Hello everyone! It's time to vote in the Christmas Short story contest. Authors were asked to write a short story including the words: mistletoe, online friendship, alone, midnight, and scary, as well as include the lryics of a Christmas song of their choice. The entries are posted in this thread, and the poll for voting is here, as well.

I'd like to thank everyone who submitted a story. Now, I hope many of you will vote, too!

The poll will close on January 4th.

Good luck, everyone!!!!!!!!

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Where Are You Christmas

Snow fell lightly, slowly covering the ground in a soft blanket of white flakes. Viggo walked the busy streets of downtown, watching families, friends and couples laughing and hugging each other tight while they bought their holiday goodies. Wreaths, Christmas lights, holly and mistletoe hung from street lamps and decorated pine trees, making the festivities of Christmas shine brightly through the bitter cold.

Viggo stopped to watch as people of all sizes made their way in a loop around an outdoor skating rink. The soft swoosh of skates deafened him from all other sound. It was a noise he used to enjoy hearing every winter and now it only added to the bitter cold of frost and ice. Viggo’s eyes began to wash over the skaters as they landed on a young woman. Her hair fell in straight locks over her back in a brilliant shade of red. She laughed and another man caught her before she fell and hit the ice.

Viggo knew this man and he would never forgive himself for what he did. He remembered the night fondly as if it only happened yesterday. Then, from there everything felt like a downward spiral. His happiness began to fade and everything he once knew slowly disappeared; going farther and farther from his reach.


Where are you Christmas
Why can't I find you
Why have you gone away
Where is the laughter
You used to bring me
Why can't I hear music play


One year earlier…
“Viggo, are you crazy?”

“Anna, I promise you will do fine,” Viggo said with a soft chuckle. He rubbed his gloved hands together vigorously and then cupped them to his mouth, sending his own hot breath over his face in a warm tingle.

“I’ve never ice skated before,” Anna said with a worry. “I will spend more time shining the ice with my bottom than skating.”

“Gives a whole new meaning to the Zamboni, huh?”

Anna punched Viggo in the arm, hard. “Ow!” He rubbed his arm and Anna turned a cheeky grin at him as if saying it served him right.

It only took five more minutes of convincing Anna that all she had to do was use him as a crutch to get used to the new feel of ice skating. Viggo knew she was very good at roller blading and that she often did it to release her thoughts and get a good workout at the same time. It gave her strong legs and a nice bottom he enjoyed immensely. However, having known how to do that well he figured ice skating would come easier to her than she thought.

Viggo took the first stride onto the ice into the swarm of skaters. Anna stood just at the edge of the ice watching him as he made a circle around the rink once. He slid to an easy stop in front of her and watched as her lips made a small smile at him. He held out a sturdy arm for her and she took it, if reluctantly.

“You’ll be fine,” he whispered into her ear. He saw tiny bumps raise on her neck as his breath fired around her. She turned her head at him and he gave her a small peck of assurance.

“I hope you’re right,” she answered.


My world is changing
I'm rearranging
Does that mean Christmas changes too


Viggo was more wrong than he had ever thought he’d be. Anna grasped his arm so tightly he thought circulation was going to be cut off from his elbow up. Her feet slid around her wildly and free as an octopus. Twice she had drug him down with her.

“Viggo, a five year old just lapped me,” she whined after falling for the umpteenth time. “I feel ridiculous and a bruise the size of a softball is ready to form on my thigh.”

Anna mumbled a curse under her breath in Italian which caused Viggo to laugh heartily. He had heard her use that word before when she was angry at him for one reason or another. It made him happy that he could laugh at it this time. Although, Italian swearing seemed so much more graceful than in English. You could swear like a sailor to someone completely void of the language and they could still believe they were getting a compliment.

No, Viggo was not Italian himself. He met Anna in Rome after having an online friendship with her for almost two years. The internet was his escape that most of his acquaintances had no idea about. In this particular case, Viggo was filming part of a new movie just outside Rome when he met Anna in person for the first time. They exchanged phone numbers and Viggo rang her up on surprise one night telling her about his brief two week stay in the country.

Anna, completely beside herself with glee, left one of her classes early to meet him for lunch. Nerves overcame him a wave that he hadn’t felt since his early days of acting. Yet, when he met her it was like they’d known each other forever. All feeling of unease quickly vanished when he heard her sweet laugh in person for the first time. Something inside told him that this friendship had a potential to grow into something more.

“Come on,” he sniggered, while helping her back to upright position. “I think I’ve put you through enough torture for one night.”

Anna thanked him and he could almost hear the sigh of relief. “Let’s get a cup of coffee somewhere.”

“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Viggo said. “There’s a place up the street I believe is open until midnight.”


Where are you Christmas
Do you remember
The one you used to know
I'm not the same one
See what the time's done
Is that why you have let me go


Viggo and Anna dated steadily for seven months before he made the mistake he could never forgive himself for. It wasn’t his fault, at least other friends had told him this, and realized that there was no way he could have avoided it. Yet, something in the back of his conscious made him replay the seven happiest months of his life over and over in his mind until it nearly drove him crazy.

“Anna, I am inviting a good friend of mine over for dinner tonight,” Viggo said. He stood in the kitchen of his four month old house he had purchased near Rome so he could be closer to Anna. “I think you should come by and say hello.”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude,” Anna said. Beside, I have a lot of studying to do for a major test next week.”

“You won’t be intruding! I insist. Orlando would love to meet you. I’ve already told him all about you. How you love poetry as much as I, how we met and even about that date we had last December at the skating rink.”

Anna flushed a shade of pink. “You didn’t!”

“I did.” He gave Anna a smirk and then pulled her into a long kiss. “I love everything about you and I guess I may have gotten a little carried away in bragging about my girl.”

Anna smiled, warm and sweetly.


Christmas is here
Everywhere, oh
Christmas is here
If you care, oh


Orlando hadn’t been at Viggo’s house an hour before Anna dropped by to say hello. She insisted on only staying a few minutes but, ended up staying a few hours. It started off by Viggo and Anna laughing about old memories they shared in the past months and telling Orlando stories. Oh, how the three of them had fun. Orlando laughed especially playfully when Viggo told an embarrassing story about Anna.

“Anna, I think Viggo is a lucky lad,” he said after about his fourth drink. He was clearly becoming drunk and it didn’t take much for Orlando to get drunk. Anna giggled at Orlando. “I’m serious. Viggo’s a good mate and he needed someone like you.”

“Thank you Orlando. Viggo has been one of the greatest Christmas presents fate has ever handed to me. I feel blessed to have someone like him.”

It was Viggo’s turn to blush. “How many times did we make out under the mistletoe?”

“More times than, I’m sure, Orlando cares to hear,” Anna answered truthfully. She raised a glass at him from across the table and then leaned in to whisper. “We started running up and down the streets searching for mistletoe as an excuse to make out.”

“Yes, and then we found the largest candy cane I’d ever seen in a candy shop window,” Viggo added. “Anna was being lively that day, more than usual, which is saying a lot. We bought it and when we brought it back to my old apartment… lets just say Anna found a few creative ways to turn a guy on with that candy cane.”

Orlando leaned back in his chair and combed his hands through his hair. He shook his head and Anna was as bright as a tomato. Viggo would hear about it later while they were in private.


If there is love in your heart and your mind
You will feel like Christmas all the time


It was the next day and Viggo got a tongue lashing like he had never had before, from anyone. Anna had been embarrassed and felt like a complete fool while Viggo continued on about their wild night they had together. Alcohol did most of the talking but, Anna didn’t buy it.

“I can’t believe you told Orlando about us like that!” She yelled. “You deliberately discussed our sexual life in front of me while I sit there like a complete idiot!”

“And, you would have preferred me to tell him while you weren’t there?” He shouted back.

“I didn’t want you to say anything at all! That’s private. Something only we should share.” Anna paused and crossed her arms over her chest. Viggo saw her jaw tighten. “How can I trust you when I’m not there if you’re blabbing our privacy while I am?”

“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Viggo said softly, staring at the pattern on the floor.

“Doing what?”

“Having our first fight,” Viggo said. “It’s sad. I never thought we’d ever fight. It‘s kinda scary actually.”

“Well, you should have thought about that last night.”

Viggo looked up at Anna and stared hard into her eyes. He deserved that. He deserved everything and maybe the one thing he didn’t deserve was Anna. All the months he’d loved her and held her, maybe it was all just a joke. Perhaps he’d deserved to be alone for all eternity.

Now that they’d had their first argument, he hated it and he didn’t want to ever experience it again. Not with her. Not with the girl who was supposed to be his escape away from his busy life and hectic career. Now, one of best friends knew about her and she’d never be his escape again. So, he knew what he had to do.

“Anna, maybe we should…” he paused and took a deep breath. He closed his eyes to try and hold in the tears that were threatening to leak out of his lids. “Maybe… maybe, we should go our own ways.”

