Our Christmas Stories

[Gemini]

Christmas Eve

Eve was glad her parents chose that name for her.
There are several name which are popular for girls born at Christmas time. Holly, Ivy, Mary, Carol, Noelle...
Arriving 3 weeks early, on December 24th, Eve's mother decided that Helen, the name they had chosen for their baby should it be a girl, would not do. A baby girl born on Christmas Eve should be Eve!

There were two Helens and three Carols in Eve's class at school, so she had always approved of the choice.
She now knew several little girls with variations of her name, Evies and Evas, but when she was growing up Eve and it's variants were unusual.
Eve liked being different to the crowd!
She never followed trends at school. From clothes, to pencil cases, to pop groups. It meant she was left out of the Most Popular Girls Gang , but she didn't care about that.

She dropped out of uni to follow her hearts desire to set up her own pottery business. Selling Avon, stuffing envelopes and cleaning to supplement her income at first.
She called off her wedding 3 days before the date as she realised that she just didn't have the right feelings for James, lovely enough man as he was.
When a couple of week later she discovered she was pregnant, instead of considering a termination or adoption, Eve kept her baby. She knew it would be far from easy, but she did it.
With the invaluable help of her parents, and hard work and determination on her part she built up a successful business whilst bringing up her son.


As the years went by, Eve's business grew. She eventually joined forces with her friend Anna, who made jewellery. Working with her friend was fun and Eveanna became a thriving business, with the little shop busy and in time, lots of online orders too.
Tristan grew, healthy and strong. He had a happy childhood with his mum. A lively one with plenty of interests and friends. The house was often full of both adults and children, and much laughter and song. He spent a few weeks a year with his dad, wife Claire and two little step sisters. He had a great time there, but was always glad to get back to Eve and his home life .

Life was good.
Tristan did well at uni, gaining a First. His graduation day was a proud one for both his parents.
When 5 years later at the age of 26 her son announced that he was going to live and work in New York, Eve was happy and excited for him. She would miss him. Very much so, but she had always followed her own path, and encouraged her son to do the same. New York is not that far she told herself, and of course there would be trips both ways across the Atlantic.

It wasn't the same as being on the same side of that big ocean though.
Sometimes these days Eve yearned for him to be closer. Perhaps this was because she was getting older. Not that Eve would ever admit that 60 was old! More than that, if she was honest with herself was the real longing to be closer to her granddaughter. Bethany was 20 months old, and in Eve's eyes the most wonderful creature ever.
After the latest visit to Tristan, Callie and little Bethany 3 months ago she had found it very hard to come back.
Eve's mother had passed away a few weeks previously, her father having died 5 years earlier, so with no family ties here she did briefly consider moving to New York.
Her business and network of close friends here had a pull on her, a big one. The main reason which made Eve put the idea firmly aside however, was that she didn't want to be That Sort Of Mother.
She had encouraged her son's independence, and didn't want to be a clingy mother following her son around.

Callie was a lovely person, Tris chose well Eve thought. She sent her mother-in-law photos of her granddaughter on her phone most days, and they Skyped every week.
Eve listened with some envy to her friends lighthearted moans about houses full of baby equipment, and standing in cold playgrounds on the school run. Oh to have the chance to experience that life.

This Christmas was a strange one for Eve. Since Tristan had left for the States, she has spent Christmases with her parents, then later just her Mum. Two wonderful Christmases, after Tris and Callie married and before the baby came long, they had come over to spend the season with them.
This year it was just Eve.
Several friends had invited her to spend Christmas with them of course. Anna and her husband George had practically insisted!
She loved them all, and was glad of the invitations, but just felt a Christmas alone would suit her this year. She was going out for lunch with a group of friends for her birthday on Christmas Eve, that would be her Christmas socialising.
Without actually lying, she led each of them to believe she was going to to someone else for Christmas Day. Three of her friends went for a long country walk each Boxing Day to blow off the cobwebs, and if the weather was fine Eve planned to join them this year .
She had Chicken Kiev, a mini Christmas pudding and a bottle of wine. Christmas Day telly, and a box set, her day would be fine.
She had expected to Skype with the the family, so was disappointed when Tris told her they were going away to a cottage for Christmas which would be out of range of any sort of contact. Eve didn't want to be That Sort of Mother of course, so she did her best to hide her disappointment.

