Let's write a Christmas Story!

freshpopcorn

So, this this popped into my head that we should write a Christmas story together.


It was late November Aidan and Claire were looking forward to there first Christmas as a married couple and there first Christmas in there new home.
When they moved in they stored some decorations in the attic.
Aidan decided to go into the attic to retrieve them............

TRS30

..........as he crawled towards them, his heart filled with joy at the approach festive season, he suddenly felt water on his hands. As he got closer he could vaguely see the wet boxes ahead of him. He could also hear the dripping of water, on closer inspection he could see the water coming through a crack in the roof lining. As he felt the boxes full of decoration, he opened them with dread, knowing what he would find. They were ruined..........

otnomart

.....the lights were a write-off, the tinsel was a soaked and tangled mess (Claire would certainly not miss that). But the baubles seemed still fine. Aidan brought down the box, while the doorbell rung with their food delivery. Lamb passanda for her; chicken korma for him. They decided to look through the baubles after dinner .....................

rubberdungeon

but the evening didn’t go as planned. Claire’s sister Mary and her boyfriend Joe came round unannounced with a bottle of wine to kick off the season so to speak. While Aidan and Joe polished off the wine, it was left to Claire and Mary to sort through the soggy mess. Thankfully all of the shiny baubles had survived but the sentimental craft card ones were ruined. The craft card ones had been made by Aidan’s dad Noel, as a gift for their new home. Before he passed away, Noel spent his quiet hours cutting up old Christmas cards into triangular shapes. Each shape was bent back on itself and stapled until a a ball was formed and some string attached so it could hang and you could see all the assorted and odd Christmas scenes from the cut out cards. Claire didn’t want to tell Aidan they were ruined while he was a little merry, but as joe got up to go the loo he notices the soggy cardboard and ..............

namenotavailablE

...exclaimed "Oh! What a pity about those sodden decorations."

The room went silent. Everyone, apart from Joe (seemingly), knew the enormous sentimental value Aidan attached to the decorations which Noel had made.

Noel had made Christmas 'extra Christmassy' for everyone- they used to joke that he was so appropriately named- and both Aidan and his twin sister Yvonne had incredibly fond memories of Christmas when Noel was a young Dad. The stories of his exploits were told and retold- there was the way that Noel used to handwrite Santa responses to the children's requests, the script all curly and artistic and 'extra magic'. The letters cleverly referenced key 'good acts' which Aidan or Yvonne had done to impress Santa and it invariably made them both feel that their Christmas wishes would be granted.
Then there was the time when Aidan and Yvonne had made a secret pact when they were 4 years old to try and act as sentry on Christmas eve, with the intention of getting a sneak peek at Santa as he delivered the gifts. They had taken it in turns to stay awake and proved remarkably effective in so doing. Noel was tasked with the gift delivery (he loved the whole act of leaving the presents in place without being heard) and used to recount how each time he tried to approach the room he'd hear the whispers "I think I hear something, wake up!". He reckoned his veins still flowed with all the caffeine he consumed that night.
The best time though was the following year, when the snow fell all day on Christmas eve. The grass was coated white so - when the night fell- Noel dusted the soles of his wellingtons with coal dust and ashes from the fire, made big wellington steps on the carpet with more steps visible on the pristine snow. He even carved what looked like sleigh-tracks and reindeer hoof prints into the snow. The magic the next morning! Yep- memories of Noel were always something special.

Aidan then spoke, responding to the revelation about the sodden crafts....

Day Lewin

"Sodden is as sodden does" he cleverly retorted.
"All that damp cardboard can be perfectly shredded to make a snow scene for the crib!
My father's work will not forgotten..."

Mary said,.
"Where's your crib figures?"

namenotavailablE

A perfect opportunity for a spot of pantomime (how Noel would have approved!): "They're behiiiinddd you!" they all chorused to Mary.
"In the Kimberley biscuit tin", Aidan clarified.

"I should have known", said Mary, a little sheepishly. "Sure wasn't it me who tidied them away last year when you guys went off on your jaunt to London. Actually, how did you find that hotel in London? Myself and Joe were sort of thinking of making a trip there in November."

Aidan and Claire looked at each other...

TRS30

........neither of them knew what to say........the swingers club was very specific, members only.

Aidan started to stammer and break out in a sweat, so Claire jumped in 'you wouldn't really like it, we weren't very impressed with the people staying there' 'why don't I get another bottle of wine and you guys can tell us about your Christmas plans' she said to try and change the conversation.

Mary and Joe looked at each other and Mary burst into tears........

... and cried “Joe wants to be now known as Josephine and he’s worn my best summer dress 3 times in the last month.”

“That’s so strange”, replied Claire, “A summer dress in November?” “Do explain Joe, oh er, Josephine”.

namenotavailablE

"Nothing untoward, don't worry", said Joe. "It's the school play we're preparing with the kids. I have to play the part of Old Mother Hubbard so want to get used to all the whatchamacallit of being a woman!"

"I see. Sounds like you're going to have fun", replied Claire. "Why the tears, though, Mary?", she asked. "All a bit silly, really" said Mary, sort of laughing. "Joe really believes in giving his acting moment 110% so is trying every trick in the book to get in character. I saw my best dress combined with old working boots AND my most recent lipstick purchase from Chanel being used as blusher. In a sense, the man I've known and loved is gone from my life for the next 4 weeks!"

They laughed.

"I remember the one school play I participated in when I was 9", said Aidan. "It was a blast." Aidan could spin a good yarn, so they were all listening.....

TRS30

Aidan was staring off into the mid distance as he reminisced............'I didn't really want to be in the play, as it due to be on just before Christmas and I wanted to spend all my extra time at home helping with the Christmas planning. However when I heard the play was a recreation of the birth of Jesus, I changed my mind.

'You know what Aidan is like, when he sets his mind to something' Claire laughed 'so didn't he end up getting the part of Joseph'.

Aidan blushed, 'Well as Dad use to say, if something is worth doing, its worth doing right.' 'Rehearsals were great fun and especially as Mary was being played by Amy, the hottest girl in school'. Claire threw him the daggers however Aidan didn't even notice.

'The best bit was they decided to use real animals. You'd thinking that was a risky idea and it was, you'll never guess what happened'........

Day Lewin

We waited expectantly, and Aidan resumed.

"The little children had all been given the part of extra shepherds and angels.
I don't know where they got the lambs from, but the little shepherds were full of enthusiasm for the job.
Only thing is, they didn't know the difference between a lamb and a Colorado steer: they yelled at the lambs and waved sticks at them, driving them towards the stable.
A flock of white fleecy animals over-ran the crib and plunged over the edge of the stage.
I was playing Joseph, so..."

freshpopcorn

The door bell rang. Aidan walked to the door and looked through the spy hole. It was Clare's and Mary's mother.
Mary spoken or seen her mother for over six years since the incident.
Aidan froze and didn't know what to do.