Anna looked at him, completely in shock. “I don’t think…I didn’t mean we should break up. I just meant…”

Viggo held up a hand. “No, Anna. I realize now that I probably should have left our friendship as just that, a friendship.”

“Are you saying you wish we never met?” Anna didn’t even try to hide the tears. They fell freely down both of her porcelain cheeks. Her eyes began to get slightly puffy and red.

Viggo didn’t answer her. He just lowered his head and walked toward the door. He held it open and stood next to it, waiting for Anna to leave.

“Well, I guess that’s it,” she said. “I do love you. I hope you know that.”


I feel you Christmas
I know I've found you
You never fade away
The joy of Christmas
Stays here inside us
Fills each and every heart with love


Present…
Viggo looked on at Orlando as he helped Anna up. She never did get any better at her skating. It was exactly one year since he took Anna skating for the first time. It seemed like only yesterday that he was the one helping her around the rink.

What happened to that Christmas he knew just 365 days ago? Orlando, his best friend, had taken up where he had left off. It was his own fault. Orlando approached him and asked if it was ok that he take Anna out. In the heat of his depression, Viggo didn’t care and told him to do what he wanted. Now, he whole-heartedly regretted what he did. It didn’t take long before he realized that maybe Anna was the girl for him.

Suddenly, he heard carolers begin to sing an old tune. Six girls, standing only a dozen feet from him, began to hum ‘Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire’. It didn’t take long before they had the attention of the skaters. He glanced at Anna and she was watching the singers. Orlando had gone off the ice as she stood watching.

Viggo’s heart sped up and as if it was a siren, Anna turned her head and stared and he her. Time slowed down and there seemed to be no one around but the two of them. After a few seconds of staring, she abruptly turned around and Viggo saw her hold up a finger at Orlando.

Viggo thought, hoped, that Anna would skate to him. He longed to hear her voice again but, she didn’t. She only turned to look at him again. It warmed his heart when he saw a smile split her face. She raised her hand up in sort of a weak wave. He returned the wave.

That was the last time he ever saw Anna. He continued to go back to the rink year after year in the cold, crisp air in hopes that maybe he’d see her again but, he never did. It never upset him that he didn’t see her because every time he went back to that rink it filled his heart with joy knowing that he was lucky enough to have met someone like Anna.

Viggo remembered a saying that he’d heard somewhere and he always thought of it when he thought of Anna. ‘Don’t be sad that it’s over, be happy that it happened’. And, he couldn’t have been happier.

Where are you Christmas
Fills your heart with love


Where Are You Christmas ~ Faith Hill


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

The winter wind bit at him mercilessly as he made is way against it. His black trench coat and scarf frolicked in the wind, exposing his neck and legs. The only thing that wasn’t useless at keeping him warm was his hat that covered his messy brown hair. The busy streets of New York City were packed with last minute shoppers and looked spectacular in the winter night; with Christmas lights and the whole shebang. What little parcels that he bought lay protected under his arms and he cursed under his breath for leaving is at such a short notice. The many stores on 5th Ave were blaring holiday music and as he passed bits of the lyrics mingled together giving him a headache. It was Christmas Eve and he had to figure out how he was going to get to his mum’s house for tomorrow. Lists of what had to be done when he got home scrambled into his mind and shortly after began to form yet another headache.

As he got closer to his apartment relief began to flood through him as he imagined the warmth of his apartment. The streets began to empty as dinner time was approaching. He passed a homeless girl who looked as though she was desperately trying to keep her hands warm. Her face was full of lost dream and they looked like they were swirling in front of her. He was about to pass her before the Christmas Spirit that seems to burn a whole in his pocket every year, take hold of him. He reached into his pocket and got out a crumpled ten dollar bill. He handed it to the girl and then took his hat and scarf off. The cold bit at his ears like a raving dog but he didn’t care. He handed it to the girl. At first she didn’t notice it, as though it was a mirage of some sort. When she realized it was real she delicately rubbed her fingers over the scarf and hat before taking it and the money. She looked up at him and he returned her stare. There were tears in her eyes; she mouthed the word ‘thank you’ unable to compose herself to say it. He nodded and continued his way home.

He fumbled with his keys before managing to get into to his small apartment building. Climbing the narrow stairs in an awkward position, because of the presents he was force to squish himself against the wall and walk on an angle. It was halfway up the stairs when he realized he could have shifted the parcels to the front and it wouldn’t be as awkward, this led to more cursing with himself. As he opened the door he heard the very end of his mother’s voice. Dropping the parcels delicately on to the couch he went over to the phone and replayed the message. “Hey Elijah, it’s your mom. We’re all here wondering when you’ll come up and see us. Well, give me a call when you get this, love you lots. Bye.” His mother’s message died with the inevitable BEEP at the end. He gave a small sigh and glanced at his pathetic Christmas tree; many of the needles had long fallen off due to his lack of watering the poor tree and it was only half decorated. There was much to be done before tomorrow and he had to get started. With no more delays he began to pack is stuff while cooking his one-person meal.
His thoughts lingered back to the girl on the sidewalk and it was then that despite his efforts in becoming the protégée of Grinch this year he had become the opposite of it. Without realizing it a smile crept on to his face and remained on until he went to bed.

----

Olive couldn’t believe her luck! She carefully wrapped the scarf around her hands and the hat over her dirty brown hair, instant heat reached her ears and the tips of her fingers. Looking back at the man who possibly gave her the best thing one could hope for in her situation she whispered ‘Merry Christmas’. Keeping the bill crumpled in her hand she walked to wards the soup kitchen. The snow gnawed at her bare toes poking out of her boots. She headed towards central park and made her way through. The darkness of the park would be scary for most of the population of New York City but to Olive it was her home for most of the year. The quietness of the park was a tranquil web, and the wind gently caressed Olive’s face. There was no harm hidden in the trees. This was what she wanted, her life and she was happy to sleep on the ground for it. Though her subconscious would admit her feet were freezing and things were not as glorious as they use to be. Living on the streets had taught some valuable skills, she thought as she reached a park bench with a left over newspaper. She sat down and looked at the paper before thinking it was decent enough then taking off her boots she stuffed the newspaper inside and covered the holes with them. Making sure it would survive until she reached the soup kitchen she continued on her journey. Her feet felt better but the cold was still eating at them.

Giving up many of her dreams she had sacrifice her previous life for her sanity in this life. Letting the decorated city of New York pass her by, she walked into the decked out and very crowded basement of the St. John’s Church. Mistletoe and holly hung from many of the columns in the room and many people were laughing and humming carols. Many others, like her, lined up for the delicious food that they were not use to receiving. Lining up as well, she allowed the warm air of the basement to wrap itself around her. It was when one of the Kitchen Ladies served the turkey for her did she realize how hungry she really was. Looking at the food longingly she hurried on to the dessert section. “Hey Mary,” Olive grinned at her favourite volunteer. With her fading red hair and crows feet that revealed themselves every time her eyes smiled; Mary was very much like a motherly figure. She had all the concern to those who took food from the soup kitchen, making sure to catch their name and keeping tract of them during the holiday. She was the one that brought Olive here for the first time at the beginning of January and probably the one that saved her. Upon seeing Olive she gave a huge smile and started laughing.
“Merry Christmas Olive, are you getting warm enough?”
“Getting there,” Olive answered, returning the same smile back at Mary. Without any hesitation she tenderly placed the ten dollar bill on top of the counter.
“What’s that?” Mary asked curiously taking the bill and unrolling it. “What’s this for?”
“Merry Christmas!” Olive said cheerfully ignoring the rowdy group waiting for their dessert.
“What?”
“It’s your Christmas present.” Mary’s jaw dropped nearly to the floor. She beckoned Olive to come behind the counter before any more comments ventured about her mother were made.
“Olive you can’t be serious?” Mary said, trying to keep herself busy by greeting the rest with ‘Merry Christmas’ and handing them their pudding in a plastic bowl.
“Of course I am!” Olive said indignantly, “I owe you a lot and I thought I would make it up to you, it’s all I got. This really nice man saw me and gave me the money and his hat and scarf.” She pointed slightly childishly at her head and hands.
“Oh Olive, I can’t take this.” Mary said, looking sad at her.
“Um… well, why don’t you come and sit with me when you’re done with this and… um… we’ll talk about it.” Olive tried to keep her voice from breaking, the one person she wanted a present for was the one person who wouldn’t accept it. Before Mary could say anything Olive took her tray and hurriedly sat done at one of the set up benches.

