Home (And Away) For the Holidaze
by Harris |
October 25, 2010 11:26 AM |
8 comments
Harris
Location:
NY, NY
Favorite Flavor:
Whichever I am currently using.
If you could travel back in time, what era would you live in? The Jurassic Era.
What’s your favorite meal? Do you cook?: Steak...no, I don’t cook (wait, does microwaving count?)
Three things you cannot live without…Josie (wife), Kilo (dog), breathing.
I am a member of the Coffee-mate Brew Crew.
The first thing most people think of when the calendar turns to November is, of course, my birthday. No?
Okay, fine, it’s Thanksgiving. That means family get-togethers, which while fun, also means stress (and this can’t be just me, can it?). I have two families, mine and my wife’s. This translates to two Thanksgivings, which means double the stress.
The highlight from my family’s Thanksgiving last year was enjoying coffee after dinner with seasonal Coffee-mate flavors (dessert plus delicious flavored coffee is my idea of nirvana). Actually, it may be my whole family’s heaven, as my mom and brother also love drinking multiple cups of coffee with different Coffee-mate flavors.
In case you’re curious, the lowlight was during dinner, when we all agreed to share what we were thankful for, and my mom asked, “Is it okay to say what we’re disappointed in?” Yes, I have a Jewish mother.
Thanksgiving with the in-laws involves taking a subway to a train to a bus to a car to a cabin in the Pennsylvanian woods. Whereas my family’s guest list totals six, this one numbers 25 or so, and we stay overnight. Though it’s always nice to get out of the city for a couple of days, spending it in a cabin with 25 relatives I barely know can be a little stressful. The worst part about it? No TV! How am I supposed to keep up with the Kardashians? (Just kidding...).
The highlight of this family trip is waking up to a cup of coffee with whatever Coffee-mate flavor they have brought for me. I’d like to think it’s my father-in-laws favorite part too. In fact, no matter how much time and effort is spent preparing dinner, his usual comment is “That was some good coffee.” It’s something we bond on.
Notice a pattern here? Even though science will tell you that coffee can increase stress levels due to caffeine, I swear that the opposite is true. I drink coffee to calm down and to relax. There’s nothing like sitting down in a comfy chair, or taking a stroll on a brisk day, with a cup of coffee and your favorite Coffee-mate flavor (for me, Chocolate Raspberry and/or Amaretto), both of which I do as often as I can.
Part of its calming effect is due to the strong, sweet aroma that rises, hitting my nose well before I taste it, thanks to my (overly) generous Coffee-mate usage. Because of my sweet tooth, it acts as a pacifier for my ever-present cravings.
But I think most of it comes down to familiarity. I think certain foods/drinks evoke memories in all of us. Coffee reminds me of quieter times, whether I’m just getting my day started, or taking a break in the afternoon. That’s why when things are getting a bit stressful, coffee is my security blanket that takes me back to that comfy chair.