Dec 25, 2021
Family Christmas By Larry F Neal Jr.
Act I. The Season
Our story starts with a little boy named Marcus McKissack, he lived with his parents Mary and Hunter and they loved the winter season. It meant they would have warm things to eat, an inviting fire always in the fireplace, and as much family time as they could get! Marcus was especially fond of laying on the floor by the hearth and playing a game with his Father they had made up together. All this while his Mother was never far away, baking wonderful smelling things, and sewing beautiful warm things. This was something that Marcus was thankful for but was not sure why it happened every year.
This year, he would find out.
“Why does mom cook so many pies?” He wondered as he rolled the dice and decided which route to take.
“Your mother makes the best pies, son. Didn't you know that?” Hunter smiled at his son.
“Well Yeah dad everybody knows that, ooh an Ogre! Leave him for me?!”
“Sure Son. So do you know then why she makes so many Pies?”
Marcus thought long and hard.
“Well we start eating them as soon as it gets cold outside, and we never run out, so she's putting them up for us all winter?”
“Good guess, but no. Think about it some more and come and tell me when you know the reason. There, you have the Ogre, and I have the Troll, that's a good place to stop, next time we will get to the castle and free our Ranger then your mother can join us!”
Marcus enthusiastically put up the pieces to the game after carefully marking their current positions and overall game state. His idea was that they could have an adventure as a family, in sessions. He knew his parents were busy with work and he, school, so this was his way of ensuring that they could always play when time was available to them. So far they had been playing the same characters for as long as he could remember, and he went from understanding that he loved the game, to knowing how much he loved his family. Not bad for a board game.
There! He had one part of it, he was sure of it, but he needed more time to work it out, he would answer his Fathers question. (Giving)
Act II. Feeling
Marcus went about his household chores during this time of year with a little more expectation than usual. It felt good to be doing things that made his parents happy without them asking him. He wondered to himself why that was. Why did he think about it more now than any other time of the year, usually? With no easy answer he looked around his room; His toys all lined up for ‘inspection’ a game he liked to play when he was alone. His tallest toys in the rear, soldiers and robots and that one plush horse he loved. Next came his smaller robots and action figures, they always made up the second line. Then came his miniature toys, things his father brought him back from trips, tiny versions of some of his favorite things. The next row was made up of some of his marble collection and lastly, his prized diecast cars, from sleek to off road to fantasy, if it was a ship or a real car, the toy companies made a version of it, Marcus made a point to get his favorites, helped by his Mother who always went with him to movies and events. She knew just as much about some of them as he did!
Marcus took his journal from his desk drawer and adjusted his chair so that he could look out of his window. Opening the curtains he witnessed the brilliant winter night with its quiet beautiful snowfall. As always it gave him comfort, but this time for the first time, it also inspired him.
Settling in with his journal he read over his notes, he nearly got lost in it all while looking out the window, the snow was falling, smells from the fireplace downstairs and his mothers cooking! He turned the overhead lights off in his freshly cleaned room, the Christmas candle burning on his desk shone brightly. The shade had patterns of holiday items etched directly into it, with colored glass inset to reflect and refract the light. He loved the shifting holiday scene it painted on his ceiling and walls as the light flickered and danced about. The smells all combined with the sights conspired to transport him to the best place of all: Safety, serenity and contentment.
Wait! Perhaps that was it, now he had another part, another key to the question and was that much closer to the answer! (Family)
Act III. The Reason
“Marcus! Come on down, let's get going!” Hunter was bundled up against the cold, but all the work packing the car had him sweating, so he wiped his brow as he used the tone that meant he was ready to go.
Marcus bounded down the stairs, the morning was bright, snow covered the world outside it seemed this gave the neighborhood houses that bright, pure white only a snow covered landscape can.
“I’m here Dad! And I’m ready!” He pulled his coat on over his heavy sweater.
“What no toy, this year?” Hunter asked his son.
“No, dad I’m not a kid any more, I’m going to help this year, so I figure I won't have time to be playing.” He answered resolutely.
“I think that is a wonderful idea, Son.” Mary kissed her Son the way mothers do when they notice them growing up, and he didn’t even protest.
