Legacy of the Dreams

Chapter 77 - Dinner on Christmas Eve's Eve

 Celebrating the last night of Chanukah and Christmas Eve's Eve all on one night, with a guest list of close to forty people, and doing it on baking day should have been overwhelming. But to everyone's surprise, it was not. Given the women had been cooking or baking all day, by the time the men started appearing after their showers, many of the foods were already prepared and sat waiting in the refrigerators or in a warming drawer, ready to be carried to the cottage. With Susan acting as coordinator, the tables she and the boys set up earlier that day were laid with flatware and all the dishes she had. Final touches added to the room and the tables, and they were ready.    

The room was set up similar to the way it was for Passover, with the tables arranged in a giant U in front of the fireplace; only for this dinner Susan intended to use both sides of all three tables. Using white tablecloths and all the china, festive dishes, and everyday wear they owned, she interspersed the china patterns evenly, adding festive gold and silver napkins at each place setting. Accent pieces and candles arranged around the room and on the tables added to the special feel for the occasion.

The rest of the room was decorated too. Both the menorah and the advent wreath figured prominently on the long counter the Abernathys sometimes used as a buffet table in the cottage. There was an enormous evergreen wreath with a red ribbon on the rock wall above the fireplace, and candles on the mantel. A fire burned merrily in the fireplace and most of the candles were lit in advance.

The foods for their meal were carried by the men to the cottage where they were left in the oven on warm or placed in the cottage's refrigerator. In fact, the only food that still needed to be brought from the house as dinnertime approached was an enormous roast. Greg helped carve it in the kitchen, filling three covered platters with generous slices of the roast beef. Then those too were carried to the cottage, just as the first of their guests, who weren't currently staying at the Abernathy's house, began to arrive.

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"Are we ready to begin moving guests to the cottage?" Greg asked as suppertime approached.

"My appetizers are ready, Dad," Julie assured him.

"If we can get someone to carry the platters, we're ready," Susan said.

Elliot and Neil volunteered to help, each lifting one of the heavy dishes and following Greg through the cave, up into the cottage before setting them down again. Most of the women were already there, except for Cindy who was getting her children prepared for the evening.

"Susan, is it time to get Melody up from her nap?" Greg asked. To him, it seemed very late for his daughter to be taking a nap, but then again Susan reminded him the entire family expected to be up later than usual that evening.

"Yes, I'll get her up when I go back to the house. I'll be back as soon as I can to help," Susan promised.

She hurried to the house to ensure she and Melody were also prepared the festive evening they had planned. By the time Susan returned to the cottage, all the family was there. The doorbell rang just as she and Melody climbed the last of the stairs. They came into the great room just as Ashley's family walked in.

"Barbara, Howard, welcome," Susan said, coming forward to great Matt's future in-laws with a grin. "I'm so happy you could join us."

"Thank you for having us, Susan," Barbara McGuiness said politely. "I was afraid we'd be intruding; given you have so much company. Ashley said something about celebrating the last night of Chanukah here tonight too."

"You are welcome," Greg assured her. "Much of my family is here, and we will all be celebrating this evening."

Barbara considered him warily.