The CBB :: View topic - The magic of Christmas

#1: The magic of Christmas Author: CBB Secret Santa,

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:31 am

The snow lay thick on the ground in Innsbruck that day and the river was frozen. It was glorious in its beauty, but for our family it meant that what little money we had had to be spent on warm clothes and coal for the fire, and so there was nothing left with which to buy treats for Christmas. Life was hard in those days. I was the eldest child in my family and I knew that my younger brothers and sisters were waiting eagerly for the presents which the Christ Kindl would bring them when we returned from Midnight Mass, for they had strived all year to be good. I knew also that my hard-working parents were grieved that they had almost nothing to give them, and I knew that for my little brothers and sisters the magic of Christmas would fade that year and that they would learn all too soon of the harsh realities of life.

It was icy cold that evening, but I longed to see the houses of the wealthier people, to peep through the windows at their merrily-decorated rooms, at the Christmas trees which the parents were preparing for the children, and to listen to them as they sang carols round their pianos. So I slipped out of our home when my parents were not looking, and I found a house where the shutters had not been closed, and stood outside, listening to the singing and the laughter. I knew that covetousness was a deadly sin and indeed I did not covet their wealth or their grand house, but I wished, oh how I wished, that I was able to buy those few little treats which would preserve the magic of Christmas for my brothers and sisters. I prayed that I might, somehow, from somewhere, find the means to do so.

Then a girl, not much older than myself, with black eyes and straight black hair, clad in many layers of warm clothing, ran up to me and pressed some money into my hands. She spoke to me in a language that I could not understand, but I knew from her tones and actions what she was saying to me. I kissed her fingers and said the only thing that I could think of to say – “God bless thee”.

Many of the shops were still open and I rushed to buy my gifts of fruit and nuts and chocolate, and when the little ones saw what the Christ Kindl had brought for them they knew that their efforts to be good throughout the year had not gone unrewarded, and so the magic of Christmas remained alive for them. That day, ours was a very happy home.

I have never forgotten the girl who was the answer to my prayers that day, and I often wonder who she was and what became of her. Every Christmas, I remember her in my prayers, and I ask that she might always enjoy the magic of Christmas in a happy home – a Freudesheim.

#2: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 9:38 am

Oh that's really beautiful! *tries hard not to sniffle*

Thank you Santa - lucky Vikki!

#3: Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:06 am

Aww. How lovely. lucky Vikki

#4: Author: Chair, Location: Rochester, Kent, England

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 10:15 am

Thanks, Secret Santa. That was a lovely drabble for Vikki. Vikki is definitely a lucky girl.

#5: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 1:31 pm

Thanks, Secret Santa.

#6: Author: JustJen, Location: Dorval, Quebec

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:19 pm

Oh that was lovely

#7: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:47 pm

Oh, that was so lovely - thank you, Secret Santa Very Happy

#8: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:53 pm

Thank you so much Santa!!! That was absolutely beautiful!

*hugs Santa tight*

#9: Author: gaityr, Location: Singapore

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:12 pm

That was lovely - thank you Santa!
Lucky Vikki!! Smile

#10: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 4:46 pm

Aww that was lovely! Smile

#11: Author: Rosy, Location: Gloucestershire-London-Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:25 pm

Nice to have another side of the story. Lovely - thankyou Santa!

#12: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 5:50 pm

That was beautiful - thank you Vikki's Santa.

Liz

#13: Author: Amanda M, Location: Wakefield

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:14 pm

That was lovely to see the other side of that story.

Thanks Santa

Star Wars

#14: Author: MaryR, Location: Sale Cheshire

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 7:48 pm

Wonderful - and so touching.

Thank you.

#15: Author: francesn, Location: away with the faeries

Posted: Mon Dec 05, 2005 8:07 pm

What a lovely little scene - thank you Santa.

#16: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 12:45 am

So warm and lovely...and Christmassy! Very Happy

#17: Author: Identity Hunt, Location: UK

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 5:39 pm

This is absolutely gorgeous !!
Thank you Santa :-0

#18: Author: flitterwit, Location: london

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 7:06 pm

very christmassy!

#19: Author: Le Petite Em, Location: Cheltenham

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 8:52 pm

Wow- it's nearly Christmas!
Thanks Santa

#20: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 9:52 pm

That was beautiful, the last line gave me goosebumps. Lovely.

#21: Author: RuthY, Location: Anyone's guess

Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2005 6:55 pm

Aww that was gorgeous. Thank you Santa

#22: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2005 6:43 am

Beautiful Christmas story, Santa. Very Happy

The least line was especially touching.

#23: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 12:05 am

A beautiful drabble Santa, thank you.

#24: Author: Joy,

Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2005 7:52 pm

That's just so lovely (snuffle, sniff) Many thanks............

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