Remember that old Carly Simon Song, Anticipation?  Remember how Heinz used the song in its ketchup commercials?

Anticipation. . . is keeping me waiting.

This time of year, though, the anticipation is what makes me happiest.  This time of year, anticipation is golden.  Looking forward to some things is stressful – dental appointments and tests are anticipated but not beloved.  But this time of year is golden.  The holidays are in full force and we are living in a world of stars and jewels and angels and happy children and elves in pointy shoes and bells and beauty and anwishes.  This is my favorite time of year.  Can you tell?

Looking forward to Christmas is, for me, even better than Christmas.  I love it all.  I love the planning and the list-making and the decorating and the twinkling and the sparkling and the wrapping and the looking at store windows and the pushing of toy display buttons that make the toys move and the cards from beloved family/friends and the Christmas trees on our dinner plates and the holiday bowl full of green apples on the kitchen bar and the Christmas dish towels hanging on the stove handle and the wreaths on doors and the driving through the neighborhood gawking at other people’s decorations. . . . I love it all.  That it only lasts a little while just makes it more special.  Knowing that it will come back again in a year helps keep my heart from breaking.

Anticipation.  It helps build us up so we can appreciate the actuality of it all.

Carly was spot-on right.  These ARE the good old days.

And now I am craving french fries.  With lots of ketchup.  But one must apply the ketchup in the right way or else the entire experience is ruined.

Absolutely not.

Yes! It’s the only way!