Proud Father’s Note: Chloe wrote this as a gift to me for Christmas this year.

The Sister’s Night Before Christmas

Christmas Eve rolled around again, and all was quiet. We had just hung up our stockings and laid out the milk and cookies, hoping that presents were gonna appear. My brothers were curled up in their beds, dreaming of who-knows-what. I was in my plaid, next to my books on their shelves, ready to get a good nights sleep. After I couldn’t get to sleep, I was shaken with a noise from outside. I peeked out from under my pillow, then couldn’t see anything so I got out of bed to pull aside the curtain.

There, gleaming atop the moonlit snow, was a sleigh. With 8…Reindeer? Then I noticed the man in the sleigh as he called out something. I raised the window to hear better. “.. er! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixon! On, Comet! On Cupid! On Donner and Blitzen!” Somehow that sleigh came to rest on our roof. When the sleigh bells stopped jingling, I could hear the reindeer pawing restlessly, then a THUMP. I ran downstairs as quietly as I could, heart pounding excitedly, then stopped when I saw the bright red suit, now dulled with a filmy grey veil.

Spilling out from the bag at his boots was an assortment of stuffed animals, Barbie dolls, little green army men, board games, and all manner of books. My eyes couldn’t take it all in. A merry, round face and an also merry, also round, belly turned toward me. I ducked into the kitchen so he wouldn’t see me. A rustling noise aroused my curiosity, and I peeked around to see him attending to his duties, then picking up a Christmas cookie, disappearing into the dining room, chuckling as he passed our ‘historical’ tree. I followed him into the dining room, then stared as he cocked his head, looking at our ‘travel’ tree. I ducked back into the kitchen as he began to turn back around again.

“You know what they say,” He called out in a resounding but somehow calming voice “he sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake.” He paused, his smile getting wider “ and I would say, you are most certainly awake.” He paused once again, this time gesturing towards our ‘travel’ tree. “You seem to be quite the traveler.” I nodded, too stunned to speak as I stepped out from the shadows. “Ah, you look just like your mother when she was your age! And your grandmother too, ya know.” I kept staring. My Grandmother? How old was this guy? “But you seem more like your father, eh? Ever the mischievous one!” I nodded, blushing.

“How’s your arm feeling? Took quite the tumble earlier this year, didn’t ya? In July? Foot slipped out from under you as ya fell down the stairs, huh?” My mouth flopped open. “I’ll tell you a secret,” he beckoned for me to walk over, “Your father broke his nose walking into a closed glass door, and your mother, well, she fell into the bucket bobbing for apples when they were both your age!” I giggled as he walked me into the living room. He pressed something into my hand, picked up his sack, then whispered loudly, “Now get to bed, young lady. You’ve got a long day tomorrow. I’ve ridden the drive done to Virginia, and it’s a long one!”

I ran back up to my room, giddy with excitement! It was only then that I looked at what he had pressed into my hand. There, dangling from a thin silver thread, was a rosy cheeked, golden haired, perfectly poised, ice skater. A voice rang out, “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!” My brothers were going to be so, so jealous. Or maybe not. Maybe, hopefully, this was my little secret.

Hope you liked it!
Merry Christmas, Dad!
Love,
Chloe