Sally dropped Eve at home after her birthday lunch. Full with food and happy with wine and company, Eve made herself a cup of tea and sat down to watch TV. She flicked through a couple of Christmas films, but they were too sentimental and based on happy families all together at Christmas. She found something more interesting and less emotive on Catch up. She glanced at Bethany's photo in the silver frame on the table where she placed her mug, and tried not to let sadness creep in.
She was healthy, with a successful business, lots of friends and a lovely family. She shouldn't be sad. She wouldn't be sad, on her birthday at Christmas.

As she was pulling herself together the doorbell rang. She opened the door to a young man. 'Ms Laurence?'. 'Your Tesco delivery', he smiled.
Eve looked at him blankly. 'It's not mine' she told him.
'Eve Laurence, 14 Maple Grove?' the man enquired.
'Well, yes that is me' replied Eve, 'but I haven't placed any order.'
She ordered a delivery from Tesco every few weeks, heavy stuff and offers, but she certainly hadn't booked a Christmas delivery. She didn't need it, and she would never have got booked early enough for Christmas Eve.
Looking down at the crates, she saw items she would never put on her monthly order anyway. Pates and lots of cheeses, a tin of luxury chocolate biscuits, Christmas crackers, bottles of wine, plus multiple cartons of milk and apple juice. There were other crates the contents of which were unknown to her.
As she was starting to tell the delivery man to take it all back to the van, a taxi pulled up behind it..

Eve could hardly believe her eyes as out of the taxi stepped Tristan, with little Bethany in his arms.'Hi Mum', he smiled, passing the little girl over 'Gama!' she shouted, touching Eve's cheek.
Tristan came back carrying suitcases, Callie following with a smaller bag.
Eve stepped back into the house holding her granddaughter close and kissing her fair curls as she watched her son bring luggage into the hallway.
'Happy Birthday!' exclaimed a rather pale looking Callie, kissing her mother-in law's cheek. 'Sit down before you fall down with shock Mum' laughed Tristan, signing the delivery man's little screen and dumping the shopping in the kitchen.
As Eve sat with Bethany on her knee Tristan explained that they were here for Christmas. A wonderful surprise!
'There is no better Christmas present I could ever have!' She exclaimed in wonder.
Callie smiled .
'We have a couple more for you actually. You will be a Grandma for the second time by next summer!' Tears of joy sprang to Eve's eyes.
'A couple more?' asked Eve who felt rather as though she were in a dream.
Tristan came over and took his daughter from his mum and sat her on the rug with her books, and took his mother's hands in his.
'That little grocery order will keep us going for a few days. Everything we need for Christmas. We do have to say goodbye again after Christmas' he said ' But only for a few weeks. I am transferring over here with my job. We are moving back! Bethany and her brother or sister will need their Grandma, so I hope you have lots of energy'

'Oh I certainly do' replied Eve, seeing her beautiful granddaughter's face through a mist of happy tears.

[Daisy]

Finally finished my Christmas Story. I hope the angel at the top of your Christmas tree is better behaved.


Christmas Angel

“There!” Dad stood back and admired his handiwork.

“Switch it on, switch it on”, shouted Ella, jumping up and down in excitement.

Billy bounced in his baby walker, chortling with glee, even though he had no idea what on earth was going on. It looked fun, and that was fine by him.

Jet had long since fled to the relative sanity of Mum and Dad’s bed upstairs, swishing his tail as only a disdainful cat can.

Mum took the plug from Dad, pushed it into the socket and switched on.

The star at the top of the Christmas tree sprang into life, flashing red, blue, gold, green, white in a whirling kaleidoscope of lights, first picking out each point of the star, then starting from the centre, slowly illuminating outwards until the whole star glowed brightly and resumed its cycle of swirling colours.

“Wow”, breathed Ella in awe. Even Alex allowed himself a little gasp of surprise, although at 12 he considered himself far too cool to get excited about a star at the top of a Christmas tree. Jet, snuggled into the feather duvet, was fast asleep.

Dad looked at Mum and smiled.

“There you are, Mum, I told you the kids would love it. Much better than that manky fairy you always put on the tree.”

“It’s an angel, Tony, and she’s not mankey. She’s AngieBelle, and my parents got her for my very first Christmas. She’s part of my childhood, but I suppose …”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, Clary” he said, giving her shoulders a little squeeze. “Time to move on, lovey.”

Clary sighed, but looking at the children’s animated faces, with the lights reflecting in their wide, excited eyes she smiled and thought about how much she adored her little brood. “Time to get tea ready”, and off she went into the kitchen to finish off their Saturday treat of toad in the hole. The burning smell didn’t register immediately, but peering into the glass front of the oven, Clary groaned. How could she have forgotten to switch the oven off. Never mind, fish and chips would go down well, and the chip shop was only 5 minutes away.

