The Christmas Story Challenge 2017

[Gemini]

As this was a great success last year, we should do it again!
Your stories please , ladies, on any theme related to this festive season. Long, short, funny, sad, mysterious, anything goes

Get your creative thinking caps on!

[Daisy]

But it's not December yet, Gem!!!!

<Runs away and hides>

[Gemini]

I know...... but thinking needs to take place before the writing!

[Daisy]

LOL - Oh, that's where I'm going wrong - I don't start thinking until December! Seriously, I have got an idea brewing.

[Gemini]

A Proper Family Christmas

"Bah Humbug!" Ellie muttered to herself.
After a long day at work with some very difficult clients to deal with, the last thing she felt like doing was writing Christmas cards.
The box of cards had sat on the dining room table for weeks now. It had been moved off last week when they had friends round to dinner, then back again,
Tomorrow was the final day for first class posting, and several needed giving out at work and posting though letterboxes locally, but nothing had been written.

It wasn't that Ellie didn't enjoy Christmas itself. She did. Time off work, good food, plenty of booze, lazing around in new Christmas pyjamas watching Netflix, what was there to not like? With both sets of parents doing their own thing this year - Ellie's on a cruise with friends, and Phil's visiting his sister and family in France, they truly could do their own thing, which basically would be chill out, eat, drink and do very little!
With a glass of red wine beside her, Ellie sat down to get the job done, she couldn't put it off any longer. Address book and pen ready, she read through the list.
Amanda and John, Tick. Kate and Adam, Tick. Mark and Ryan, Tick. Lucy, Paul, Josh and Phoeobe, Tick. As Ellie chose each card, wrote inside, then ticked it off the list, she felt better. "I don't know why I didn't do this sooner!" she thought to herself.

The following day Phil came home with a Christmas tree, and they decorated it together after work. Ellie moved almost all the decorations around later on. Phil knew she would, and said nothing. A Christmas tradition! The white star shaped lights draped over the mirror, extra Christmas scented candles around the room, presents beneath the tree, and the job was done,

On Christmas Eve, after finishing at lunch time, Ellie went to the Red Lion next door to the office, for a glass of mulled wine with Vicky and Fiona from work, another tradition.
"Just a very small one" said Vicky. "With three kids to collect from the childminders and keep from bouncing off the walls with excitement until bedtime, and my in-laws due early evening, I need a clear head!"
Fiona and Miles were heading off to Shropshire to stay with her parents. "Miles packed the car this morning, so not much to do but get changed and head off. It's great to see everyone, of course it is" Ellie sensed a But coming on. "With 3 little nephews there for Christmas, and this year a new baby niece, it's far from peaceful at mum and dads!"
"Nice though" Vicky chipped in "A proper family Christmas" Fiona smiled. A polite smile.
Ellie got the impression that a part of both friends envied her simple, no family, do-as-you please, Christmas.

After kissing her friends goodbye and all wishing each other a Happy Christmas, Ellie set off on the short walk home. She was glad of her scarf and gloves, it was a very cold, crisp afternoon.
Outdoor lights twinkling, festive music heard through shop doorways, Christmas trees shining out through windows, people hurrying home to be with loved ones. She felt she was catching the Christmas spirit at last!

She hung up her coat and put on her slippers. She lit the fairy lights, and a couple of the scented candles, and put on a Christmas carols CD to really set the Christmas mood.
Phil came in an hour later, kissed his wife then headed for the shower. Ellie opened the fridge door. Was it too early for a glass of Prosecco? She decided perhaps it was, as her mulled wine had been a large one!
On the shelves were the chicken , ready made gravy and prepared veg ready for tomorrows meal. On the shelf above was the delicious buffet food which they were going to eat tonight, by the fire, with Prosecco . All courtesy of M & S. In the cupboard was a Christmas pudding, shortbread biscuits and a few other goodies.
Ellie smiled to herself. This was going to be a good Christmas. Apart from a walk on Boxing Day to shake off the cobwebs followed by a meal with friends at their favourite country pub, it would be just Ellie, Phil, peace and relaxation in their cosy Christmassy home.

Just as she settled onto the sofa, glass of Prosecco in one hand, remote in the other, Ellie heard knock at the door.
She got there just before Phil, who was coming down the stairs, smelling deliciously of posh shower gel and looking adorable in his soft blue fleece and jeans.
Ellie opened the door to be met by the sight of her sister Fay, baby in her arms. Beside her was two year old Oscar, clinging onto the decidedly grubby looking blanket which he seemed to take everywhere.
Ellie remembered this blanket well. They had been on a never-to-be-repeated weekend in a cottage with Fay, Richard and the children in September. The nights were punctuated with the baby crying (which was to be expected, he was only a few weeks old) and Oscar plaintively and loudly wailing "Want Blankie!!!" whenever he awoke and couldn't find the damned thing!
Fay thrust the baby into her sister's arms. "Take Inigo, will you, I'll help Richard bring the rest of our stuff in" Ellie was nonplussed. The rest of their stuff? Had she entered a parallel universe? One where she would think inviting her sister, brother in law and two very small children to share their quiet Christmas would be a good idea?
She looked at the baby. His little cheeks were very red, and he sucked furiously at his blue dummy. Even Ellie with little experience of babies, recognised the signs of teething when she saw them.
"Go to Uncle Phil!" she said with false brightness and passed the baby over to a confused Phil.
By now Fay, Richard and various bags and boxes were in the house, and the front door closed.
Ellie looked expectantly at her sister, who flopped down into the armchair.
"What a carry on!" she exclaimed "Christmas Eve afternoon, and our heating packed up. No one will come out to it until the 27th. We couldn't stay there, not with Oscar and the baby. Mum and Dad aren't an option, as you know. Most selfish of them to swan off like that and miss their youngest grandsons first Christmas, if you ask me"
"Well it had been planned for some time,and is to celebrate their oldest friends anniversary" Ellie interrupted.
"Well, whatever, anyway" Fay continued "We knew you two were on your own, and bored, so what better surprise for you than a Proper Family Christmas?!"
Ellie could think of several.
"We boxed all our food, told Santa the boys would be here", she said with a wink " and here we are!"

