Snowball.

I sat plumped into my cozy armchair, waiting for any signs of snow. I had been dreaming of a white Christmas ever since I was a little girl, but it never happened. The last time it snowed here was 21 years ago, before I was even born. I wondered how it would feel to touch the cold flakes, to make a snowman, to have a snowball fight. I hoped this year would be different.

“LEANNA!! Come help in the kitchen!” Ma yelled from upstairs. I sighed. I knew she was busy preparing our Christmas feast, but I didn’t want to leave my spot by the window. I wanted to be the first one to see the snow, if it ever came. I reluctantly got up and headed towards the stairs.

As I reached the first step, I heard a huge scream. “MA?” I ran up the stairs, fearing what I would see. Was she hurt? Did she burn herself? Did she drop the turkey? I burst into the kitchen, ready to help. But instead of a disaster, I saw Ma jumping up and down, pointing at the window. “LEAAAAAA!! LOOK. OUT. THE. WINDOW!!” She screamed at me excitedly, even though I was right there.

I followed her gaze and my jaw dropped. “IS THAT…SNOW!” I gasped. It was true. The sky was filled with white specks, falling gently on the rooftops, the trees, the cars, the streets. Everything was covered in a thin layer of white. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Ma was already snapping pictures and taking videos with her phone, probably to send to our relatives and friends. “H…How did I not see this in the other window?” I wondered aloud. The window downstairs faced the backyard, which was shaded by a tall fence. I guess I missed the first signs of snow.

Suddenly, Christmas music came on the radio. It was one of those cheesy songs that I usually hated, but I was too happy to care. “ITS CHRISTMAS BABY!!” Ma said, putting down the sugar container and spun me around. She hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek. “We finally got our wish, Leanna. We finally got our snow.”

The door opened and we heard footsteps on the stairs. It was Dad, coming home from work. He worked as a delivery driver for Amazon, and he had been very busy these past few weeks. He looked tired, but he smiled when he saw us. Ma let go of me and ran to him. “IT SNOWING DADDY!” I shouted, following her. I embraced my father in a tight hug. “It is baby! It is!” He said, hugging us both. He gave Ma a kiss, and I pushed them apart to escape. I was stuck in the middle of them, and I wanted to see the snow again. I looked out the window in awe. “DADDY, MA! LOOK THERE’S ICICLES ON THE PORCH!” I said, pointing at the ice formations hanging from the roof.

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Dad said, admiring the view. “Are we the first people to see it or what?” Ma asked, expecting there to be cheers all over the city. “I guess so.” Dad shrugged, taking off his Amazon vest. “I didn’t see anyone else outside on my way home. Maybe they’re all too busy or too scared to go out. You know how people are around here. They’re not used to snow.”

“Do we get an award for being the first people to see snow in…” I used my fingers to count. “20 years?” I finally finished. “Twenty one years, and no baby, we don’t get an award. We just get the pleasure of snow!” Ma said with a warm smile on her face, placing her palm on my shoulder. “And that’s the best gift we could ever ask for, right?” Dad added, wrapping his arm around Ma’s waist. “Right!” I agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “Now, let’s eat!” Ma said, leading us to the dining room. “We have a lot of delicious food to enjoy, and then we can go outside and play in the snow!”

We sat down at the table, which was filled with mouth-watering dishes. There was turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, green beans, corn, rolls, and pie. It smelled heavenly. We said grace, and then we dug in. We ate, we talked, we laughed. We shared stories, memories, and jokes. We were happy, we were grateful, we were a family. And outside, the snow kept falling, making our Christmas even more magical.

I laid in my bed, feeling accomplished with the day. "I cant WAIT to go to school tomorrow, ma!" I said excitedly "There is no school tomorrow, honey; winter break." Ma announced quietly "Oh. Well, when does school begin?" I asked, less enthusiastic as before "January the 2nd, but sweetie, why don't you focus on the holidays? school can wait! Good night sweetie pie don't let the bed bugs bite!"

Ma was right. School can wait, plus! we still didnt open gifts yet!

The next morning (Christmas day)

After our snow-filled adventures, we returned inside, our cheeks rosy from the cold. The Christmas tree twinkled in the corner of the room, the presents underneath it begging to be opened.

“Can we open the presents now?” I asked, my eyes wide with anticipation.

Ma and Dad exchanged a glance, their smiles matching. “Alright,” Dad said, his voice filled with amusement. “But remember, it’s not about the gifts. It’s about the love we share.”

I nodded, barely containing my excitement. We gathered around the tree, the room filled with the sound of rustling paper and exclamations of surprise.

“Oh, Leanna! Look at this!” Ma held up a beautiful doll collection, the tiny shoes and a snow beanie “It’s perfect!”

I gasped, reaching out to take it. “It’s beautiful, Ma. Thank you!”

Dad was next, unwrapping a small box to reveal a new watch. “Just what I needed,” he said, grinning at Ma. “Thank you, darling.”

We continued to open gifts, each one bringing more joy and laughter. The room was filled with discarded wrapping paper and the glow of happiness. It was the perfect ending to our perfect snow day.

As we settled down, the snow still falling outside, I realized that this was the best Christmas ever. Not because of the snow or the gifts, but because of the love and warmth that filled our home. And I knew, in my heart, that I would remember this day forever.