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Christmas Inspirational Happy

“You don’t get it, Fie. I don’t want anything.”

Shoppers pushed by. Oblivious to his surroundings, Owen stood between shelves stacked high with Christmas décor. Looking exasperated, Fiona pointed to their surroundings.

“Wake up!”

He mimicked her and ended with an exaggerated yawn.

“I have what I need.” He shook his head. “Look at this crap. Kitsch, kitsch, kitsch… Could have cornered the glitter market.”

Fiona held up a gnarly gnome leaning on a candy cane.

“Here, Owen. This is so cute! How can you resist?”

“No more dust collectors. Simplify! Don’t need shelves stacked with stuff…”

Fiona remained undaunted. “Fine. You don’t want to decorate. But you must want something. A nice gift. I want to…”

“I’ll get it on sale.”

Fiona rolled her eyes.

He leaned in. “You know this is a last chance ploy to boost the economy. Follow the money. Buy! Buy! Hurry! More! Spend! All this hap, hap, happiness is killing me. Cha-ching!”

Her turn to yawn, she’d heard it all before.

He continued. “You want the truth? Santa is just a greedy little Buddha in a fancy suit. Give him a top hat… you’d mistake him for Mr. Monopoly.”

Fiona’s look combined disappointment and pity for his stubbornness.

He said, “Don’t pull that face. Not fair. No one agrees? So what? Enjoy it. I speak for myself. Don’t expect converts.”

They walked out of the store.

Fiona tried another tack. “How ‘bout…”

“No. Nothing. Nada.”

“But…”

“You don’t get it. Not even a gift card.”

“Food?”

“To some restaurant I’ll never go to? I’ll eat where I like, thank you.”

“What is it, Owen? Why so adamant about a simple gift?”

“Must we do this every year?”

“But Christmas used to be fun.”

“Sheesh! How many ties can one man own?”

They didn’t talk much after that.

~

The next day, Fiona and her daughter, Lark, went shopping.

Lark asked, “What can I get Daddy?”

Fiona pursed her lips. “He wants you to make him something personal. Draw him a picture. Or write a poem…”

“What’s his problem? We’re supposed to exchange gifts. It’s Christmas!”

“I don’t know, honey. I think it goes back to something that happened between Stan and him…”

“Who?”

“His brother.”

“Wait… what? Daddy has a brother? Where is he? Why don’t know about my uncle? Do I have cousins? What happened?”

“They were kids. I don’t think they’ve seen each other in years… something about an electric fence.”

“I don’t get it. What would they…?”

“I can’t explain it, Lark. Guess it’s a ‘guy’ thing. Boys do crazy stuff.”

Lark mulled that vague explanation. ‘Electric fence… crazy boys…’ Her face lit up.

Then, “Ewww!”

“Enough, Lark. I don’t want to hear it.”

Fiona moved toward a sale rack.

Lark thought, ‘Guess I’m lucky to be alive…’ She smiled as she shook her head. She couldn’t imagine her rock solid (and stubborn) Daddy being a typically stupid kid.

~

The streets, jammed with traffic and bustling crowds, were ablaze with holiday lights. Spirits were high.

Driving to pick up Fiona and Lark, Owen remembered Christmas when he was a kid. Presents spilling from under the tree. He loved handing gifts out and watching his family open them.

Buying for his parents was always a snap. His mother collected Hummel figurines. His dad played golf.

His brother and he vied to top each other with the most ridiculous gifts. One year he gave Stan a rusty record turntable he found in a dumpster.

Stan gave him a framed paint-by-numbers painting. Worse than amateur, it depicted the most grotesque clown. Owen attributed his dread for clowns to that painting.

Stan and he combed thrift stores for the worst white elephants. Their gifts were famously bad. And cheap. The recipient on either side of the exchange could not help but laugh.

Their parents never understood their tradition. But it bonded Owen and Stan as little else did.

He wondered how to heal the distance between them. There’d been no dramatic split. But they rarely talk. And when they do, it’s strained. How can a rift grow between those who’d shared a lifetime?

And how can it not? By the time anyone notices, is it already too late to bridge?

~

Everyone slept in. Christmas Midnight Mass was magical.

The morning dawned with anticipation. Owen lit the fireplace. Bulging stockings hung from the mantel. The smell of baking cookies filled the house.

Happy that Fiona had listened to him, Owen’s anxiety passed. He saw no presents tagged for him.

Still in their pajamas, and holding cups of hot chocolate, Lark and Fiona gathered for the great unwrapping. Acting MC, Owen passed out gifts. He cherished the ritual.

Lark gave him a crayon drawing she’d done for him years ago, of the stick figure family standing before their lopsided house. In primitive lettering and scribbled with many colors, the caption read, ‘To Daddy.’

“Thank you, Lark.” He pointed at the last present. “This one has no tag.”

Fiona said, “Oh, that one’s yours.”

Owen glowered and she laughed.