Richard settled Oscar on the cream sofa with Blankie, a carton of sticky apple juice and bag of crunchy organic carrot snacks, and Paw Patrol on the TV.
Fay rubbed teething gel onto Inigo's gums, before rifling though his bag, depositing many toys onto the floor, searching for a rusk.
Ellie and Phil met in the kitchen. Phil poured his wife a very large glass of Merlot.
"Happy Christmas?" he said wearily.

THE END

[Daisy]

Gem - I enjoyed that, and believe it or not - caught Ellie and Phil's Christmas spirit! I didn't see the end - I was wondering if Ellie had made a giant mistake and forgotten she'd invited her sister and family!

Funnily enough my story will also be about a different Christmas - it's in my head but hasn't yet dripped through my fingers on to the computer!

[Clover]

Lovely as usual Gem.It flowed so well and had a happy ending.My sort of story

[Plantaholic]

Well done again Gemini.

[Oma]

Loved it , I have a idea but its not fully formed yet

[Daisy]

I drafted mine out last night, but I didn't like the way it went, so I'm trying to work out a major rewrite!

[Gemini]

Plenty of time ladies

[Plantaholic]

You clever lot.

[Oma]

Mary was up at 6 on Christmas day , she wanted it to go smoothly this year not like last ,
Last Christmas day started ok then went down hill fast ,

Firstly Bubble, Karl & Peter's hamster got out of his cage and was running loose in the house ,
They tried to keep it quiet as Douglas and the kids frantically searched for it before Aunty Babs turned up , two hours later still no sign of it ,that was until Aunty Babs was in and sitting on the sofa and the little devil run over her foot

ALL hell broke out with Aunty Babs standing on a dining room chair screaming blue murder ,Uncle Colin shouting at her to shut up meaning she sulked all day and wouldn't speak to him ,
Then the dog decided to help himself to some sprouts and had to be put in the garden till after lunch .
With everything going on Mary forgot the Turkey and it was rather dark brown and dry , Her father wasn't pleased he liked the Turkey leg and grumbled all through lunch because it was burnt ,
Douglas's Mother almost chocked on a pea and had to be slapped on the back till it shot out of her mouth at high speed straight into the gravy ,

So this year Mary had cooked the Turkey the night before it was safely wrapped in tin foil on a high shelf in the larder so not even the dog could reach it ,

Snowy The Mouse who had replaced Bubble( who sadly died in April ) was safely out of reach on top of the wardrobe with strong straps tied around the cage making sure there was no chance of escape .

11am everyone started to arrive , Aunty Babs & Uncle Colin , Doug's Parents ,Her Parents ,
There Daughter Fay had arrived last night with her current boyfriend , a rather odd hippy type but nice enough boy , who dropped in that he was a vegetarian at 10pm last night so Mary had to frantically sort through her recipe books to make a alternative for him , luckily she had lots to make a nut roast and Veggie gravy ,

1pm and Christmas lunch was ready to serve , everyone took there seats even the twins who all morning had been glued to the TV playing some awful game on there new Play station , at the age of 10 that's all they were interested in
Molly there 14 year old Goth was at the age of thinking everything was boring so was plugged into her phone and reluctantly put it down when Mary gave her the look .

Two hours later Mary stood in the doorway surveying the scene of chaos , her lovely set table looked like a plague of locust had hit it , the Dog was happily clearing the floor of any food that had dropped there ,
In the sitting room Doug's Father and her Father were talking about football and it was getting quite heated ,
Marys mother was sitting with her knitting and trying to not look drunk ,
Doug's Mother was curled up in the corner of the Sofa asleep her teeth slowly slipping out and Doug had just saved them being plucked out by the twins who were giggling behind the sofa now ,

Molly had retreated to her room as she hated old people and everything about Christmas apparently ,

Aunty Babs and Uncle Colin were squabbling over the TV Times and who had ate more of the Purple sweets from the Quality street tin ,
Fay and her Boyfriend Craig were playing Chess well trying to as Fay had never played before ,,Craig was patiently going over and over the moves with her but she wasn't taking it in at all ,

Doug came behind her , Go sit down love ill make Coffee , Shall I make sandwiches do you think ? What after all that food Mary said , I don't think anyone will want any ,
She spoke too soon , Doug's Dad said did I hear you say sandwiches ? I wouldn't mind one and within minutes everyone was wanting one even His Mother had woke at the sound of food

That night after everyone had gone or were asleep , Mary and Doug were lying in bed talking softly so as not to disturb anyone ,
Doug said its been a good day love well done no major dramas today ,
Mary smiled apart from the Dog throwing up in the hall you mean ,
What a family we have a rag bag bunch not a sane one amongst us .

Doug pulled her too him snuggled in and whispered ,yes but they are our rag bag bunch
Smiling Mary agreed , drifted off to sleep thinking how lucky they really were ,
The End

[Gemini]

Oma a lovely story! I can just picture them all, chaotic, hectic but very happy

[Mimi]

Two lovely stories, you clever lot,
I haven’t had any inspiration yet, hopefully something will come to me before the new year !