The Christmas Tree

by

Paul G Jutras

 

I remember how Christmas once was with the whole family. Especially the tree. After I would be all bundled in my brown snowsuit, thick black snow boots, rainbow hat with a pom-pom top and mittens, we'd all get into mom's large station wagon. The ride never seem to take long, though we would travel quite a distance. What better way to get a Christmas tree than to cut down one own. The feeling one got when one found the right tree was almost magic.

Working together, Dad and I would soon have the tree down and the tree of us would load it aboard the car. Worth the money when we got it home and worked together to decorate it in balls, candy canes, Christmas cookies and other festive items. At this time of year I would prefer the magic glow of the tree when the lights were plugged in over the heat of the fireplace.

Mom and dad were always early raisers while I preferred to stay up late. As I left my room that night, the glow of the tree shined upon my green Incredible Hulk pajamas and slippers. I observed hanging from the tree a bell shape cookie with red frosting, a wreath shape cookie with green frosting and a star shape cookie with a mixture of red and white frosting. What I liked most were the gingerbread cookies with all of the frostings used.

As I finished the cookie that night, I found myself getting sleepy. As I collapsed to the tree skirt; I thought I heard the sound of hoof footsteps on the roof, and felt like my hair was growing. Tickling the back of my neck as I slept.

"Wake up, Paula." A name so close to my own got my attention. As my eyes fluttered open I knew at once that I wasn't who I was. I stood up to find myself standing in pink ankle length nightgown and matching slippers. "The family will be here soon."

As I looked mom over in her denim dress and black open toe heels I saw that even in this altered reality that mom didn't wear nylons for hardly any reason. Heading up to my room, I changed into a white shirt, blue jeans and sneakers with a pair of white nylon peds.

 

With the falling snow outside, they arrived family after family. My Uncles, my grandmother and Aunts. My cousins and more. One would wonder if there would be enough food to go around. Like every year they'd be some left over you can be sure.

After a buffet lunch where I mostly ate finger sandwiches and devil eggs, there came a loud: Ho- Ho- Ho! From upstairs. Santa came stumbling down and I knew at once it was my grandpa after drinking. The youngest of my cousins always got a kit of the floor show he provided every year. More than the rest of us anyway.

Taking the presents out from under the tree, he called them out by name. "Here's Kim's, Here's Philip, Here's Jennifer, He's Kayla, He's Katrina, He's Paula. One by one they were tossed across the room while we all ran about like chickens with their heads cut off. Trying to keep the fragile stuff from breaking.

When the last of the presents were handed out, Santa removed his cap and put of names of my cousins and me in it. "Time to see who wins your grandma's lottery prize of $25." He would say as he reached in. To my surprise it was me.

As the morning snow stopped falling my cousins that year ran off to change and get their sleds. I went upstairs to change into my new pink snow suit and fuzzy boots. With a pom-pom hat and mittens to match I got out the sled I had left outside over night once last winter so the blue roll up sled wouldn't roll anymore.

What a race down the hill along the side of the house it was. Roll up sleds and saucer sleds. Toboggan sleds for two and those for four. The hill beside my house was the coolest place to slide. With the prickle bushes at the bottom of the hill it was always a contest on who could get closest without actually getting pricked.

One of the time which I pulled the sled back up the hill, I slipped on a piece and ice and landed in the snow on my back. Right away I just stared up into Heaven and began to make snow angels. My cousins Jennifer and Philip began to join me, when Kayla started a snowball fight.

It was boys against the girls and for once I was on the side which I belong. The snowmen building, snowball fights an snow forts went on for hours. Before I knew it, it was starting to get dark. With the day exhausting most, I was the only one I thought to be up when I heard someone in the living room.

"Grandpa?" I asked seeing Santa by the fireplace. "Why are you still in costume?"

With a gleam in his eye and his finger to his noes, I watched as Santa faded like it was up the chimney he roes. I thought I heard the sound of sleigh bells on the room and as I looked down at my new self, a smile spread across my face. That's when I whispered: Merry Christmas to you too, Santa."

 

Now this tale is nothing more than a bed time story for me to tell my grand kids now. Not that they or anyone would believe it to be true. I'm not the only one who knows that it's so. Somewhere in time and space is a man in a red suit name Nick. He knows it's true because it was the spirit of Christmas that makes miracles happen when you least expect them. Especially on the holiest of nights.

 

THE END

 

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© 2001 by Paul Jutras. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, compilation design) may printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without express written consent of the copyright holder.