“Not too grown for a kiss from your Mother I see!” Hunter teased his son as he kissed his wife on the cheek.
The McKissacs headed out into the brilliant morning’s wonderland, the winter birds flitted about from tree to tree looking for a rare winter meal. The evergreen trees and Holly bushes among all the dormant trees stood out in brilliant contrast; fresh deep green and brilliant life affirming red. The trees the McKissacks planted when they moved in had long since grown large enough for decorations, each year they added something new to them. The large old fashioned lights sparkled in the brilliant morning sunlight almost as if they were lit.
“Wow, its as nice in the day as it is at night!” Marcus exclaimed.
“Yes it is.” His Father agreed.
“Christmas Snow makes everything sparkle just a little bit brighter!” His Mother enthused.
The family loaded into the car and headed out. Driving into the city on Christmas Eve, brilliant decorations were everywhere to be seen. Marcus peered over the window and saw children playing, mothers walking with their families and even the animals seemed to be paired off and enjoying one another.
He took out his notebook and began to write furiously, right before him there were more answers to the question, usually at this time he had his imagination fully in one of his toys and missed most of this ride. But this year he was paying attention and he would not miss it! He would be ready to answer the question his Father asked him. It was a very important question with a lot of meaning beyond just baking, it was about the meaning for the whole season to his entire family, he knew that. What he would know when this was over is what it meant to him.
Looking in the rear view mirror Hunter saw his son was engrossed in what he was doing, he tapped his wife and nodded, she flipped her visor mirror down and looked at her child as well.
“What is he doing? Working on that game?” She said under her breath with a smile.
“No, I don’t think so, I’ve not seen that much determination from him when working on a game, this is something else, I believe.” He answered.
“Do you know what?”
“I think I do.” He smiled and grabbed her hand.
Mary knew her boys were special, but even though she had to admit she was not sure what was going on now, it felt good, so she squeezed Hunter's hand back and enjoyed the ride.
Marcus saw them holding hands between the seats and happiness swelled up inside him. He smiled as he made a new entry in his notebook. (Together)
Act IV. The Day
After a full day of delivering gifts and meals and pies and receiving the same, the McKissacs arrived home and unloaded their bounty.
As Marcus brought in the rest of the wood for the fire, it was Christmas Eve after all, his parents put the finishing touches on settling in for the night. Dinner was cooked and on the table, the pie cooling in the kitchen for dessert smelled wonderful. The ingredients for making Christmas Cookies were on the counter. The family tree, well it was just about the best tree in all the land, Marcus would lay under it for hours marveling at the sights and scents coming from it and dreaming about the presents wrapped with love underneath.
First the family Dinner, then cookies and perhaps if there was time, a quick game of their special Christmas Scenario as a family before off to bed with Marcus.
But this year, he had something else to add to the schedule.
“So Son, you haven't forgotten what I asked, have you? Have you figured it out?” Hunter was proud of him.
“I have Dad, can I tell you now?” He was eager.
Mary came and sat with Hunter and they looked at their young Son and awaited his answer.
“So Dad, you asked me why mom bakes so much. But it's more than that, because we collect clothes, and she makes clothes. You fix broken things and every year we give at least as many presents as we have under the tree now, away all over town, not just to those we know either.”
“Go on.” Hunter was sitting up now.
“So I started thinking and I understand why she does it. I know how much her baking makes me feel good, how safe, how loved. How good it tastes. So Giving is the first part of the answer. The next part is this, us. The family, people travel from all over to be with each other, not that we need anything, because our best memories are tied up in family, you don’t really have to bring a gift when you ARE the gift. Family is one of the best parts of everything we do. And that brings me to the final part, it plays off of the previous part. Being Together is so special because its here we find Safety, serenity and contentment. These are the reasons why WE give so much, as best as we can. I would not have been able to put it any other way if I had not been old enough to be able to experience it for myself, now that I have I want to work to make sure I feel that way year around. So I know it's not the things we give or do but the effort IN doing them. Sharing who we are and what we stand for, putting love into action because we do love, not just because we want something in return. Did I get it right?”
Mary and Hunter wiped the tears from their eyes and both hugged Marcus tightly.
“Yes Son, you got it absolutely right. Merry Christmas.”