Yuletide dinner

My son-in-law recently asked us to tell him about our favorite Christmas dinner. It got me thinking about how fortunate we were; how difficult to pick just one. He should have asked about the worst dinner. That one is imprinted deep in my memory. It happened just after my husband and I were married. We were invited to his Mother's for dinner. She roasted a big goose and was about to mash the potatoes and make gravy when the electricity went out. She scrambled for some candles and found one, then proceeded to finish the potatoes and make the gravy. Since she had her hands full my husband's sister and I said we would make the gravy. Both of us had a couple of glasses of wine so we were having a good time. We managed to get the goose on a platter and drained off the fat from the drippings and started with the gravy. The potatoes were mashed and the gravy was lump free. My father-in-law carved the goose and passed the potatoes. In the candle light he remarked that the gravy was a nice brown color. Well we commenced eating when all of a sudden the brown gravy hit our palates. It was brown all right but very sweet. Much to our chagrin we discovered in the darkness we used chocolate milk instead of regular milk. After skimming off the gravy we ate our mashed potatoes with butter. I don't think my in laws were impressed with their daughter and new daughter-in-law. The following Christmases we were not offered wine if we helped in the kitchen. It brings a chuckle when I think about a near disaster and how it made a lasting impression. Grandmother