AngieBelle smiled her secret smile to herself.

After their teas the children got out their favourite Christmas decorations, putting cards up, and arranging their Shelf Elves on the mantlepiece. Their three stockings hung next to the fireplace ready for Santa Claus. Alex knew it was really Mum and Dad but he’d been warned not to spoil it for Ella and Billy. Mum still wanted AngieBelle included in the decorations, so Alex placed her next to the Shelf Elves, but she toppled over, so he shoved her behind two of them to prop her up, her angel wings already slightly battered, pushed hard against the wall.

Finally, the house fell silent and darkness descended as the family settled down to sleep. There was no sleep for AngieBelle though, or the Shelf Elves. She was furious, really furious. “If that’s how they repay my 38 years of sitting on top of spiky trees with pine needles in my bum, I’ll show them who’s really boss of Christmas.”

“Aww” protested Shelf Elf One. “Chill, AngieBaby.” “Chill! You’re joking, you stupid Shelf Elf. I’ve watched over this family since Clary was a yowling baby, making sure their Christmases were merry and bright”. Shelf Elf Two laughed. “It’s no laughing matter, you moron”, spat AngieBelle, “and the name’s AngieBelle, not AngieBaby.”

AngieBelle kicked hard and the two Shelf Elves tumbled onto the hearth.

“There, you idiots. Don’t mess with angels.”

Jet, having been removed from the comfort of the feather duvet was looking for entertainment. He pounced on the nearest Shelf Elf and shook him around, using his very best mousing techniques. Shelf Elf’s head fell off.

The next morning Mum sighed, “Jet, what have you been up to!” And carefully repaired the beheaded Shelf Elf and placed them both back on the mantlepiece. “AngieBelle”, she smiled, “you’re looking a bit worse for wear, old dear.”

AngieBelle’s fury intensified. ‘How dare you treat me like some cast off toy”, she thought.

Mum went into the kitchen and put the kettle on. Nothing happened. Damm, she thought, it must have tripped for some reason. She groped her way round the dark and cluttered garage to reset the trip switch, grazing her knee on a rough box. Muttering, she headed back to the kitchen, bathed the graze and put a plaster over it.

She groaned. She was sure she hadn’t switched the grill on, but there was the toast, blackened and not even fit to throw to the birds. Dad hurried downstairs wondering what the smell of burning was. Jet fled out of the living room at double his usual sedate pace and as Dad stepped off the bottom stair Jet neatly took his other foot out from under him, and he collapsed in a heap in the hall.

“Blasted cat” he muttered as he picked himself up and rubbed a painful elbow.

After breakfast Ella went to put the lights on on the tree. “Star, star” shouted Billy. At least that what Mum and Dad fondly believed he meant as he pointed to the top of the tree and screeched in delight. Dad switched it on and Billy, standing against the sofa fell over in his excitement as the lights in the star started to flash and whirl, flash and whirl.

The sudden bang made them all jump and Billy started to cry. Dad rushed to switch off the star and jumped back as he got a shock from the plug. He rushed into the garage and switched off the circuit and the star sizzled and gave off black acrid smoke as its twinkly points melted.

If anyone had looked at AngieBelle they might have noticed that her eyes held a strange gleam. If you didn’t know better, you would have thought she was laughing at the mishaps she'd caused by being dumped on the shelf with those elves. She knew where she'd be tonight - back on the top of the Christmas tree, in her rightful place.

[Gemini]

The Treasure Hunt

'But I want to stay in and play on my Nintendo switch!' moaned 10 year old Will, lying on the sofa next to the Christmas tree.
'I would rather stay in too' added his 12 year old sister Rosie. 'I want to paint each finger a different colour with that new nail set, and watch telly.'
'Oh for goodness sake you two', their mum exclaimed, 'you have been indoors either here or at Grandma's for 3 full days. Today we go out!'
'Where are we going?' asked Alfie, smiling. At least one of their children seemed keen to leave the sofa, Fiona thought.
At 6, Alfie was still happy and keen to be out and about with his family. Fiona made a mental note to make the most of this stage with her last child!

When they had Bess the dog it was a bit easier to get everyone to go out, they all seemed to enjoy woodland and beach walks with Bess to play with.
After a good happy life they had lost Bess during the summer, aged 13.
She was much missed, but not having to take her out in all weathers or find doggy care when they went on holiday were the plus points of a dog free life.

