Holiday Fun: Making the Magic

I think this is one of my favorite parts of Christmas:  Mama and I alone getting things ready.  We're trying to do most of it tonight so that we aren't up for an extra long time tomorrow night.  We've made the olive mixture for the muffalettas for our New Orleans-style feast (with gumbo and bread pudding); I baked an almond pound cake for church tomorrow night (it didn't come out, stuck solid to my pan, c'est la vie--maybe I'll make trifle!  Too bad it's too late to get new pans for Christmas.)  I wrote up a last few Christmas cards.  Mama is wrapping dozens of presents.  Christmas music is on the "stereo" (is it still a stereo?) and we were snacking on Wensleydale and crackers.  So far, so good.