Getting close to midnight, the soup kitchen began to disperse as people made their way to whatever shelter they could manage. Olive remained seated and waited for Mary to come and join her. Coming up behind her, Mary placed the money beside Olive’s tray.
“Olive we’re friends right?” Olive nodded as Mary sat down beside her. “Then you know why I can’t take any money from you.”
“What, my money not good enough?” Olive mumbled bitterly more to her self.
“Honey, of course that’s not the reason. It’s just…” Mary trailed off.
“My money isn’t good anywhere. You know I saved twenty bucks to get you something nice and the store keeper kicked me out, said I was filth. My money isn’t good anywhere. What do they know? All they see is the life style. They don’t see anything else.” Tears were forming in her eyes and she couldn’t control it. “I’m so tired of this.” She sobbed, and allowed Mary to pull her towards her. “I can’t do this anymore Mary. It’s too much.”
“Ssshhh, do you know how much everyone here respects you, you encourage a lot of the rest to use the money they fortunately get and find away to get back on their feet. You’re an inspiration. It’s just hun, you have to start taking your own advice sometime.” Olive’s mind raced from her year, she was exhausted of it. At first she was happy to be free, but as the months rolled in keeping that positive optimism became more of an effort. She was so alone, that’s what she had been thinking about when the man gave her the gifts. He gave hope which made her walk to the soup kitchen tolerable and joyful, but now that she was here. She let out a moan full of regret and pain. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride to wherever you want to go.”


Waiting outside the church, Mary hailed a cab it took several minutes before one finally stopped, “So, where do you want to go?” Olive shrugged still in her state of reflection. Mary walked towards the cab and said something that Olive couldn’t hear. She waved for Olive to come over and they got in to the cab. The driver sped off to the almost deserted streets of New York City. It seemed almost impossible for the streets to ever be empty and yet here they were. Olive didn’t pay attention at all to the streets passing, she never did; they were always the same.

Olive woke with start as the taxi stopped in front of an all too familiar house. Its great white walls and multi-coloured Christmas lights loomed over her. Fear crept into her heart as she realized what Mary had done. “What are you doing?” She croaked her voice hoarse from the shock.
“I am giving you my Christmas present to you.” Mary said her eyes smiling in the midnight light.
“But…” So many questions scrambled into her mind. “How did you find out?” This caused Mary to slightly sadden.
“I saw the missing poster at the police station when I was bailing my brother out of jail in April.” Before Olive could say anything else Mary interrupted her thoughts. “I thought you needed space so I waited for your own self to come around.”
“What if they don’t want me back?” Olive whimpered the memories of their last fight and the disappointment she had brought them. The driver waited patiently for them to get out of his car as he hummed to ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’.
“Believe me they do, now go on.” Mary shoved the girl out of the cab and watched from the window excitedly. Olive slowly and reluctantly walked towards the front steps of the house the front windows revealed the traditional Christmas tree that no doubt her father had chopped down himself. As she knocked on the door, Mary could hear squeals of joy and laughter as the front door opened. Smiling to herself she asked the driver to please take her home.



---
Mary came home close too two o’clock in the morning with the sound of her unfed Cat’s cries for food and the beeping sound of her inbox. She quickly fed her kitty and stifling a yawn opened her emails. To her great delight there was one from Marcus, wishing her a Merry Christmas and then went on to tell her how his had been. She laughed at his comments about his grandson being an extremely spoiled boy and quite a nuisance with his brand new Batman utility belt. When she had finished reading the email she looked around her single bedroom apartment and stroking Tybalt the cat she saw the emptiness of it all. And though Marcus made simply not be real she looked forward to his emails everyday. She began to write to him about Olive and about her life. There were three main joys in her life; their online friendship, her volunteer work and Tybalt. Pausing a moment between the letter she glanced over to the bookcase she looked at the picture of her brother. Giving a sigh finished her letter and went to bed. “Merry Christmas Tybalt.” She said softly before joyful Christmases of old took hold of her dreams.


Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Let your heart be light
From now on,
our troubles will be out of sight

Have yourself a merry little Christmas,
Make the Yule-tide gay,
From now on,
our troubles will be miles away.

Here we are as in olden days,
Happy golden days of yore.
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Gather near to us once more.

Through the years
We all will be together,
If the Fates allow
Hang a shining star upon the highest bough.
And have yourself A merry little Christmas now.[i]




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Mr. Grinch

You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch.
You really are a heel.
You're as cuddly as a cactus,
You're as charming as an eel.
Mr. Grinch.

You're a bad banana
With a greasy black peel

Orlando's POV

Christmas is a time for families to be together, feeling the warmth and love of the holiday spirit. Visions of sugar plums dance in children’s heads, and pristine white snowflakes cover the ground outside. The Christmas tree shines with unstoppable brilliance, and the star atop glistens and could assuredly contain that power to drive three wise men across many a treacherous terrain.

Hogwash!

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch.
Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders,
You've got garlic in your soul.
Mr. Grinch.

I wouldn't touch you, with a
thirty-nine-and-a-half foot pole.

In full seriousness, people have gigantic misconceptions about Christmas. They get all keyed up and excited, and it usually ends in the same fashion…

Something gets thrown out the front door and into the cold yard.

Erm, well, that could just be my family, but still! Most people have shoddy holidays, they just won’t admit it…I used to be in denial myself, but no longer.

My very first Christmas began the beautiful tradition of objects and items being flung out of my home. Of course, I don’t remember that occasion in particular, but my father has assured me that Mum most definitely hurled a box of glass ornaments from the front door…all because she did not like her gifts. She was a bit of a material object obsessed woman.

When I was ten, she bypassed the ornaments and hurled our entire tree out the door! Dad had completely forgotten to get her a gift that year. Another time, the half-cooked turkey regained its wings and went on a crash course through the air and into the front yard, where the neighborhood dogs devoured it quite happily. The worst time was when we all forgot to get her a gift, and I drew her a banner that said, 'Merry Christmas, MUM!' She ripped it to pieces and flung each piece separately out the front door.

You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch.
You have termites in your smile.
You have all the tender sweetness
Of a seasick crocodile.
Mr. Grinch.


Given the choice between the two of you
I'd take the seasick crocodile.

Thus, I’d suppose the reason I hold such distaste for Christmas is that it was never a warm, happy time for my family. It was more like a drama filled night of angst and tension, as my sister and I tried to guess what would be flailing out the front door that year.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that since I moved out on my own, I have not celebrated Christmas. Yes, my family calls and begs me to visit, but I’d rather not watch presents turn into projectile missiles, thank you very much! It’s always nice to stay at home, alone, avoiding the broadcasts of holiday parades on TV and staying away from the endless stream of Christmas songs blasting from the radio. I usually stay up till midnight reading a good book, with a theme as far away from the holiday as I can get.
Ah, good times.

You're a foul one, Mr. Grinch.
You're a nasty, wasty skunk.
Your heart is full of unwashed socks
Your soul is full of gunk.
Mr. Grinch.


The three words that best describe you,
are, and I quote: "Stink. Stank. Stunk."

So, it is going to be my twenty-ninth Christmas this year, and I am quite content to keep on with my anti-Christmas tradition. There is only one slight problem, although, I have high hopes it won’t cramp my screw you mistletoe night.

A new family moved into the apartment across from mine, and they have a slight tendency to throw things out the front door and into the hallway. It is okay, since these items are usually baseballs, toy trucks, or occasionally a small doll. I can handle objects flung by children more so than adults.

I am still not positive how many kids live over there, but it has to be near the number five or six. The mother always has a gang of boys jostling about before her, and a small girl clinging to her arm. Self-admittedly, I’m not the friendliest fellow in the world, so I have only gone as far as muttering hello when we pass in the hallway. The mother usually smiles and nods, her skin stretched over her face with fatigue. Yet, the little girl always stares at me with the widest, most innocent brown eyes. She’s cute….if you like kids.

You're a rotter, Mr. Grinch.
You're the king of sinful sots.
Your heart's a dead tomato splot
With moldy purple spots,
Mr. Grinch.


Your soul is an apalling dump heap overflowing
with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable
rubbish imaginable,
Mangled up in tangled up knots.

I just fear that with all those children crammed across the hall from me, there will be way too much Christmas spirit for one apartment complex and it could dreadfully pass over to me. They already have paper candy canes taped all over their front door!

Yet, I managed to bypass the general cheer until the most dreaded Christmas Eve; you know, the night when miracles happen and everyone gets toasty inside…or, toasted outside if you count holiday parties with copious amounts of alcohol. At any rate, I had just arrived home from work, where I had artfully dodged every ‘Merry Christmas and Happy New Year’ possible. Feeling smug and self-satisfied, I stepped out of the elevator only to find that I was not alone in the hallway.

Sitting beside the slightly ajar apartment door, my little girl neighbor sat, curled into a tiny ball and hugging a dingy doll next to her body. When the elevator doors shut, she peered up at me, her chocolate colored eyes shiny with unshed tears.

Go on, Bloom…just walk right by her and into your apartment. You don’t need to talk to her, she’s probably just pouting because she received some minor scolding. She’ll forget about it in three seconds; she doesn’t need your comfort!

