Potluck Problems
It’s the season of Christmas, meaning good times and fun gatherings with family and friends. It also means it’s the season of potluck dinners!
According to Wikipedia: “The word potluck dates from the sixteenth century, and the earliest written citation is 1592 - in England. ("That that pure sanguine complexion of yours may never be famisht with pot lucke", Thomas Nashe, see the Oxford English Dictionary for full reference). It is a portmanteau word formed from pot and luck.”
While I have no clue what the paragraph means, I do know why people hold potlucks: they simplify meal planning, they distribute the cost among participants, and they give the attendees a sense of ownership in the meal.
I also know the most common potluck problem: there is a good chance that the food will run out, making your place in the food order absolutely crucial to your enjoyment and fulfillment.
I recently attended two wonderful youth ministry gatherings: the Youth Ministry Christmas Party at my home parish of St. Paul’s, and a going away celebration for Joelle at St. Joseph’s Parish in Langley. Both events were well-attended, well-planned, and certainly well-executed.
They also shared one other commonality: there was barely enough food for everyone. Don’t get me wrong….I’m certainly not complaining…my family and I were able to eat enough (luckily we were among the first to be called both evenings). Near the end though, it was slim pickings. Again, citing Wikipedia: “The only traditional rule for dishes is that they be large enough to be shared among a good portion (but not necessarily all) of the anticipated guests.”
This rule seems simple in premise, but proves to be difficult in practice. I think it’s only natural…some people don’t bring things (either due to lack of time, money, or other circumstances) while others just don’t bring enough.
From experience (whether youth ministry-related or not), it’s nice to announce a potluck and have faith that people will come through and that things will work out. My simple rule is that I bring more than I anticipate eating. This rule, according to Wikipedia, is called “Jacob’s Join.” If everyone or every family followed that rule, there would be enough food for everyone…maybe even enough for seconds!
Unless they eat as much as my son, appropriately named Jacob. No matter how much he eats for dinner, he’s a sure bet to be snacking throughout the evening. Hey wait a sec…maybe he’s been the reason for the shortfall.
According to Wikipedia: “The word potluck dates from the sixteenth century, and the earliest written citation is 1592 - in England. ("That that pure sanguine complexion of yours may never be famisht with pot lucke", Thomas Nashe, see the Oxford English Dictionary for full reference). It is a portmanteau word formed from pot and luck.”
While I have no clue what the paragraph means, I do know why people hold potlucks: they simplify meal planning, they distribute the cost among participants, and they give the attendees a sense of ownership in the meal.
I also know the most common potluck problem: there is a good chance that the food will run out, making your place in the food order absolutely crucial to your enjoyment and fulfillment.
I recently attended two wonderful youth ministry gatherings: the Youth Ministry Christmas Party at my home parish of St. Paul’s, and a going away celebration for Joelle at St. Joseph’s Parish in Langley. Both events were well-attended, well-planned, and certainly well-executed.
They also shared one other commonality: there was barely enough food for everyone. Don’t get me wrong….I’m certainly not complaining…my family and I were able to eat enough (luckily we were among the first to be called both evenings). Near the end though, it was slim pickings. Again, citing Wikipedia: “The only traditional rule for dishes is that they be large enough to be shared among a good portion (but not necessarily all) of the anticipated guests.”
This rule seems simple in premise, but proves to be difficult in practice. I think it’s only natural…some people don’t bring things (either due to lack of time, money, or other circumstances) while others just don’t bring enough.
From experience (whether youth ministry-related or not), it’s nice to announce a potluck and have faith that people will come through and that things will work out. My simple rule is that I bring more than I anticipate eating. This rule, according to Wikipedia, is called “Jacob’s Join.” If everyone or every family followed that rule, there would be enough food for everyone…maybe even enough for seconds!
Unless they eat as much as my son, appropriately named Jacob. No matter how much he eats for dinner, he’s a sure bet to be snacking throughout the evening. Hey wait a sec…maybe he’s been the reason for the shortfall.
posted by Clay at 4:41 PM
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