'What we are doing' said Chris zipping up his padded jacket as he came through from the hallway ' is going on a treasure hunt!'
'Hooray!' shouted Alfie, 'will we get gold coins? Or chocolate coins?' Fiona suspected either would suit her younger son.
'That's lame!' wailed Will. 'It's too cold' complained Rosie.
'You know where your coats, scarves and gloves live!' said Chris, attempting to jolly the party up. 'Get ready. You have 5 minutes then we leave.'
Alfie was jumping up and down and pulling his stripey hat onto his head, almost covering his eyes.
' Treasure Hunt, Treasure Hunt!' he chanted.
Rolling her eyes at her noisy little brother Rosie put on her black coat,and wound her fluffy pink scarf around her neck. She and Will both knew when they were beaten. Out they would have to go. At least it wasn't raining

From the passenger seat Fiona looked in the mirror at her three children sitting on the back seat. Alfie singing his own a rather tuneless treasure hunt themed song, which he made his toy dog dance to. Will immersed in some game on the screen of his Kindle Fire. Rosie plugged into her ear buds, lost in her music.
A family day out will do us all good, she told herself, mentally crossing her fingers.

As Chris pulled into the parking section of the forest walk area. Will looked up. 'This is where we came with Bess!' he said.
'Yes, she loved it here didn't she?' replied Fiona.
'We all did really' smiled Rosie, before tuning back into her music..
'All devices to be left in the car!' Chris said, 'no exceptions. This is a family walk, where we may actually speak to each other.'
Hands in pockets and heads down the two older children walked ahead. Alfie held his both his parents hands, walking between them. He let go and ran ahead to catch up with his sister. Rosie lost her slightly annoyed and bored look to take Alfie's hand. She loved her little brother very much, noisy and exuberant as he was.
'Where's this treasure then dad?' she asked, trying to get into the mood, for Alfie's sake.
'We have instructions, all printed out' her dad replied, holding out a sheet of red paper with bold black writing..

"Find a tree with an owl nearby" read Rosie aloud.
They all looked as they walked and eventually Alfie shouted 'An owl, an owl! in loud excited tones. Sure enough there next to a large tree was a wooden owl, about a foot high. 'Look underneath him,' said Will 'I think I can see something!'
Rosie lifted the owl and took the square of green paper, unfolded it and read "Look beneath the five barred gate"
'I think I can see it' yelled Alfie running ahead.
Half an hour and 6 sheets of coloured paper with clues on later, Alfie found a gold envelope. Looking over his shoulder as his brother unfolded the sheet of paper inside Will read out " Find the box upon the steps - inside the treasure lies!"

The three children looked eagerly around them.They all spotted a summer house closed for the winter and raced towards it. On the 2nd step leading up to the door they could see a large cardboard box.
'Wow, how much treasure is going to be in there?!' exclaimed Alfie grinning.
'Wait!' Rosie held her eager little brother back with her arm, listening. Carefully she approached the box and gently opened the lid. Her face lit up as she gazed down at a sweet little puppy. A tiny version of Bess.
'Oh!' gasped Will. Alfie for once was silent. Too stunned and happy for words right now, although he would no doubt make up for that later.

Behind the summer house Zoe and Matt, the children's aunt and uncle smiled, their puppy sitting job done.

'Happy Christmas' said Chris 'A late Christmas present for the whole family, and one thing we will all agree on!'
Three happy smiling faces looked up at him, and at their mum, but most of all at the new member of their family in their mum's arms.

'The best treasure hunt EVER!' said Alfie, finding his voice again!

THE END

[Daisy]

Not long ago, I said I couldn't write a story about a child or an animal with a sad ending, so I set myself the challenge of doing that. Right at the end I couldn't make it totally sad, but .... see what you think.


CHOOSING ESTHER


As always on this day of the month, Esther’s nose was pressed up against the hall window as she watched people driving and walking up to the front door. She was fascinated by the cars - she’d never been in a real one, but the people walking were more interesting as she could have a good look at them, and dream her favourite dream.

The nuns had told her not to call it Choosing Day, but that’s what it was, so that was what she called it to herself. She had on her Sunday best dress, spotlessly clean and pressed, and a pink cardigan to keep the winter chill away. She had made sure her hands and face were clean and her hair brushed till it shone. She practised her smile, the one that said “Please, please choose me. I’m a very good girl and I desperately want a Mum and Dad to call my own.”

