So what do your characters expect and why? Do they have special expectations at certain times of year and why do they have these ones in particular? If expectations are not met, how do your characters react? If expectations are met, do your characters develop more goals and wishes they want to achieve?
If your character is expecting something from another character, what happens when this is a let-down? Do your characters return favours to each other? Dickens of course wrote about Great Expectations but from a character's viewpoint it doesn't necessarily have to be a great expectation they're waiting for. Sometimes being let down on the relatively small things in life can cause the bitterest disappointment after all.
So let expectations come into your plots and characters. A lot can hinge on them.