Christmas Story Challenge 2019

[Gemini]

Time to start thinking about Christmas stories.
We have had some good ones in previous years.

Any type of story -long ,short, funny,sad, mysterious, whatever you like. The only requirement is that it be in some way Christmas related, so let your imagination run free!
Why stop at one? There are several weeks during which to get writing Christmas stories

[Daisy]

Gem - we haven't colluded on this, but I was going to post the same thing today!

Even if you've never written a story (or poem) before - do have a go.

[Daisy]

Oh dear, I'm not doing very well. I had an idea for a story and started it. Then I dug myself a very deep hole and can't find a credible way out of it. It might end up as a fantasy story!!

Is anybody else having a go?

[Gemini]

I'm still at the thinking of an idea stage Daisy! It is my plan to do it this week though.

[Daisy]

Good luck, Gem.

I think I might have to start from scratch again!

[Daisy]

I've had the luxury of an unexpected free afternoon, so here it is, my second go at a story for Christmas.



Harry’s Best Christmas Present


Sarah looked up from washing up as Harry sat at the kitchen table, shoulders haunched in concentration and his arm curling round the sheet of paper in front of him. He sucked the end of the pen as he thought carefully about his Letter to Santa. She looked at his tousled blonde curls and sadly reflected that this would probably be the last year he believed in Father Christmas and the magic of sending a letter to Lapland. She so hoped what he was asking for was within her very limited budget, wanting to give him the best Christmas ever.

“How’s it going, love?” she asked.

Hardly lifting his head Harry mumbled “Fine, Mum, but how do you spell ‘space’ - like in spaceship?”

Sarah noted the ‘Mum’. When had she stopped being ‘Mummy’? It was all going too fast, this precious son’s babyhood, his need of her. She treasured every time he hugged her telling her she was the bestest Mum in the whole wide world. One day he would feel too grown up for such spontaneous bursts of affection.

“S-p-a-c-e”, she spelled out.

“Thanks, Mum”, came the mumbled reply.

Her heart sank a little. What if he was asking for that huge Lego spaceship he’d seen in the toyshop? It was going to be a juggling act this year, as it had always been since Harry was born seven years ago. Always balancing out the need to pay the bills, have a nice tree, decorations and a Christmas dinner with all Harry’s favourites.

She was pleased she had taken on some extra hours at work, feeling a bit guilty that the extra time was to cover for one of the partners who was ill in hospital. She enjoyed her job. She knew most of her friends thought she was mad, enjoying working with figures all the time, but she liked the neatness and reliability of numbers. You know where you were with a Profit and Loss Account.

Harry, his letter to Santa finished, folded it carefully and put it in the envelope Sarah had given him. He painstakingly addressed it to “Mr Father Christmas, Lapland, The North Pole, The World”. Sarah promised to post it for him the next morning as she shooed him off to bed. As she snuggled him down after his bedtime story he whispered, “Mum, will Santa really give me the presents on my list?”

“I’m sure he’ll do his best, son, but he has a lot of children to visit.”

“I don’t think my best one is expensive, Mummy,” his voice taking on a pleading quality she’d never noticed before.

“We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we, darling. Come on, time to go to sleep now. Night, night my sweet.”

Harry hugged her, blew a raspberry into her neck and, sighing, turned over, his eyes already closing in sleep.


Their morning routine was, as always a bit of a scramble, with Sarah dropping Harry off at school, leaving her just five minutes to get to into town, park and walk round the corner to her office. As she ran lightly up the steps she noticed she was only a couple of minutes late, but already her first client was waiting for her in Reception.

“Good morning, Mr …err… “

“Sutton, but please call me Marcus”, he said, smiling as he offered her his hand. She took him through to her office, making small talk about the weather and the traffic.

“What can I do for you, Mr ..err…, Marcus” she smiled.

“I need an accountant to keep me and my business in order. We open next week and I want to get things on the right footing from the get go.”

Sarah, nodded, already making notes and liking this tall smiling man, and hoping his business would flourish.

“Tell me about your business, Marcus”.

He explained he was opening an artisan bakery in the high street. He aimed to make bread that tasted exactly like your granny made, cakes for every occasion, and sandwiches for the office workers too busy to spend time in the numerous cafes in town. He had a good business plan, and it didn’t take Sarah long to agree what kind of support her firm could offer him. Business concluded Marcus invited her to call in at lunch time and he’d show her round.

The rest of the morning passed quickly, and Sarah had just 20 minutes to pop round to Marcus’s bakery before picking Harry up from school. Sarah could see the potential of the business and promised to tell everyone she knew about it.

Over the next month there seemed to be something Marcus had to ask her about his book-keeping almost every day. If he’d been less charming, and she had to admit, less handsome, he might have been considered a bit of a nuisance. Eventually he plucked up the courage to ask her out for dinner “and not talk about the bakery”, he promised.

Sarah was lucky that although her mum didn’t live close by she would come and spend the night so Sarah could have an occasional evening out. Harry adored his Nan, so he was delighted.

The evening passed far too quickly, and Sarah was noticing more and more how this great bear of a man was kind, thoughtful and very funny. As they drew up outside her tiny house, Marcus leaned over and kissed her. At first lightly, tentatively, and then with increasing urgency. Sarah sighed and gave herself up to feelings she’d expected never to have.

Christmas was fast approaching and Sarah had learned that Marcus was alone for the festive period. His brothers, sister and mother all lived too far away and he didn’t want to miss Christmas trade by closing the bakery. Sarah knew she had something important to ask Harry. Would Harry be happy for Marcus to share their Christmas Day?

Harry, already excited and counting the days as he opened his Advent calendar each morning, was ecstatic.

“Yes, please, Mummy. Can he stay as well, can he, pleeeaaassse.”

“Well, we’ll see, darling. He may not want to”, as Sarah wondered if she would be able to resist.

“Yes, he will, Mummy, I know he will, it was on my Christmas list.”

Sarah guiltily remember she hadn’t actually read his letter to Santa.

“What was on your list, my love?”

“Mummy! Right at the top of my list I asked for a Daddy. I’ve never had one, and I really, really do want one. I said he could come for Christmas day as we had plenty of space for him, and Marcus would be the bestest Daddy in the whole wide world.”

Sarah smiled through her tears. This could be the very best Christmas ever for Harry, her and, hopefully, Marcus as well.

[WeeGranny]

Oh Daisy....that sent shivers down me spine! Lovely story, thank you!

[Oma]

Awww that was so sweet I do hope Marcus became the best Daddy ever

[Daisy]

Aww, thank you WeeGranny and Oma. I was determined to have a happy ending.

[Gemini]

Oh what a lovely story Daisy!
I hadn't worked out what Harry had asked for except that it involved space!
Well Done

[Plantaholic]

Delightful story, you really should publish them.

[Daisy]

Awww, Plant, thank you. You make me blush.

[Sunshine]

We are waiting for Chapter 2 Daisy. Has Marcus agreed to come for Christmas?

[Daisy]

Sunshine - I'll have to ask him. Thanks for an idea for the next 'Chapter'.

[Gemini]

I have started my story!
Tonight when OH was out.
I have no idea where to go with it or how to finish it though