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been living in the Orphanage. Both her Mummy and Daddy had been killed in air raids, and she’d lived with her Granny, until Gran became too sick to look after her any more. The parish Priest had said to Granny that he would take the child to an orphanage where the nuns were kind, and the children were well cared for. Esther thought it was the third Christmas she had spent there, with the big, sparkly tree she helped to decorate. She wasn’t unhappy, but she was just …. waiting. Little Patrick joined her and reached up for her hand. He clung on, and leaned his head against her. He’d been at the Orphanage since the summer and he followed Esther everywhere. In turn, she helped him with using his cutlery properly at the table, sang songs to him and played with him. At night she was allowed to tuck him up into his little bed and tell him a story. It was always a story about Mummies and Daddies, and Patrick would say they could share the same Mummy and Daddy. Esther would give him a little hug and say how nice that would be. But she knew Patrick would be chosen very soon.

Most of the children there were younger than Esther, and they seemed to come and go very quickly. A lot of Mummies and Daddies wanted babies and small children, but at 8, nearly 9, Esther was at that gangly, slightly awkward stage and the Mummies and Daddies seemed not to see her. Why, she thought, couldn’t they see that she was a really good girl and just wanted a Mummy and Daddy to love. She didn’t mind how many children she had to share her Mummy and Daddy with, but she needed someone to call her own.

By now the first Mummies and Daddies were coming through the front door, being greeted by Sister Michael and Sister Mary Joseph. All these Mummies and Daddies looked beautiful to Esther. They had nice clothes and the ladies wore little hats and shoes with thin spindly heels. She wondered what it would be like to wear shoes like that.

Already Mother Superior was talking to one couple. They pointed to Patrick, but his little chin wobbled as he came under scrutiny, and his face crumpled as he burst into tears. Esther’s soft heart forgot its own sadness as she gathered the distressed little boy into her arms. Gulping down his tears, he flung his arms round Esther’s neck and snuggled into her shoulder, hiding from the grown-ups.

“Patrick, don’t cry”, she murmured to him. “They won’t choose you if they think you’re a cry baby, and you’re not one of those anyway.” She hugged him, and his trembling body started to relax. “Ethter”, he lisped, “don’t let them take me away from you.” But the moment was over. The couple had moved on to another child, and Esther knew that they would both still be there, waiting, when the next Choosing Day came round. She hugged the little boy and whispered “Let’s go and play on the rocking horse, we can pretend we’re going on an adventure to find new Mummies and Daddies together.”

[Gemini]

Twelfth Night

It was a mild Twelfth Night this year.
Marion was quite warm by the time she had put away the last bauble from the tree and removed the Christmas cards and the rest of the decorations from around the house. Derek had taken down the outside lights and was laying them out to ensure they were dry before they too were packed away.
'That's that for another year' he remarked putting his head through the living room door 'The outside lights are done. I will put everything back in the loft later, if you pass them up to me' .'That's my job!' smiled Marion. She would much prefer one the their sons in law to be going up the loft ladder now that Derek was in his seventies, but he had other ideas!

As was the case every year, she noticed that several friends and neighbours took their decorations down before Twelfth Night. Each day from the 27th onwards, less trees sparkled from windows, less outdoor lights brightened the winter nights. Although she could sort of see the attraction of getting back to normal, she felt it was sad to see these winter-brightening delights disappearing. She was a bit of a traditionalist anyway, so to her Twelfth Night was when Christmas was 'put away'.
All four of her daughters, different as they were to each other, all followed the Twelfth Night decorations down pattern. Marion thought 'At least I have done something they all thought was a good idea!'

Putting the pile of Christmas cards down on the coffee table, Marion made mental note to look through them later. In a separate, smaller pile were the family cards. Precious ones made by the younger grandchildren, and one from each daughter.

Marion had four daughters. Very different to each other, but like them all sticking to the Twelfth Night tradition, with underlying similarities.

Clare was the eldest (how she had hated her name during her late childhood and teenage years!
'It is so plain and boring', she had complained, 'It's so unfair. Lydia has such pretty and interesting name, why did you pick Clare for me?!')

Strangely life seemed to mirror Clare's opinion of hers and her sister's names.
Clare got a steady job after uni, married Robert, a good dependable man 3 years her senior. They married, little Simon arrived 18 months later, followed by his sister Anna 2 years and 2 months after that. They moved from their tidy little 2 bed terraced house to a larger 3 bed semi with garden once their second child arrived, and there they would probably stay for the rest of their lives.
Clare was happy with her life,and now she was a grown woman even liked her name, finding it simple and classic rather than plain and boring.

