For my family, eager anticipation for Christmas Eve dinner starts on Christmas Day (correct, of the year before.) My husband, who immigrated from Poland, prepares a traditional Polish Christmas Eve supper, called “Wigilia.” It starts with “barszcz,” a beet soup, to which he adds delicious mushroom mini dumplings that we sometimes make from scratch or (preferably, because making them takes so long) purchase from an eastern European store. We stick to tradition for some things and deviate on others. Growing up, my husband and his family would have carp, as meat is not allowed for the meal. For freshness, the carp would be purchased alive and kept in the bathtub till cooking time. But after trying carp one Christmas Eve, the non-Polish contingent of the family lobbied for and has succeeded in getting sea bass (with no inhouse swim) substituted ever since. Technically, the meal needs to include twelve dishes. But we stretch the rules a bit and count items like the salt and pepper shakers on the table. A part of the Polish tradition we strive to maintain is including an extra place setting for the visitor who might unexpectedly show up at your door. It’s a lovely reminder of the spirit of the season – we can always make room for one more.