting and personal without being uncomfortable. That's a neat trick, my friend.If you ever decide to write your memoirs, go back and read this story; it' s a surefire blueprint for such writing. Masterful, Wendy. Masterful.
Thank you, Delbert - I have the blush like I have been having a fireside drink, now! :)
Like many others have said - it was like having a friend share her crazy Christmas stories and wishing you were invited! You really TALK to a reader and make them comfortable. No exclusive club, just an interesting person sharing. Really fun to read and still smiling about it. :)
Thank you so much, Sharon! I really appreciate you reading and also appreciate the very kind comments! :)
I am amazed (and also kinda jealous) at how well you packed up so many cultural traditions within one short story, including even Zoroastrianism! Keep it up!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate your very kind and encouraging comments! :)
I admire the do it yourself spirit of prepers, if not the stereotypical need for guns and belief that lefty woke culture will be the end of society.It’s hard not to imagine that society might be on the edge, even though it’s probably as stable as it’s ever been and is just more easily dug into with constant news feeds and camera phones showing us the horror from everywhere in the world. My mum tells horror stories about spam, my dad as well. She says even the mention of it gave her dad PTSD.
Well, to be fair, this was back in the height of the Cold War, where it felt like nuclear annihilation was a reality at any moment. :)Spam nightmares? I wonder if I should put a trigger warning on that one. =/
I think my grandad ate spam while he was in active service. He had a lot of hallucinations about spies and WW2 towards the end. He was around during the formation of Mossad. Never talked about it though.
Strange that we feel further from nuclear war now, when Trump, Putin and Kim have been threatening it recently.
You're right, it does!
I hate it when my phone ID advertises Potential Spam and I find out there isn’t even a chance it’ll happen.
Hi Wendy,Since you mentioned about being shortlisted twice, I decided to hunt one down.I don't know how much, if any, truth is in this; but it has the feel of it, and it is so wonderfully presented and heartwarming. The flashbacks especially set us up for a great ending.I can't say enough how much I enjoy your stories. I saw you mention on Laurel's how you 'creep' her. I creep both of you to be honest. There is so much I can take away from them!As always, thank you!
Oh my gosh, thank you so much, KV! :) What a lovely surprise to log into - I'm glad you liked it! The only untrue thing in the story is the Vietnamese cave: it's true that it exists, but we didn't know that, 40 years ago ... that was only discovered last year. I couldn't remember everything we discussed about Vietnam, so I substituted that since it was kinda cool. :) Thank you again!
Hello Wendy.Frugal parents with creative minds, what a terrific legacy. I sense some solid life-experience underpinning this piece, combined with a natural facility for wordcraft. Congratulations and well done! As for the Christmas menu: Spam, macaroni, mayo, rice, cabbage, soy sauce, and canned pineapple (hopefully rings or chunks)......I can easily see that working for a one-dish holiday stir-fry. The key to success in the kitchen is flexibility and a family (or guests) with no real or imagined allergies, and open minds. -:)RG
Thank you, Richard! That probably could work that way, but the way we actually did it was "Hawaiian lunch plate" style, which is where you have a side of rice, a side of macaroni+mayo salad (it's better than it sounds!), a little fried spam, a side of shredded cabbage so you can pretend you eat vegetables, and then some pineapple for dessert. I'm not doing it justice vs. the real thing, if you've never had it: it's delicious! :) Appreciate your kind comment. :)
Hawaiian lunch plate, hmmn....well, why not? As for cabbage, an under-rated nosh that ranks up there with the humble parsnip for a profound culinary experience (hey, vegetables need friends too..) Like I said, flexibility and an open mind.-:)Cheers!RG
I used your story as a school assignment, because I liked it. :)
I don’t mind as long as you gave me credit. :-) Glad you liked it.
i did give credit <:)>
Thanks, appreciate that! :) Good luck with the assignment!
As a pretty useless cook myself, I would have loved to have been invited - as long as I didn't have to shop and cook. As someone who has lived in Asia for the last 16 years, Xmas has always been something quite different - but always bought in a cafe.I loved the story and felt I was at the table with you all - and glad dad only tried once to produce the meal. Loved it, and great that it got shortlisted. Well done.
Thank you, Stevie! :) I bet your last 16 years are some interesting stories in and of themselves!
I wanted to jump in this story and hang out with your characters!!! Congrats on the short list!!
Thanks so much, Kasey! I really appreciate your kind words! :) I sent this to Mom, and now she wants to collaborate on a book to showcase our tradition, so that'll be a lot of fun!
Thanks so much, Kasey! I really appreciate your kind words! :) I sent this to Mom, and now she wants to collaborate on a book to showcase our tradition, so that'll be a lot of fun!
D.J., thank you so much for this great and helpful review! Will make note of the Mom thing; I think I knew that, embarrassingly enough. :) I definitely need to brush up on my quote marks + punctuation combos, because that one was one that I really was unsure regarding. (But I didn't use "unsure about," just now...! :) I really appreciate your very helpful input on this - thank you again!
Congrats.
Thank you, Philip! :)
Welcome.
Congratulations Wendy! The story radiated a lot of warmth without being overly sentimental, which is always a challenge. It was like a great Truman Capote short story in the way it focused on the setting and let the reader settle into it.
Thanks so much for the congratulations and kind words, Kevin! Appreciate it so much! :)
Hi Wendy,Congratulations on the shortlist! This piece certainly deserved it. I loved the way you started it all out with good old fashioned, mother natured induced, holiday stress. As a native to Colorado, I feel I always have to plan my holiday hopes around a possible white Christmas. I loved how endearing these characters were and I loved the vivid descriptions of such delicious food. I think we often taken for granted how worldly our plates have become over the years. Nice job!
Thank you so much, Amanda! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave such a kind comment! :)
This story feels so true to life... and if so, that is a positively adorable family tradition and am a little envious about it >:) Big fan of the cozy, down-to-earth vibe you have going on here and congrats on the shortlist!
Thank you so much, for the congrats and nice review! Yes, this is true - we did this, and it was as much fun as it seems. :) I highly recommend it!
OMG congrats Wendy! What a great way to start the new year!!!
Thanks so much Liv!! :)
Hoʻomaikaʻi Wendy and thanks for saving us a trip to the airport with your culinary trip around the world!
haha Thanks, Wally - appreciate you reading and commenting! :)
Nice memoir-type piece with a clean plot: a woman stranded in a winter storm benefits from her mother’s rational prepping and culinary adventurism to salvage Christmas dinner, even if it wasn’t perfect. I thought the descriptions were well done and enhanced the story’s pace. Thank you for sharing this personal story with us.
Thank you very much for reading and for the encouraging review! :)
Boom.(There it is.)
:)
Shortlisted! Congrats, kudos, and hosannahs! Well-deserved, Wendy!
Thanks, Delbert! :)
Lovely story. Wendy Genuine and true. Congrats on the shortlist. Mary
Thanks very much, Mary! :)
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