For years I was in the kitchen or grill cooking all day while the groups were coming in and the kids with the sheloch manos and I felt like I missed out. I always made the BIG purim seudah for the whole mishpacha..brothers, sisters, in-laws, nieces, nephews, next generation. We never knew how many exactly would show up. And then there were the strays, the kids friends who would just stop and eat with us. So a few years ago I decided that I would NOT be stuck in the kitchen and I would not wait for everyone to come and wash which also caused a lot of machlokes. So I started ordering huge hero sandwiches and sides from our local deli. Everyone loved it. They all washed to the sandwiches and took as much as they wanted because many were stuffed with nosh from the day. Everyone was happy and even took lunch home for the next day. I was happy because I got to enjoy the day like everyone else.
I don’t know what I will do this year because I am in aveilus. Two of my kids are going away and i just don’t have the cheisek to make a seudah because it is too difficult not to make it like usual and not to make it without my mom!