A Short Christmas Story

A short Christmas story I wrote for our companies weekly newsletter December 2014.

Christmas will be different for her this year, this she knew. With a drained exhale she sat down comfortably in her wooden chair next to the small kitchen table. She grabbed the scruffy Tupperware out of the well-used plastic bag. Her dinner today consisted of yesterday’s leftovers from the Christmas potluck over at the church. It was the fastest she could bring with her for her work trip. Although the trip is a fast one, sadly it was necessary for her to travel over the holidays.

She reached to the bottom of the plastic bag for her fork, but her fingers brushed against a little crinkled up piece of paper. Out of a nonchalant curiosity she unraveled the little wrinkled ball to reveal an old receipt. The shopping list was a short one, and it was dated for a few days before Christmas last year. Her eyes quickly glanced over a few groceries she faintly remembered getting for a few dishes that Christmas dinner. She paused and that little dimple on her right cheek became visible in her smile as she read “Cinnamon Scented Candle”. That candle was the humble centerpiece of their table that Christmas, she remembered her fiancé making a quirky remark about fire hazards while he lit the candle.

The next item on the list was a box of fine chocolates that she bought for her parents in haste; she smirked as she recalled her 50-year-old father joking about his lactose intolerance and her mother’s embarrassed reaction as she scolded her husband with a giggle.

The final item on the receipt was a Christmas CD that had been on sale. The 18 tracks had been on repeat for the entire evening, and to this day she still blushes when she hears “All I Want For Christmas is You” as she reminisces how her fiancé had kissed her under the mistletoe and whispered how beautiful she looked. With a sigh she leaned back in that old wooden chair, in the kitchen that looked like something out of a 60’s movie. She gazed out the window at the people huddled up in thick winter clothing, heading either home or to another Christmas dinner.

She glanced over at the tiny box her mother had sent with her before she left for her business trip, which she had reluctantly accepted. She was certain it was a beautiful present, but all she wishes for on this chill winter evening, was that her family was present.