Post Seder Wrap-up

Apropos of getting things done (if belatedly), here's the skinny on our Passover holiday, a semi-meme lifted from Dovbear.

Finishing time:

9ish both nights (such is the sad reality of weeknight seders, I'm afraid). One interesting observation was the difference in when each seder started. On night one (where we invite our 20-something friends) there was about a 1-hour lag time in starting as people trickled in from work. On night two (where we have my family and various family friends in their 50s & 60s), people actually got there early. The secret, I realized, is that a big percentage of those people either drove over and/or are retired.

Highlight we'll still be talking about next year:

One of our friends telling another one (who unfortunately was sitting right across from her), "I don't mean to be rude, but you're being really loud and I'm kind of done with it." Ouch.

(Mini) Arguments:

Night 1: Chocolate chip cookies and the appropriateness of them being at the seder table. (This was primarily our fault for making cookies two days before Passover and forgetting to put them in Chametz jail. Next year we should just wrap them up and give them away at the end.)

Night 2: No, seriously, old people. I don't care that you're full of food and drank more than you should (How is this night different from all other nights, indeed). Get your butts up and look for the Afikomen.

(Related: My brother's laptop and the appropriateness of it being at the seder table.)

Afikomen Presents:

Night 1: John Travolta's weird-ass children's book about a strange kid who likes planes. Also, booby prize lollipops (one was dill pickle flavored and the other was hot sauce, I believe.)

Night 2: Still trying to give away those lollipops. The 'winner' wouldn't take them, I'm afraid. (There was also some brief discussion about him wanting to present the Afikomen to us at our wedding as some sort of symbol of something. Not quite sure how that works.)

Books I read:

The Smart-Ass Haggadah, 2nd edition. Also, a brief excerpt of John Travolta's terrible book.

Food:

Night 1:

Veggies & Humus, Hard-boiled eggs
Indian-style stewed spinach with onions & tomatoes
Poached salmon with tumeric (Shiksa Fiancee's take on chicken liver, which she compares to cat food)
Mushroom potato kugel
Homemade falafel (baked)
Roasted chicken with potatoes
Sampler platter of fancy chocolates we're having at the wedding

Night 2:

More veggies & eggs
Poached salmon
Mother Superior Yid's chicken liver
More falafel
Kugel, veggie & non-
Brisket with plum sauce
Chocolate

Most Thankful For:

Everyone had a good time and I didn't lose my voice entirely (I was feeling sick on 2nd night and was worried I would need to stay home the next day).