Christmas Eves of Yore

The whole family

would gather for ham dinner

with scalloped potatoes,

beer & vodka slushies

to beat the snow.

You sprang

for shrimp cocktail;

someone probably brought

deer sausage.

Children of all ages sat,

coloring. You can see us

grow up

in those coloring book pages.

I never won anything

from my scratch-ticket prizes,

and don’t buy them now.

But I feel lucky
because I still see you laughing.