Christmas Eve!

It's "Christmas Eve Day!" Tonight, we head to my father and step-mother's for the annual Christmas Eve party. It has been held by my father's family for as long as I can remember.

My father became the official Christmas Eve host when the crowd began to outgrow his big sister's home, in the early 1970's. We had a large, new home, and it was great for entertaining. I remember the excitement of that day: the cooking, cleaning and extra touches of Christmas decor. A fire was started in the family room fireplace, something unusual and therefore special. (Not gas, it was the real thing.)

Before running out to do last-minute shopping, my father would announce, "If this house isn't clean by 5:00, I'm calling off Christmas Eve!" He announced this around 1pm, and there was quite a scramble. He then left to do some last minute shopping. The bulk of the cleaning fell to Wendy and Gayle, as Steve and I, four and five years younger, were not much help those first few years. After a flurry of cleaning by us kids and food prep by my mom, the finishing touch would be done: Dad spackling the hole formed by a leak in the foyer ceiling. This was right after he came back from shopping, arms full of bags of gifts for our aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Because he worked in a men's and boys' clothing store in his early twenties, Dad had an eye for what would look and fit best. (I remember a warm coat he bought for Aunt Gerry - she seemed very pleased with it.) Dad and Mom would take the gifts upstairs and in minutes, have beautifully wrapped all of them, and have placed them under the tree.

Mom would put out her wonderful punch, which we only tasted on this occasion. Cookies and other finger-foods were spread over our dining room table, and we excitedly awaited our relatives arrival. I remember being dressed up, looking about the living room, which was dim but for the tree and the electric candles on the window sill. It was magical. Sometimes I would lie down underneath the tree and look up into it. My favorite ornaments, sparkly little gingerbread houses, dangled above me. They were foam at the core, having survived my toddler years. (I had a fondness for throwing the glass balls, especially the red ones, down the slate hall and watching them smash.)

The air seemed alive with happiness when the relatives finally did arrive. Aunt Joan, "Uncle" Harry, Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt Gerry, Uncle Bill, Uncle Bob, Aunt Franny, and many of my cousins, the older ones with their boyfriends. Their arrival thrilled me. "Uncle" Harry smoked Garcia and Vega cigars, and to this day, that smell makes me feel good. He would spike Mom's punch with vodka when she wasn't looking. (Eventually, she learned to make two punches, so that one would be safe for the kids.) Mom brought out the fruitcake she'd been basting with rum for weeks, and that was savored by the adults, though I thought it was icky.

After gorging on cookies, my favorite being the Magic Cookie Bars Aunt Gerry brought, we kids would end up in our finished basement playing pool and pranking each other. My cousin, Billy, had a sharp wit, and I always looked forward to hearing him tweak others with it.

Soon it was time to open gifts, and what a joy that was! My parents would often let us open one gift from them, along with the ones from the aunts and uncles. Aunt Joan's gifts were always unique. One year she gave me a leather change purse that was pressed and shaped like a coyote. I loved it! I remember the time she sewed a life-sized rag-doll man with elastic on his feet for Gayle, that she could dance with. I believe Gayle named him "Harvey." Another Christmas she sewed a large porpoise for me that I loved for years.

As the evening wore on, Aunt Gerry and Uncle Bill took their kids home, "Uncle" Harry lit another cigar, and Steve and I were tucked in. I think the party continued for a while, but I was wiped out. My father once took a picture of me, asleep in bed after that party, with a punch-clown-smile. How happy I was drifting off, knowing that the next morning would bring more toys!

Now my kids are all excited, especially Noah. One thing he talks about through the year is spending Christmas Eve with his best friend and cousin, Michael. They will laugh and play all evening until it's time to open gifts, then they'll play with their gifts together.