Second daughter Lydia's life had taken a very different path. Married twice, several love affairs with both men and women. She had lived in various places, in houses, flats and even on a houseboat for 6 months with one partner.
She had tried her hand at various jobs, some more successful than others. Her current situation of freelance graphic design plus 2 days a week working in the quirky little wholefood cafe around the corner from her flat seemed to suit her well.
Lydia had no children and this was a sadness to her. She would have loved to be a mother, but nature decreed otherwise. She was a fun and loving aunt to her nieces and nephews, and was grateful for their presence in her life.

This Christmas the couple had seen all their daughters. This was unusual. Lydia was rarely around at Christmas, preferring to jet off somewhere hot. This year she was single, and decided to have a stay at home Christmas for a change.
Not only did they see them all, they spent Christmas Day with all four, and all the grandchildren. Marion couldn't actually remember the last time that had happened.

Looking at the family cards, Marion's mind wandered to the time spent with each daughter this Christmas.

On Christmas Eve they had been invited to Clare and Robert's house, along with Robert's parents, Jack and Sylvia. Their tree was decorated in silver and gold with tiny white lights. Tasteful silver and gold decorations were dotted around the house, a silver and gold wreath on the front door. Marks and Spencer had catered the small buffet, and a very nice chilled Sauvingon Blanc was served, with a non alcoholic version for the drivers. Anna and Simon, home from their respective universities for the holidays were out with their friends so it was a quiet, but pleasant evening.

Christmas Day was spent at the home of their youngest daughter Pippa.
Life at Pippa and Mark's rambling Edwardian terraced house was always busy and hectic, and a family Christmas Day even more so!
Lucy, at 15, tall and slim, all long hair, perfume and fluffy jumper greeted her grandparents at the door. 'Happy Christmas!' she said hugging them both.
'Granny, Granddad!' came the cries from across the house and Marion and Derek were almost knocked over by three little figures. 8 year old Adam, his twin sister Emily, closely followed by 5 year old Josh, all tried to hug their grandparents. Josh was waving a large toy dinosaur under his grandfathers nose.
'Hi Mum, Dad!' called Pippa from the kitchen, wearing a reindeer covered apron and rubber gloves 'Come in, move the little monsters out of the way!'
Seventeen for lunch - turkey with all the trimmings followed by Christmas pud, ice cream for the children, and as much chocolate as they could eat. Laughter, chaos, a big tree with multi coloured lights and decorations of all sorts, many made by the children. Home made steamers hung everywhere. A total contrast to Clare's house last night.
Marion suspected neither sister would want to live in the other's home!

On Boxing Day it was Caroline's home they were invited to.
Caroline, Rick and 16 year old Becky lived in a 5 bedroom Executive Home. Quite why they needed so many rooms with only one daughter and 2 Persian cats Marion wasn't sure, but kept her council of course. Caroline was a busy career woman , rarely inviting any of her family round, so this Boxing Day invitation was real pleasure.
They ate Salmon en croute with new potatoes, asparagus, roasted cherry tomatoes and green beans. Homemade mixed berry Pavlova for pudding. Caroline was a good cook, it was her way of relaxing away from work. After the meal they played Trivial Pursuit and Cluedo, Becky seeming to enjoy these retro games. That or she was humouring the Oldies!

On the 27th Marion went to visit Lydia. Derek was playing in a golf competition. 'Come over Mum, and we'll have a girls afternoon' suggested Lydia.
A large star made of tiny white lights hung in the front window. Inside the flat many candles, a modern twig tree with lights and a few minimalist baubles were the sole decorations, along with the Christmas cards. 'Less to take down on Twelfth Night' Lydia joked.
Mother and daughter sat companionably side by side on Lydia's large comfortable sofa. They ate chicken curry from trays on their knees, followed by mince pies. Between them lay a box of Quality Street, which they enjoyed whilst watching The Wizard of Oz, yet again.

'Who knows what the next year will bring?' mused Marion putting the lid on the box of baubles. 'If it brings all my family together again next Christmas, I will be a happy woman!' was her conclusion.

[Gemini]

Just bumping up this thread . Our Christmas stories are worth a re-read each year


.. and feel free to add to it of course!

[Daisy]

Gem, it's lovely to read them all again.

I hope we get some more to add to our "Christmas Anthology" this year. xx

[Plantaholic]

Great read

[Daisy]

I've got a bit of an idea. I'll have to work on it.

[Gemini]

I will search for inspiration