It must be a Polish Christmas cultural spill-over: we put out our lone Halloween decoration — a modest Jack-o-Lantern — on the twenty-ninth. Poles traditionally put up the Christmas tree just a day or two before Christmas, so I guess out late J-o-L is a sort of cultural cross-contamination. That or our hectic schedule.

This year, at least, we managed to make the time. Two years ago, we managed something, but last year it was a wash: the J-o-L-to-be sat in the carport, abandoned and unloved, until well after Halloween.

Naturally, as we worked on the pumpkin, the obvious comparisons came to mind: The Girl is now old enough to help, even if her help is a little more hindrance than anything else: a tentative hand in the pumpkin, a brush with the slimy entrails, followed by a sudden decision. “I don’t want to help.”

But she’s already helped enough by planning the design and serving as a consultant. This year’s J-o-l was simple: a princess with a crown.

The Girl choosing a princess: how unexpected.