And, it is so awful when my feet lead me straight before the child, my knees bending so I can speak to her on level ground. It is scary that I care so much. Curse you, Christmas spirit!

“Are you alright?” I question hesitantly, “Maybe you should go back inside.” The child shakes her head pitifully, and even throws in a lip wobble. I can’t handle this! She is tugging on my heartstrings way too hard! If only I could get up and leave….

“My name is Noel,” she tells me, twirling a loose string from the doll’s dress about her finger.

Oh great, this is getting more and more like an after school special by the minute…her name is Noel!! Like, noel, noel, the Christmas hymn?!? What’s next, her brothers come out and say their names are Prancer, Dancer, Donner, and Vixen?

“So, what is making you so upset tonight, Noel?” I ask tiredly. Looking at me with those cursedly innocent eyes, she replies, “My daddy was supposed to bring us a Christmas tree tonight, but now he can’t. And, my mommy can’t find anyone with a truck to bring one here for us. How can we have Christmas without a tree?”

Staring at her, it suddenly clicks in my mind that I never saw a man with the kids or the mother. They must be divorced, and it appears that the father isn’t exactly star material. How could he disappoint his kids on a night as important as this?

Wait a minute, no, Christmas Eve is not important, it doesn’t mean anything, it…

You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch.
With a nauseaus super-naus.
You're a crooked jerky jockey
And you drive a crooked horse.
Mr. Grinch.


You're a three decker saurkraut and toadstool
sandwich
With arsenic sauce.

And, that is when Noel dissolves into tears before me. Awkwardly, I pat her shoulder, but it doesn’t seem to help. My brain jolts to panic mode, and I know I must do something to remedy this situation.

Leaning close, I whisper a few things into her ear and the crying stops in one second flat. Noel grips me in a huge hug that, admittedly enough, does give me happy holiday feelings. This is the first Noel, the angels did say, that has managed to touch my heart.

So, that is how I ended up scrounging for a tree on Christmas Eve. And, trust me, it was not fun. People are crazed lunatics when there are only a few pines left and they have waited till the last minute. I thought there would be a brawl over the things! Heck, they can just go to my house…Mum has probably pitched the tree out at this point, and it will already be decorated!

Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, I hope you don’t get flung out the front door!

When I bring the blasted tree to my neighbors, pine needles pricking into my skin and all, they act like I was Santa Claus himself. The boys flail about like maniacs, screaming and chanting carols, while little Noel gazes at me with stars in her eyes.

After their mother sets them up with ornaments to decorate, she pulls me aside, “You didn’t have to do this for us. It was beyond sweet of you.” “Well,” I state gruffly, stuffing my hands in my pockets from embarrassment, “Noel told me that her dad wouldn’t be able to make it, and I couldn’t imagine the kids not having a tree for Christmas.”

Who cares that twenty-four hours before I wouldn’t have thought twice about something like that? For, back then I didn’t get stared at by the tearful brown eyes of a child…eyes that I am just realizing she inherited from her very pretty mother. Uh-oh.

She sighs, her orbs growing sad, “This is the first Christmas without their dad, and it’s hard on them. He seems quite content to maintain only an online friendship with his children, but that is pretty much where he draws the line. That’s why it means so much to me that you brought the tree…they were so disappointed when they thought we couldn’t have one.”

“It’s no big deal,” I state bashfully, scuffing the toe of my boot against the floor. Yet, when I look up and see not only the mother, but also little Noel staring at me with the most grateful smiles upon their faces, I can’t help realizing it truly is important to them. I made their Christmas a happy one; they won’t have the bad memories like I do.

And now, I’ll actually have a good one to tack along and overpower the gloomier times. Maybe Christmas isn’t as terrible as I thought; after all, not everyone throws things outdoors. I’ve been here for half an hour, and nothing has even come close to being flailed about…unless you count tinsel!

Oddly enough, that was the start of a new path in my life. It’s probably the reason why I spent my thirtieth Christmas with a brand new wife, four stepsons, and a darling stepdaughter named, Noel, who I held up so she could place the star on the tree.

I guess I can admit that holidays aren’t as bad as I previously thought but I still didn’t invite my mother!

Song Credit: Mr. Grinch~ Dr. Seuss


***************************************************************


The Gift of a Lifetime

Kathleen sat in her parents’ living room staring at the Christmas tree
glowing brightly, making all the glass ornaments sparkle. She turned her
gaze to the window and watched the snow fall gently outside. For the first
time in many years, it was snowing on Christmas Eve in her hometown of
Greenstown, South Carolina. Her family had gone out to look at the Christmas
lights all over town but she had decided not to go because she as waiting
for her boyfriend to arrive at the house.

The Christmas tree was covered in beautiful ornaments and there were at
least 50 presents stuffed under the tree. They were for her parents,
brother, sister in law, 5-year-old niece, 1-year-old nephew, and herself. As
she sat there her mind began to wander over the past 4 years…

She had met her boyfriend by chance 4 years ago over the Internet with what
had begun as an online friendship. She was living in New York City,
pursuing a career on Broadway. She had been online trying to send an email
to her friend but typed in the wrong address on accident. It had turned out
to be Orlando’s and he had replied to her email, curious about this girl who
was sending him emails. The first time they talked on the computer, he told
her how much he hated the Internet, but his sister had made him learn to use
it. She said he needed to be more up to date with the world.

The first night they talked, they talked for no less than 4 hours and only
got off because they had to get some sleep. He said he would come back on
the next day to talk to her again. After 5 weeks of talking on the Internet
he announced that he would be coming to New York to promote his new movie
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. He said he wanted to meet her
and she asked him to meet her by the lake in Central Park at 2 o’clock.

The day of the meeting, Kat was so nervous that she could hardly walk as she
went to the park and sat on a bench by the lake. There she waited…and
waited…and waited… He was an hour and a half late! She was getting
frustrated and was ready to leave when she saw him running over to the lake
looking around for her but he didn’t know what she looked like, or what to
look for.

“Damn! She’s probably left by now since my stupid agent wouldn’t let me
leave and Elijah made me help him shop for his bloody girlfriend’s Christmas
gift.” He grumbled to himself.
Kat walked over to him, “Do you enjoy talking to yourself?”
“Uh, I usually don’t. Are you Kathleen Stryker by any chance?” he asked
curiously.
“Yes, and you must be Orlando, nice to finally meet you in person.” She said
smiling and he smiled back, glad that she wasn’t too angry with him for
being so late. She pulled her dark brown hair up into a ponytail as they sat
down on the bench. They began talking about their lives and what they had
been up to lately and didn’t even realize when it started to become dark.

“Oh god, I’ve got to get going. I’m really sorry. Can I see you again
though?” he asked, his dark brown eyes pleading with her.
“When?” she asked.
“How about Saturday, come to my premiere with me. You don’t have to walk the
carpet but come see the movie and go to the after party with me, as kind-of
a date?” he asked and her blue eyes sparkled with excitement.
“I’d love to go. Um, here’s my address and phone number.” She said
scribbling it down and handing it to him. He wrote his down too and gave it
to her before pecking her cheek and running off into the night.

Saturday night came and she went to the premiere with him. At the after
party, they shared their first kiss out on the dance floor. After that
night, they kept in contact around his movie shoots and her Broadway shows.
He would always try to fly her to his sets whenever he could or he would fly
in for at least a night to see her shows. When neither of them was working
they always spent the time together alone or with family.

After 4 years of dating she was hoping he would pop the question this
Christmas but wasn’t sure if he was ready yet. He had called her 2 days ago
to say that he would be flying in for Christmas. She had been so happy to
hear his voice and she was glad to be seeing him soon since they had been
apart for 3 months. She was dying to see him…

The house was so quiet that it was scary and she realized how much
she hated being home alone. She decided to turn on some music and
went to the stereo. A 98 Degrees song was just coming on.
“Urgh! They are so overrated…” she thought and was about to change the
station when something in the song stopped her.

The snow is falling, the city is white
You eyes are shining like diamonds tonight,
And we’re all alone, there’s no one home,
You’re finally in my arms again.

She sat back down by the tree and continued to listen to the song. The words
reached out to her and she felt as if this song was about her and Orlando.

The night is silent and Christmas is here,
I couldn’t ask for more than having you near,
Cause I love you girl, I always will,
And now I know the moment is right,
The moment is right…

Cause I’ve been waiting to give this gift tonight,
I’m down on my knees, there’s no better time
It’s something to last for as long as you live,
Tonight I’m gonna give you all my heart can give

She startled out of her reverie as her cell rang and she answered it,
“Hello?”
“Hey baby, it’s Orlando.” He said on the other end.
“Hey, where are you? Are you almost at the house?” she asked, growing more
excited.
“I’m really sorry baby but I don’t think I’m gonna be able to make it. The
snow caused my connecting flight to be cancelled. I wish I could be there
for Christmas.” He said, sounding very upset. Kat felt a tear roll down her
cheek as the song continued to play in the background.

