Finding Your Place

We get together for family dinner pretty much every Sunday, and that usually makes for a pretty large crowd. If everyone is there, it can be 16 people sitting around the table. Fortunately, R's parents have a pretty large table, and you have to find a place for everyone.

At my grandparents' house just before a big meal, my Grandpa A would assign some unsuspecting grandchild the duty of telling everyone where to sit. I did not relish this awkward opportunity when it fell to me. I would usually try to make light of it and ask everyone to please sit down wherever they were comfortable, but Grandpa A would have none of that. He wanted things done in order.

Here in Calgary at the Sunday dinners, R's mom had her own system. She would make placecards for everyone out of 3x5 index cards so there would be no awkward moments of uncertainty. We noticed the cards and had an idea for a great Christmas present this year.