'Twas the Lobster Before Christmas

This is how my mother does things.

My family looks forward to Christmas Eve all year, because we know Mom's going to make some serious seafood. She doesn't force herself to use seven fishes, but she always has some tricks up her sleeve. This year the main dish was spaghetti with lobster -- white sauce, not red -- and despite her tendencies toward making twice as much food as is required, it all went. Fast. I got a succulent claw and will be forever grateful to my sister for hooking me up at serving time.

There were also broiled smelts and, of course, baccalà salad. Plus crusty rolls, greens, and a dessert spread to rival papal banquets of the Roman Empire. My sisters, my bro-in-law, my niece, my folks, and Margy, we had a hard time getting up afterward. But there was a crown roast of pork counting on us for the next day, so we had to keep our game face on.

Only one year to go till Christmas Eve '06.