I though I’d give you something shiny and new,
I tried to find something worthy of you,
But I realized, when I looked inside,
There’s some things that money can’t buy.
I feel the magic whenever you’re near,
I feel it even more this time of the year,
Cause I love you girl, I always will,
And now I know the moment is right,
The moment is right…

“You promised me!” Kat said angrily as she started to cry, “Stupid weather
ruins everything.”
“I know baby and I’m so so sorry. I’ve got to go but I love you…” he said
close to tears.
“I love you too Orlando, bye.” She said as she hung up and sat on the edge
of the couch crying as the song continued…

Cause I’ve been waiting to give this gift tonight,
I’m down on my knees, there’s no better time
It’s something to last for as long as you live,
Tonight I’m gonna give you all my heart can give

You know I’ll always be true to you,
And you know I’m the one you can turn to,
Any time, any place, or anywhere,
You know that I’ll always be there

She stood up and turned off the stereo, not able to listen to the song
anymore. She was hurting so badly and couldn’t take it anymore. Her cell
rang suddenly.

“Hello?” she said trying to wipe the tears from her face.
“Honey are you alright?” her mother asked.
“Oh, yeah I’m fine.” Kat said clearing her throat and trying to stop crying.
“We won’t be home until after 12 because the holiday parade is late getting
started. We will see you and Orlando later. I’ve got to go honey, bye!” her
mom said and hung up. Kat tossed her phone into a char and collapsed onto
the couch in sobs. She eventually fell into a restless sleep.

She sat up suddenly, awoken by the clock striking midnight. Her
doorbell rang and she walked to open the door.
“Stupid pranksters.” she grumbled to herself, noticing the no one was there.
She was about to close the door when she head a voice singing…

The night is silent and Christmas is here,
I couldn’t ask for more than having you near,
Cause I love you girl, I always will,
And now I know the moment is right,
The moment is right…

Orlando edged out from behind a tree singing the song she had heard earlier.
“Orlando!” she yelled running to him and throwing herself into his open
arms. He spun her around in circles and then set her down, kissing her
deeply before they walked back inside.
“How did you get here? And how did you know about that song?” she asked and
he put a finger to her lips to silence her.
“I rented a car and drove up here from the Atlanta airport. I heard that
song on the radio and it reminded me of us…” he said and she laughed.
“I was listening to that song earlier and I thought it sounded like us…” she
said and they both laughed.

“Kat, there’s something I need to ask you…” he said getting on his knees as
he pulled out a blue Tiffany’s box. He opened it and she gasped. Inside was
a beautiful white gold ring with a pear shaped diamond and a small diamond
on either side of that.
“Kathleen Stryker, ever since the day I met you on that blasted Internet, I
knew we had a connection. When I met you in person I thought you were the
most beautiful woman on the planet and I definitely knew we had something.
These past 3 years with you have been the best years of my life and you have
me feel so wonderful. You are my life and the air I breathe. I see my every
dream coming true in your eyes and you’re everything I’ve ever wanted. I
want to have kids with you and grow old together. So Kathleen, will you
marry me?” he asked and she felt tears fall down her face as she smiled.

“Yes, yes I will.” She said softly and he slipped the ring on her shaking
finger and stood to look into her eyes. As she looked up at him she noticed
that they were standing under mistletoe. Orlando looked up too and
then smiled down at her before kissing her passionately. He pulled away and
walked to the stereo to turn it on. They sat cuddled together on the couch
by the tree and listened to the radio play softly in the background.

“Merry Christmas Kat.” Orlando whispered in her ear.
“Merry Christmas Orlando.” She whispered back as she gently drifted off to
sleep in his arms.
He kissed the top of her head and whispered, “I promised I’d be home for
Christmas,” before falling asleep also.

Song Credit: The Gift by 98 degrees


********************************************************


A Christmas surprise

Try to imagine a house that's not a home
Try to imagine a christmas all alone
That's where I'll be
Since you left me

It was dark outside and a cold wind was blowing around the little cottage. Big snowflakes were falling from the sky on the trees of the forest behind her house. Making the world seem like a winter paradise. Leanna was sitting in front of her window. She saw the snow fall turning the world into a fairytale landscape but she did not care for it. So it was a white Christmas, it was always a white Christmas were she lived.
Her house that stood miles away from the nearest town was not decorated. There were no lights on display, no candles were burning and she had not bothered with putting up a Christmas tree. It did not smell like home made cookies in her cold dark house and the only thing she would be eating tonight was pizza.

My tears would melt the snow
What can I do
Without you
I've got no place, no place to go

Christmas was a bitter memory for her. Tainted with the betrayal of her boyfriend and the knowledge that all her friends had known about it. It had happened last year when her house had looked quite different. And she had not been alone. A house filled with friends and family, a dinner in the making and the love of her boyfriend Edgar surrounding her. That is what she had thought. She didn’t know that everyone was laughing at her behind her back and that Edgar had taken every opportunity to stand under the mistletoe with Nora. A close friend of hers. She hadn’t suspected anything. At some point Edgar had offered to get some wood out of the shed in the garden for the fireplace. Thankfully she had accepted it and never thought about it again until she noticed his absence 30 minutes later. Worried she had gone outside, wondering if something might have happened to him. And there in her shed she had seen them together. Kissing passionately and half undressed. Unseen she had walked back to the house were the laughing faces of her friends had mocked her. Furious she had thrown them all out. Leaving her alone with her misery. Egar had come running back when he heard the angry voices of there friends walking away in the bitter cold. He had pounded on the frontdoor. Begging her to let him in, asking her to forgive him. But the only thing she had opened was a upstairs window. Through which she threw out all of is clothes and belonging. She had not said a word to him then but when she saw him drive of with Nora in his black corvette she felt her anger pounding. And she had made herself a promise. They were going to pay. She did not know yet how but she would make them pay.

It'll be lonely this christmas
Without you to hold
It'll be lonely this christmas
Lonely and cold
It'll be cold so cold
Without you to hold
This christmas

Today it was exactly a year ago that she had promised herself that. A small bitter grin was on her face when she thought about what would happen to Nora and Edgar. She felt sorry that she could not see it happen but she did not want to be suspected in any case. She stretched and stood up from her seat. A faint blue flickering light lit up her dark living room. She heard a faint ping and realised her pizza was ready. With her pizza on a plate she settled herself behind her computer and started msn up. Since she had been left friendless last year she had spend more and more time on the internet. Trying to find some comfort in the endless stream of information and people that crowded it. By chance she had stumbled on a forum and in a spur of the moment she had joined. She considered it the luckiest decision she had ever made. There she had found people to talk to and a new hobby to concentrate on. Before that she had never believed in online friendship but she had found out it existed indeed. Sometimes she thought that it was scary how many time she spend online and that all the friends she had now lived far away from her. But tonight nobody was online and it seemed like everyone had deserted her to be with offline friends and family. Disappointed she looked at the screen. They had promised to come but no one was there.

Each time I remember the day you went away
And how I would listen to things you have to say
I just break down, as I look around
And the only things I see
Are emptiness and loneliness
And an unlit christmas Tree

At that moment the doorbell rang. Frowning she wondered who that could be. She did not feel much for opening the door. But the person on the other side of the door was persistent cause the doorbell rang again, almost forcefully. Muttering some curses under her breath she got up and walked to the door. If it was some Christmas choir, she thought to herself, they were not going to like this. She swung the door open forcefully, ready to snap at the person who was intruding. It was however not a Christmas choir but a young woman with red hair and an man with sandcoloured hair. They gave her a big smile.
“Are you Leanna?” the woman asked cheerfully
Dumbstruck she nodded wondering who these people were.
But before she could ask she was enveloped in a big hug by the woman, “It is so great to finally meet you. I heard that you would be alone with Christmas so we decided to drop by,” she heard her say excitingly.
“Uh yeah thanks,” she said hesitantly.
The woman let her go blushing and said, “you have probably no idea who we are right?”
She shook her head.
“I am Melina, from the internet and this is my boyfriend Viggo”.
Flabbergasted she looked at them but slowly a big feeling of love came surging through her. She opened her door widely now, “Please come in. How amazing that you have come all this way for me and I didn’t recognise you at all. It is so sweet of you,” she rambled while Viggo and Melina entered. But before she could close the door Melina said, “hold on we are not the only ones. The rest is just parking their cars.
“Really? That…that is so amazing,” she said with tears in her voice

It'll be lonely this christmas
Without you to hold
It'll be lonely this christmas
Lonely and cold
It'll be cold so cold
Without you to hold
This christmas

You remember last year, when you and I were together
We never thought there'd be an end
And I remember looking at you then
And I remember thinking that christmas must have been made
for us
Cause darlin' this is the time that you really need love
When it means so very very much

She heard muffled voices and soon enough she saw shapes emerge from the cold dark evening into the light of her house. One by one the entered her house. People she had never seen before but all knew how much she had suffered last year and how hard Christmas was for her now. Some had travelled for hours to come and look her up. People who she had grown to love and cherish. They all gathered in her small livingroom. Smiling and blushing she looked at them. Not only had they come to keep her company but they had brought decorations and home made meals. So that they could enjoy a real Christmas dinner together. With tears in her eyes she started helping them. It took them little time to make the fire burn merrily, decorate a Christmas tree, set the table and make the whole house smell with roasted beef, warm bread, pineapple from the tree and cookies. The music was softly playing a song and when she heard it she smiled.