He clapped his hands in mock excitement. “Goody! Is it a bowling ball?”

He picked it up. It weighed almost nothing. He shook it but got no sense of the contents.

“A balloon?”

“Open it, Daddy!” Lark and Fiona had conspired against him.

He ripped the paper off and popped the box open. After removing the tissue, he saw a note taped to the bottom. It read, ‘I hope you enjoy this. Merry Christmas!

Fiona’s eyes glistened as she asked, “That’s what you wanted, right?”

He nodded. He got his request. But the empty box highlighted the void.

Fiona pulled a package from behind her. “Oh, this package came for you. I don’t know who from.”

She passed it to him and he examined it. It was heavy for its size. He recognized Stan’s address, from back east.

“Stan…”

Lark and Fiona clamored for him to open it.

Oh, well. Might as well see what he wants.’

He ripped the paper off. Seeing the object contained within, he stopped. He pulled out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

“Daddy, what is it?”

He held the roundish, black object up.

“What is it? An animal? I can’t tell…”

“Coal. Gave it to Stan in high school.”

Not understanding, his wife and daughter shrugged at each other.

He unfolded the enclosed paper. He read aloud. ‘Bro, while clearing out some clutter, I remembered gifts from the past. Don’t know exactly why I hung on to this young diamond. Probably its perfection of heft and design. It deserves a loving home. Thought you’d like seeing it after all these years. Give me a call when you can. S.’

Owen set the lump of coal down and blew his nose.

“Coal dust always makes me sneeze…” He walked to the window. “It’s snowing.”

Fiona and Lark called out, “Merry Christmas!”

They came to Owen and embraced him. He kissed them both.

Fiona broke away and said, “I’ll put the table…”

“Let’s go for a walk in the snow, Daddy. You need to tell me about your long-lost brother.”

And so, they did.

November 24, 2022 16:25

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13 comments

Wally Schmidt
03:22 Dec 01, 2022

I like how this story builds and that the thing that Owen likes the least (Christmas presents) is the thing that ultimately reunites him with his estranged brother. I also think you perfectly captured that pressure people put on others when they desperately want to give a gift but the other person does not want to recieve it. The serial gift giver clashing with the gift-adverse character. A classic in many households and you reproduced that conflict well. Nice piece with a poignant ending.

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John K Adams
03:58 Dec 01, 2022

Wow, Wally! I'm glad this story resonated with so many. but you succinctly covered all the themes I worked to bring together. I'm glad you liked it. And I really appreciate the comments.

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Marion Itohan
10:17 Nov 30, 2022

I loved this story. It is a reminder that the best gifts are not necessarily the most expensive. They are usually thoughtful gifts straight from the heart. I loved the coal gift; as ordinary as it was, it was deeply meaningful. Awesome story

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John K Adams
15:37 Nov 30, 2022

Thank you, Marion. This story has gotten a lot of positive comments. One is never sure if a story will resonate.

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Bonnie Clarkson
01:30 Nov 30, 2022

Good story. Loved calling coal a "diamond". Not sure of Lark's age, but not sure it matters.

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John K Adams
03:35 Nov 30, 2022

Thanks, Bonnie. Duly noted.

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Antonio Jimenez
07:16 Nov 29, 2022

Nice little story. This line made me smile: “You want the truth? Santa is just a greedy little Buddha in a fancy suit. Give him a top hat… you’d mistake him for Mr. Monopoly.” I really like the needing with the coal. It was poignant but not over the top. Great job. Would love for you to check out my newest story and leave a comment. It's my first in a while so trying to get back in the groove. Thanks!

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John K Adams
15:17 Nov 29, 2022

Thanks for reading and the comment Antonio. I'll read your story. Glad you're back.

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Cassandra Adams
21:56 Dec 16, 2022

A cautionary tale. Be careful what you wish for. Loved Owen's willingness to see things differently. That takes humility.

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Francis Daisy
14:12 Nov 27, 2022

Oh the empty box just wrecked me: he wanted nothing, asked for nothing, his family gave him nothing, and it was nothing. The words echoed off the cardboard sides of the box: "I hope you enjoy this" like pin pricks to my heart.

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John K Adams
15:35 Nov 27, 2022

Not that I'm happy it wrecked you, but I'm thrilled it had the desired effect. Thank you for reading and for commenting.

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Laurel Hanson
12:51 Nov 27, 2022

Love this analysis of the Christmas problem, if you will: the struggle between crass materialism and needless consumption on the one hand and the desire to both fulfill social expectations and offer a token of genuine affection on the other. I also think it's a great call to have Owen love actually handing out the gifts, highlighting that not wanting gifts is not the same as not loving the traditions that surround the holiday and its spirit. Love that he gets an empty box, as requested, but then feels a void. It challenges both his positi...

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John K Adams
15:38 Nov 27, 2022

Thank you, Laurel. It is gratifying to have a reader respond so well to my intentions. Owen, and anyone really wants connection more than stuff. Thanks for reading and commenting.

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