I love decorating and baking. I love the music, the memories and I love the meaning that I believe in. Maybe most of all... I love the light of Christmas. The soft glows from carefully decorated trees in windows, the outdoor displays, ice and snow sculptures glistening in warm light graciously offered by the moon and stars. It's a sparkle that just can't be beat and it brings me a joy I can't even begin to describe.
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| A Christmas tree never loses its magic! |
Another of my greatest loves is in writing stories for children. I've not been able to have kiddoes of my own in life but I love being an aunty to my niece and my nephews. I love being silly and laughing hysterically with them and I especially loved the cuddly storybook times shared with them when they were little. I thought it would be fun to share both of my loves in this looking-forward-to-Christmas post... Christmas lights and story time. I wrote this little story-poem a few years ago when I was worried I might just be losing my own Christmas Spirit but thankfully, I found it again... just in time.
The Christmas Light
Decorating for Christmas
Hattie loved most of all to do,
it was all she planned and dreamt about
each day, the whole year through!
Snowflakes, ornaments
and lights flashed through her mind,
as she remembered all the good and fun
festivities now behind.
But looking forward into the future,
to all the grand surprises it held,
kept her waking with a smile each morning
cheerfully springing herself out of bed.
It seemed to take almost FOREVER
for another year to work its way through,
and marking each calendar day that passed
brought excitement that grew and grew and grew!
And then at long last, the evening had arrived,
Hattie's family gathered 'round to decorate,
but something was off, something just wasn't right
and their decorating would simply have to wait.
It was the lights that were not working
to brighten and warm their Christmas tree,
even her dad couldn't figure what was wrong
so new lights, they supposed, would have to be.
"They're very old lights anyhow,"
Hattie's dad explained with a shrug,
"we'll go buy some more in the morning..."
he promised with a reassuring hug.
So early the very next morning
Hattie sat quietly ready in wait,
to go out and find the most perfect lights
for her family to celebrate.
Finally Hattie's dad did awake
and got himself ready to go,
while she sat waiting in anxious agony
from watching him moving SO SLOW!
It seemed an eternity had passed
when, at last, they were well on their way,
but Hattie looked forward with hope
that this would be their day.
She knew they would find the most beautiful lights
then rush home to string them 'round the tree,
so they could cast their perfect, glimmering light
and make the tree one incredible sight to see.
Hattie hadn't realized quite what she was in for
nor the difficulty she would endure,
because the perfect lights sat in wait just for her
and of this she was positively sure.
The store, she soon discovered
was filled up WAY past full,
with garlands,ornaments and light sets
stacked row... upon row... upon... ROW!
It would almost certainly take them
the whole day long to find,
the right lights to offer their tree
it's own bright and wonder-filled shine.
There were boxes upon boxes
from which she would have to choose,
and she wasn't sure she had what it takes
to fill such decision-making shoes.
There were long cords, there were short cords,
some looked old and some brand new.
There were green bulbs, there were red bulbs,
there were yellow and orange bulbs, too.
There were clear bulbs, there were blue bulbs,
even pink and purple to boot!
There were star-shaped, there were icicle-shaped,
there were teardrops and bells, as well.
There were candle-shaped, there were snowflake-shaped,
and others of which she couldn't even tell!
They were all so bright and pretty
each in their own special way,
so why none seemed remotely right
was something she just couldn't say.
Disheartened, they headed in silence
back outside and over to their car,
the lights having proven much harder to find
than anything else had, by far.
'If only it had been the bows...'
in her mind she forlornly thought,
for she'd already seen so many of those
she'd proudly and gladly have bought.
Even the ornaments that carefully hung
upon hook after hook after hook,
would have been far easier a choice
and she could tell after just one quick look.
There were still a few more stores
in which they would surely come to find,
the lights-of-perfection in wait just for them
the ones she could see in her mind.
All too soon were they to find
that they'd wasted the whole, entire day,
so Hattie and her dad returned home with no lights
in moods of regret and dismay.
Hattie sunk into a sadness
she'd never before ever known,
where nothing seemed able to cheer her
so she spent all her time on her own.
She'd sit and she's stare right straight into the tree
wondering why in the world it was so,
that the lights in her mind she could so clearly see
were causing her heart so much woe.
And then came the night
peaceful and special it should have been,
but was the wrong time altogether
to Hattie it did seem.
They strolled their way through the Festival of Lights
which had each year before seemed so bright,
but Hattie grew sadder with each passing step
giving all, even her, a great fright.
Hattie's Christmas Spirit was gone
and what would happen if it never returned,
would she find peace and joy in her heart ever again
or live the rest of her life feeling spurned?
And so the family quietly left
having seen only half the displays,
with plans to return and finish their walk
but for now had to be on their way.
The service was soon to begin
and they just didn't want to be late,
for they always tried to be to Church right on time
especially on this one special date.
It was the Eve of Baby Jesus' birth
and Hattie's heart, at last, began to lift,
she was shown once again the true meaning
of our one True and Heavenly gift.
It had never been the tree lights, after all,
that had always made the season so bright,
it was all the love and joy so openly shared
upon a perfect Christmas Night.
Back, once more, at the Festival
wandering slowly to finish their tour,
a disaster quite suddenly happened
to threaten the spirits of all there, for sure!
Every single string of bulbs
at once just ceased to glow,
but it was thanks to spirit-filled Hattie
the others smiles again shortly showed.
Standing there in the now darkened park
in a crowd where grief did course strong,
Hattie raised her eyes to the Heavens to find
the light she'd been searching all along.
She pointed to the star shining brilliantly
from far above them in the eastern sky,
instantly it warmed each and every heart with joy
as Angels serenaded on high.
The meaning of Christmas had made itself clear
and Hattie would never forget,
even though it had taken a little while to see the truth
she had not one single regret.
And so they'd gone home in elation
to yet another surprise waiting bright,
and had stood 'round together just gazing in awe
at their Christmas tree now bathed in light.
Every old bulb shone warmly in splendor
more brightly than ever before,
they had witnessed the Miracle of Christmas
in pure faith now their hearts did all soar.
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