It'll be lonely this christmas
Without you to hold
It'll be lonely this christmas
Lonely and cold
It'll be cold so cold
Without you to hold
This christmas

Yes it had promised to be a lonely Christmas without Edgar but she had been wrong. There were people who did care and they were here. She looked at them while they chatted together and sat down at the table. At some point Billy who was the boyfriend of Mone, one of her close friends turned to her and said, “you know on the way here we saw a big car accident”.
“Really,” she said while she suddenly sat up straight.
“Yes, it was right outside this town. There was almost nothing left of the car. I think it must have driven against a tree. I must say it looked pretty bad and it would be a miracle if someone survived that. Pretty sad if you ask me, something like that happening on Christmas eve”.
“Yes indeed very sad,” she said while she looked him in the eyes. “Say you didn’t by any chance see what kind of car it was did you?” she asked, “maybe I know them”.
“Yes I did, it was a black corvette. A real race machine if you asked me. I hope it doesn’t sound familiar to you?”
She looked at Billy with a reassuring smile, “Don’t worry,” she said, “I don’t know anyone I care for with a black corvette”.
Relieved he looked at her, “I am happy to hear that!”
“Yes me too,” she said.

It was almost midnight by the time everyone had left. Only Melina and Viggo had stayed behind. There car had broken down.

“You’re sure it’s no problem?” Melina had asked.
“Not at all. I have plenty of room and I can probably even fix your car for you tomorrow”.
“Really? How come?”
“I took a course in auto mechanics. Somehow I thought it would come in handy,” she said smiling and thought:

Merry christmas darlin', wherever you are

in hell I hope.

Song: Lonely this Christmas by Mud


*****************************************************************

Entries continued in next post

Put 2 and 2 Together


I pulled my robe tighter around me as I sat down and flicked on my computer. Once it booted up, I logged onto instant messenger and noticed that no one was on. ‘Of course no one is on, it’s 3:30 in the morning, and normal people are sleeping.’ I mused to myself. It was a couple of days before Christmas and I was at my parents’ house in Pittsburgh on break from college. I wasn’t able to fall asleep because I had just been watching a scary movie and every little creak in my house was freaking me out. I hated being the only one awake. I put in my Christmas cd to relax and leaned back in the computer chair and closed my eyes…until the annoying sign on sound went off and I sat up straight. A message window popped up and began flashing… It was my friend Jordan that I had met online at an Elijah Wood fan-site. He lives in New York and he had become my best friend. Our online friendship was beginning to get to me though. He was really cool and although I had never met him, I thought I was starting to like him as more than a friend.

BlueEyedBandit: Hey there…
AbbeyCrusaders: Hey, what are you doing up so late?
BlueEyedBandit: I could ask you the same thing.
AbbeyCrusaders: I was watching The Faculty and I couldn’t sleep. So what’s new with you?
BlueEyedBandit:The Faculty eh? More E.W. obsession…Did I tell you I’m coming to Pittsburgh on Christmas Eve day?
AbbeyCrusaders: No, not obsession. And that’s cool! Maybe we could meet up somewhere downtown and have lunch or something.
BlueEyedBandit: That sounds pretty cool, but I don’t know my way around there…
AbbeyCrusaders: We can go to The Tin Angel, my treat. Any cab driver will be able to take you there from the airport. You are flying in aren’t you?
BlueEyedBandit: Yeah I am…my flight gets in at 1 so let’s say we meet there at 2:15?
AbbeyCrusaders: Okay, are you gonna need a ride to your hotel after lunch because I can drop you off if that’s okay with you.
BlueEyedBandit: Yeah sounds good to me. You’re not really like some 50 year old fat woman that’s gonna kidnap me are you?
AbbeyCrusaders: How could you even say that! And no, I’ve sent you my picture, and I promise that was me.
BlueEyedBandit: I hope so…you know what, I’m really tired.
AbbeyCrusaders: Poor baby…go to sleep then.
BlueEyedBandit: Maybe I will. I’ll see you in two days at 2:15.
AbbeyCrusaders: Alright, I’m gonna go to sleep too…
BlueEyedBandit: Don’t dream about Elijah too much.
AbbeyCrusaders: Jordan! You’re terrible…and you never told me why you were on that Elijah site originally.
BlueEyedBandit: I did too! My sister created the site and needed me to be her first member.
AbbeyCrusaders: Sure…whatever you say sweetheart.
BlueEyedBandit: Anyway! How will I know it’s you at the restaurant?
AbbeyCrusaders: I’ll be wearing a black business suit (I have to work that day) and well, you could just ask for me at the desk, they know me there.
BlueEyedBandit: Alright, I’ll see you soon. Now go to bed!
AbbeyCrusaders: I will, you too…bye.
BlueEyedBandit signed off at 03:48:42

~*~2 days later~*~

I headed to the restaurant after I left my office at the fashion magazine where I am an assistant to the CEO during the summers and holidays. I also work on major projects on my laptop from North Carolina and am flown to Pittsburgh frequently on weekends to throw in some extra time.
I had been listening to a Mariah Carey song on the way over to the Tin Angel and was singing it quietly to myself as I sat at the table.

“I don't want a lot for Christmas
There's just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas
Is you

I don't want a lot for Christmas
There is just one thing I need
I don't care about presents
Underneath the Christmas tree
I don't need to hang my stocking
There upon the fireplace
Santa Claus won't make me happy
With a toy on Christmas day
I just want you for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
All I want for Christmas is you
You baby”

“Miss Lippert? Can I get you something to drink.” My favorite waiter asked me.
“Just water Anthony, thank you. I have to go back to work later.”
“Yes ma’am. Please send my holiday greetings to Mr. Kline.” Anthony said speaking about my boss, a frequent customer at the Tin Angel.
“I will Anthony, I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear that you said hello.” I replied and he walked away to get my water. I looked down at my watch. It was 2:20 and I was still alone. After Anthony brought my water I went back to quietly singing.


“I won't ask for much this Christmas
I won't even wish for snow
I'm just gonna keep on waiting
Underneath the mistletoe
I won't make a list and send it
To the North Pole for Saint Nick
I won't even stay awake to
Hear those magic reindeer click
'Cause I just want you here tonight
Holding on to me so tight
What more can I do
Baby all I want for Christmas is you
You

All the lights are shining
So brightly everywhere
And the sound of children's
Laughter fills the air
And everyone is singing
I hear those sleigh bells ringing
Santa won't you bring me the one I really need
Won't you please bring my baby to me”

I glanced up and stopped singing as someone was seated across from me.
“Elijah Wood?” I said a little shocked.
“Yeah, hey Alli.” He said with a small smile.
“Wait, you’re…Oh my god. You probably think I’m obsessed with you.” I said placing my face in my hands.
“You never figured out that it was me? You do know that Jordan is my middle name don’t you?”
“Yes, but I never put two and two together. Lord I feel stupid.”
“Why, I never really let on. Except I live in New York, I have blue eyes and brown hair, I’m 5’6”, and I have a sister. No, it was never obvious.”
“I’m such an idiot.” I said twisting my class ring around my finger.
“If it makes you feel any better, you’re a very beautiful idiot…” he said quietly
I blushed slightly as Anthony came by to take our orders. After Elijah and I finished lunch, we grabbed his luggage from the coat room and walked downstairs to the VIP parking.
“You can VIP park here?”
“Yeah my company does a lot of business here. Do you still want me to drive you to your hotel?”
“Do you have to go back to work right away or could you show me around town.”
“I kind-of need to get back to work but I can take you to my office and show you around there. Have you ever met a CEO of a fashion magazine?” I asked.
“Can’t say I have…” Elijah replied.
“Today is your lucky day then.” I said getting in my car. I turned on my car, totally forgetting that I had the cd player on and Mariah Carey was still belting away. When I’m in the car and I know the song, I have the habit of singing along, and I kind-of forgot that Elijah was in there as I sang the last bit of the song.


