While menfolks and children enjoy all the anticipation of Christmas Eve the women folk are busy making the home a place where everyone (but them) can put their feet up and enjoy the holiday spirit.  Meanwhile we are baking, writing cards, baking, making stewed cabbage, shopping for gifts, baking, shopping for groceries, oops forgot the whipped cream, back to the store, prepare the rice pudding, forgot the prunes back to the store, baking, clean, clean, clean, set the table, find the candles, where are the napkins I got on Boxing Day last year, dig, dig, dig.  Finally we sit down to dinner and the meal is over in 7 minutes (I’ve timed it, thankfully the last few years we are slower, it’s about 12 minutes now).  Then we womenfolk have to clear the table, do the dishes, pack up the leftovers and the men folk gripe about their one little chore, moving the Christmas Tree out to the middle of the room so we can dance and carol around the tree.

            Ah, yes, anticipation.  I anticipate Christmas Day when I can sleep late, have my leftover rice pudding for breakfast in the comfort of my own bed, read my newest book and wait for my phone call from my sister!  Later I will go around my table and look at my gifts and feel glad that my family and friends have remembered me so thoughtfully.  Later still I will make some phone calls to the friends that are home.  Then I will have some more leftovers, watch my favorite Christmas movies like “Last Holiday” with Queen Latifah or “It’s a Wonderful Life” and enjoy Jimmy Stewart calling “Clarence, Clarence”.

            Many years ago I was up to the challenge of Boxing Day Sales but with age comes wisdom; there are still plenty of bargains to be had in January so I wait for the quieter stores.  Instead I like to go out for walks in nature on Boxing Day, have my brother Erik over for lunch and perhaps coax him into training me a little on my weights.  He thinks I am a sad loss as I don’t seem to be able to stick to his regime, or worse argue with his approach.

            Today is a cleaning day for me, all the baking is done and I am in hopes of having someone come over to help yank out the table so I can add more leaves to it.  Tomorrow it’s time to wash the floors and vacuum one final time.  Happily my mother told me she already made the red stewed cabbage so that is a task I can “check”.  I got my ducks yesterday, four of them, and I am anxious watching them thaw in the fridge – it’s a hard chore but someone’s got to do it!