I don’t know if it’s all the talk of seasons or eves, or the Tiger Diary that landed on my desk earlier this week (see below), but it’s been feeling a lot like Christmas.
Thanks to the inclination and determination of the Cygnet, we do Christmas build-up well in this household. It begins long before the first window is prised open on the advent calendar. In this house, it begins when the mid-year LEGO catalogue arrives in the mail. Slowly, subconsciously at first, it builds. Then, despite my best intentions to hold off until the twelfth month, by the end of November our simple home is decorated with treasured toilet role Santas and paper chains, a ‘real’ plastic Cumberland Pine with years of memories hung on its branches, drawings of absurd snowfields for red nosed reindeer decked in crystals and conifer needles and Scandinavian straw stars hanging from the mantelpiece. The machine is in gear. Then follow letter writing, baking, wrapping, letter re-writing, snooping and many sleepless nights wondering what it will all amount to. For parents, much of December is spent holding the excitement at bay, trying to pace the family, timing the preparations just right so that the team is in tip top shape come the big day. Since late last month, I’ve been experiencing all the same phenomena.
Since the first kick of the pre-season cup, Swans have started coming out of the woodwork around the house. I saw the two white ones in the Salvos window on Canterbury Road last week and swerved to recruit them. The last of the cherry tomatoes have been turned with a little bocconcini. The lucky locket has been polished. The scarves are out of storage and airing on the line. The Dreamteam has been written and rewritten and rewritten. (And I still have til 7.40 to ask for the beautiful tall black forward.) The big man in a suit was even on the cover of the weekend magazine last Saturday. And Auskick has begun. (I nearly tore my hamstring from the bone in a game of stuck-in-the-mud with the Under 7s last night.)
Finally the day is almost upon us. It’s almost time to open up the brightly coloured packages and see what's inside for season 2011. From tonight, we can start unwrapping!! What can we hope to find?
A better song for Freo; a Five Trick Magic Starter Kit for the Tigers, complete with Cash Money Note Maker®; a two-headed Ablett superhero figure (hair sold separately); definitely undies for the boys down at Moorabin; a bronzed, blonde new Coach Doll down at the Bombers (he comes with training outfit, business suit and game day face); a very festive set of red and green ‘Sub Vests’; a carry-case of Eagle soft toys; a fourth Jetta action hero to go with the four Selwoods released last year? Anti ageing cream should suffice down at Geelong and some charisma for the Adelaide teams – organic, corn-fed, Barossa reared and exportable of course. National retailers are relieved to hear that Brisbane stores have at last sold the only remaining Fevola doll.
There will naturally be the things you get every season: a new achilles or two, a couple more synthetic cruciate ligaments and a box set of hamstrings; a handful of new captains, and a few new coaches – a twin pack available this year. There will no doubt be more tattoo vouchers.
But for some of us lucky ones, we will get the ultimate – that shiny, deluxe-sized trophy which lights up the windows of the AFL headquarters. Could the morning booty really be that good or will it be black and white socks from Uncle Eddie, just like last year.
This weekend, we will feast and be merry, bring a special bottle out of the cellar and wear a funny hat. We may imbibe too much. As the funny sirens are blown, we will rise to the spirit of a good day or roll with the first revolution of the wheels of despair. And like every family missing a member on the big day, we will take a moment to remember. For the Bloods, we’ll be missing Craig Bolton – one of very few articulate, fine boned gentleman to have ever played the game. We will remember him as he wished.
‘I’d like to be remembered as a dashing half forward who kicked 10 goals a game, got a lot of the footy and was a great ball user but I probably won’t be remembered like that.’
Happy season and happy tipping!