” Oh I don't want a lot for Christmas
This is all I'm asking for
I just want to see baby
Standing right outside my door
Oh I just want him for my own
More than you could ever know
Make my wish come true
Baby all I want for Christmas is
You”

“You have a good voice.” He said as the song finished.
“Whoa, forgot you were in here.” I said as I jumped slightly. I decided to point out important buildings to him as I drove. My cell rang and I apologized to Elijah as I took the call.
“Yes Mr. Kline, what can I do for you?” I asked as we stopped at a light.
“Is it true that you’re spending time with Elijah Wood?” he asked me.
“Yes sir, how did you know that?” I asked a little shocked.
“Georgio called me.” He said speaking about the owner of the Tin Angel.
“Of course sir, I should’ve known.”
“I want you to take the rest of the day off darling. You work too much anyway. I don’t want to see you in this office until at least January 4th, and the only reason you’re coming in that day is so we can throw you a birthday party.”
“But sir…” I protested as the light changed and I continued driving.
“No buts about it. I don’t want to see you getting old before your time. Have a good Christmas.”
“You too sir and Anthony send his greetings.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you in the new year.”
“Goodbye sir.” I replied and hung up my phone.
“Ok so you wanted to see downtown?” I said turning to smile at Elijah.
“What? Don’t you have to go to work?”
“My boss just called and he doesn’t want me to come back to work until next year. I have some free time on my hands.”
“I want to meet your parents.” He said
“What? Why?” I asked shocked throwing a glance at him.
“I don’t know, I just want to see what your house is like.”
“You know if you come to my house then my mom is going to insist that you stay with us…and my family is a little insane.”
“Isn’t everyone’s? I can call and cancel my reservation if I have to.”
“If you wish it. They live in the suburbs so we have a little drive.” I said getting on the interstate to head towards Wexford.
When we got to my house it was around 4:30 and my mom was baking cookies. I smelled them as soon as I flung open the front door. I kicked off my shoes and dropped my bag.
“Ma, I’m home.” I yelled slamming the door behind Elijah.
“Don’t slam! And you didn’t drop your bag in the hallway again did you? Allison how many times have I told you not to do…Oh wow, I see you brought a friend.” My mom said walking into the front hall.
“Oh yeah, um Mom, this is Elijah Wood. Elijah this is my mom.”
“You are staying in our home aren’t you?” my mom asked.
“Well I have a hotel reservation…”
“Oh no, you can’t stay in a hotel on Christmas Eve…you’ll stay here, and you’re coming to midnight mass with us tonight.”
“Okay…” he said as she walked away. He turned to me, “Is she always like that?”
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you…come on, we’ll put your stuff upstairs.”
I grabbed one of his bags and headed up the stairs. As we walked towards the guest room I noticed a large ugly plant in a pot on a table in the upstairs hall.
“Mom, what the crap is this ugly plant up here?” I yelled over the railing into our family room.
“It’s not ugly! And it’s a mistletoe plant.” She yelled back and I looked at Elijah and rolled my eyes.
“You know what that means don’t you?” he asked as we walked into the guest room.
“We have an ugly plant in our hallway?” I asked throwing his suitcase on the bed.
“Nope. We have to kiss.” he said and I shoved his arm
“That’s only if it’s over your head retard.” I replied but he pulled me into his arms.
“Maybe I just want an excuse to kiss you.” He said gently and leaned down to lock lips with me.
We jumped apart as we heard the front door bang open. “Grandma!” my little niece yelled and Elijah and I smiled at each other.
“So who would’ve thought when my sister started a fan-site about me that I would meet the most wonderful girl I’ve ever known?” he asked looking deep into my eyes.
“Shut-up and let’s go play football with my brothers…” I said pulling away from him and walking towards the door of the room.
He grabbed my arm…“In the snow?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.
I pecked him on the lips, “Don’t be such a baby Jordan,” I said and I walked to my room to change clothes.

Song: ‘All I Want for Christmas is You’ by Mariah Carey



****************************************************************

A Christmas Carol (revisited)

“Wake up.”
The voice must had been repeating its command in a while, at first, simply buzzing from the deep bottom of his conscience, increasing in force, until it burst loud into his ears, joined by an eloquent scroll.
“Wake up!”

“What the Hell?” Dom jolted abruptly on his bed, trying to shake slumber off his brain. But, could he be awake? Reason told him not; nothing else but dreaming would have explained the appearance of a young woman standing by his bed, into his place, where he was deadly sure he was alone.
He glanced at the mysterious figure before him: he could not tell much of her appearance, because she was disguised in a black cloak, and the hood covered the most of her face. Really, that could be nothing but a dream, and as a dream, he ignored it.
He glanced at the clock: it was ten to midnight.

“Dominic Monaghan,” the dream roared when he made as to get back to sleep.
“Do you know what date is today?”

He sighed, sitting on his bed.
“Christmas Eve?” he asked in a condescending tone, and the dream nodded, pulling the hood off her face to reveal her pitch black hair.

“I’m the Ghost of Past Christmas.” She announced in a grave voice, and it was there that Dom realized that was not a dream, at all.

“Right, okay.” He scrolled his head, shuffling his feet off the bed. It took him just a second to realize he was wearing his special Christmas boxes, the red ones with mistletoe, but, it was the chick who intruded his privacy, after all! She’d better make no comment about it, if she didn’t want him to call the 911.
“So, who organized this?” he ran a hand through his tousled hair, “Josh? The other guys? Billy Boyd? Because you see, I have an interview in some hours and the last thing I need now is to play Mister Scrooge with you, honey.”

The Ghost didn’t loose an ounce of her composure.
“Look here,” she said simply, turning away and showing something Dom didn’t notice before: on the left wall of his bedroom there was a giant plasma screen he had never seen before.

“How, why…” he stuttered, but the Ghost waved her hand in a commanding move, and he sensed his knees buckle to collapse him on the bed.

“Just look,” she ordered, waving her hand again.
The screen lightened up, flickering. A scratching Christmas jingle tuned feebly inside the room, as the image got clearer and clearer, a home-made video.

“Do you remember about this one?” the Ghost whispered.
He did, very well. That video was about his Christmas in New Zealand, on 2002. His lips curved in a smile when familiar faces got framed by the camera, all showing amused smiled and weary eyes, red by the fatigue of endless days of shooting.

They're singing "Deck the Halls"
But it's not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here
And all the fun that we had last year

A chuckle erupted from his lips when he saw his old friend Billy smack him in the head, before handing him a Santa’s hat.
His eyes wandered on the faces of his friends. The cheesy tune kept on humming, like an annoying soundtrack.

“Ridiculous.” He muttered, smiling, when the camera zoomed to frame the nine main actors, some handing glasses of sparkling wine, wearing nine silly identical hats, poking their middle fingers to the camera in a greeting, and not very Christmas-like, cheer.

“Still, you cannot deny it was one of your best Christmas nights.” The Ghost cocked a brow, staring at his face with such sharpness that, under the pressure of her black stare, and the shimmering screen behind her, he felt a sharp melancholy rise into his chest.

“So, you’re about to prattle on how great things were, how friendly and open I was, before big Hollywood money turned me into a busy jerk, right?” Dom sputtered, and the Ghost slightly nodded her head.

“Seems you did it yourself, through.” She replied, moving a step towards him, “this means that my job with you is done.”

“What about now…” he asked, but she waved her hand in a wide move, and suddenly, Dom felt his knees buckle. Darkness folded all around him, and before he could muster a word, he fell back asleep.
***
“Wake up.”

“Oh, no.” his eyes spread open again. Once again, he was sitting on his bed, and there was someone standing before him. The evil plasma screen was blank, and he shifted his eyes about the tall woman in black.

“Ghost of the Present Christmas?” he smirked, but the woman slid the hood off her face, revealing her luscious blonde hair.

“No time to fart around,” she snapped in an icy tone, “seems that you’re not taking this very seriously. You have no idea of your own luck, Dominic Monaghan! You’ve been given a reason to mend your mistakes, and this happens less often than it’s cracked up to be.”

“If you say so…” he crossed his hands onto his lap, gesturing towards the screen, “Right, show me, blonde. How are all of my chums spending the night?”

The screen gave an affirmative flicker, getting clearer.
Dom cringed when he realized the venue that was being shown: it was the Christmas party at Josh’s, the one his colleague had pleaded him to join, and Dom remembered his disappointed expression when he responded he was not planning to go.
Snow steaks whirled outside the window, and the cheesy soundtrack muffled slightly, nothing but a feeble sound now lingering in background.

The snow's coming down
Now I'm watching it fall
All the people around
Baby please come home

Seemed like everybody was there: Josh, Evangeline, and, much to his surprise, he spotted a couple of his former Lord of the Rings mates, Billy Boyd and Elijah Wood.
“It was not nice at all,” Josh was saying, a glass of Champagne in his hand, “that he snobbed us like that, with no concrete reason.”

“When he told he wasn’t coming I firsts thought he planned to spend Christmas with his family, but he didn’t.” Evangeline nodded, frowning in a scolding fashion, “I guess it shows pretty clear where work ends and friendship begins, to Dom.”

“Little bitch.” Dom muttered under his breath. The Ghost smirked, tilting her face down.
“It has not always been like that,” Billy said slowly, and Dom nodded his head proudly.

“Take that,” he said, smiling at his old friend on the screen, when Billy talked again.

“Dom used to be such a generous guy,” he said sadly, “before he lost it for the whole stardom thing. Honestly, I didn’t expect him to turn so pricky and aloof to his friends.”

Dom’s jaws dropped open.
“True,” Elijah went on, “he used to just hit you with a call at five AM, because he said he missed you and that funky cloud he saw reminded him of your face.” He giggled, and Dom cringed, biting is lower lip, “and now, he barely finds the time to return my calls. That’s pretty humiliating, and disappointing, if you ask me.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Dom muttered, glaring at the Ghost who stood silently by his bed, her eyes darting the screen. “I’m fed up of this little thing.”

She turned towards him, her glance harder than steel.
“But, you still don’t believe it, do you?”

“What did you expect?” he flailed his hands out, “do you want me to say you’re right? That I’ve been snobbing my friends, playing the big-headed start too long? Good Lord, it’s all about us! Wake up, blonde, we’re actors.”

“They are actors, as well,” the Ghost pondered slowly, eyes shifting to the screen, “still, they’re gathered there, and they miss you.”

Dom watched the scene before him. Out, in the distance, knells stoke half past midnight, and the small group shared a smile that bumped out and away from their faces, grazing him, and slipping away.

The church bells in town
All ringing in song
Full of happy sounds
Baby please come home

He felt his eyes fill with burning tears, but he tilted his head down not to show. Sure enough, he didn’t want that girl – or thing, see him cry, or even realize he was slowly beginning to believe what she was trying to persuade him of: that it was Christmas Eve, the universal night of friendship and love, and that he rationally cut out everybody who ever meant something to him.

“I can go, now.” The Ghost whispered slowly, and when he lifted his head to question her, the last thing he caught was the wide, dismissing move of her hand, before darkness folded around him. He struggled, trying to keep awake, but to no avail.

Slipping into oblivion, he feared what was about to come.
***
“Dom, wake…”

“I’m awake, Santa’s Banshee.”

“Good.” The Ghost of the Future Christmas had bright red locks, that bounced around he head when she gestured towards the blank screen, “so, how did you enjoy my ladies’ paperwork?”

“Scary, cheesy, and striking overrated delusional tricks.” He bent his head gracefully, “but I’m afraid it’s working.”

“Really?” The Ghost cocked a brow in a musing fashion, “You’re really having a waltz with your conscience?”

“It’s almost time we leave the club for my place and a naughty night of confrontation,” Dom nodded his head proudly, “so, I guess we can say you’re the one to ice the cake, so, bring it on, honey.”

“This is the hardest part,” the Ghost warned him, when the screen flickered for the umpteenth, and last time.
He sighed, trying to gather his strength. His hands ran to squeeze the linen of the bed, but still, his eyes didn’t leave the screen.

They're singing "Deck the Halls"
But it's not like Christmas at all
I remember when you were here
And all the fun that we had last year

Just, it was not a homemade video.
The reporter behind the screen must had been just concluding a quick report about foreign policy, or something like that, and she made a clear effort to put up a serious expression, staring straight at the camera.
She shuffled some papers into her manicured hands, clearing her voice to a solemn tone.
“We are grieved to announce that Dominic Monaghan, the actor, died last night, on Christmas Eve, for a heart attack in his house in Santa Monica.”

“Bloody Hell!” Dom screamed, jumping off his bed, but the Ghost silenced him with a brisk move of her hand.
He tried to breath deeply, feeling cold beads of sweat form on his forehead, as the bored reporter shared the news nobody ever wants to hear.

“Dominic Monaghan was relatively unknown to the World’s scene. Despite his career boosted at the beginning of the century with the renewed Lord of the Rings Trilogy and the serial Lost, most of people tend to remember him for his questionable public behavior, rather than his talent.” She paused, and the scene changed to a live report, obviously shot a matter of minutes before.

Dom’s blood froze in his veins when he recognized the man: it was his old friend, Billy Boyd, and yet it was quite hard to guess: wrinkles and grey hair had robbed him of his eternal childish appearance, but his voice was always the same, when he addressed to the reporter.

“I haven’t heard from Dominic in something like ten years,” Billy said, “we used to be very good friends when we were young, but as time went by…” he paused, looking down, “I know it’s rude to say such things about a man when he’s gone, but someone has to voice what we all thing. News broke saying that he died alone, and the truth is that he has been living his life alone, as well.”
Billy’s green eyes pierced the screen in a reproachful look.
“Dom was the stereotyped victim of Hollywood’s Stardom system. He changed his friends for money and his loyalty for gluttony, but he never realized that in this job you need friends to make money. In the end, it all pays off, or in the case of Dom, it does not.”

Dominic stared at the screen, his mouth agape for the shock, as he listened to the man who used to be one of his best friends saying how his death did not affect him.
“I wish I could mourn for him, as a friend, an actor, or a simply good person. But I won’t, because he consciously let our friendship down, and he was not a good person. For what concerns his talent… well, the only good movie he was in was the Lord of the Rings, with me.”

“No… no…” Dom shook his head, and tears began to stream down his cheeks.

“You cannot treat people like objects;” Billy was saying, “And put online friendship and respect and trust and crash them down like dominoes. That’s not the way good people behave. That’s not the way to get their respect.”
Suddenly, like he sensed he had pushed himself too far, Billy cleared his throat, and pushed the microphone away.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured, “I have to go now.”

Inside the studio, the bored reporter with the manicured hands smiled at the camera.
“And now, the sport…”

The screen went black, and Dom collapsed on his bed. He felt like he had just been hit by a train, and, through the veil of tears, he saw the Ghost standing before him, her pale face showing something that looked dangerously like pity.

“This is how it will end, isn’t it?” he hiccupped desperately.

“Not necessarily,” the Ghost whispered gently, “everyone has the power to change their future. Now, it’s up just to you.”
She lifted an arm, and Dom got ready to fall back into oblivion.

“Merry Christmas,” the Ghost called, raising her pale hand. He opened his mouth to reply, but he fell asleep before mustering a word.

Now the snow's coming down
Now I'm watching it fall
Lot's of people around
Baby please come home
(won't you please, oh)

***
It’s Christmas morning, and inside the small kitchen music plays from the radio and the TV is on, news flashing from the small screen. Three girls are chatting around the table, still inside their night gowns. It’s very late in the morning, but they had a busy night.

“Look, here he is!” the redhead gushes when the famous actor Dominic Monaghan appears on the screen, his eyes red and puffy and his hair too tousled not to show he has not been sleeping at all.

“I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas,” Dom begins in a throaty voice, “and… well, I know you’re all expecting me to say something fun and stupid, but this time, I want to be serious.” As the camera zooms closer on his tired face, Dom takes a deep breath.
“Actors like me tend to belittle the luck they have been given. I would just like to say to all of my friends out there that I love them from the bottom of my heart. God only knows what I’d be without you, guys. And, to everybody else, keep your loved ones close, and not only at Christmas. Christmas might not be the day of love and compassion, but it is surely the day of remembrance. Please, remember my words. Thank you.”

“I’m afraid we exaggerated a bit.” the girl with black hair ponders aloud, gesturing towards the screen, “the whole Christmas Carol thing seems to have really scared the crap out of him.”

“Please!” the redhead rolled her eyes, “Work is work. And besides, I think we did some good.”

The blonde nodded, patting the video lying in the middle of the table.
“This is the best amateur project we ever made. When the teacher told us the theme was Dickens’ Christmas Carol, I thought we were not making it.”

“But we did,” the brunette snickered proudly, “it took only a bit of imagination and a couple of phone numbers.”

“I’m sure Billy and Josh had a blast,” the blonde giggled, “shooting all those videos and such. Poor Dom, he looked really scared!”

“Whatever,” the redhead shrugged, “All that matters is that we have our project done, and Dom Monaghan spent a Christmas Eve he is not likely to forget for all his life.”

The three girls shared a satisfied look. It was snowing outside, and a Christmas tune played in the background.
“Merry Christmas, ladies,” the blonde said.

The snow's coming down
Now I'm watching it fall
All the people around
Baby ,baby, baby please come home

Baby please come home
Baby please come home
Baby please come home
Now I'm feeling all alone

Oh the snow's coming down
Now I'm watching it fall...

The end.

Song credits: Hanson, Christmas (Baby please come home)

Keep on voting, everyone! Polls will be open until January 4th!

I like all the stories! They are all really good, I can't wait to see who wins! And Amber, I love your avatar. How did u make it and could you make me one?

:love:
~Kit-kat~

Aw, thanks, Kat! Mena actually made the avatar...it has to do with our story, Lofters. ^_^ I'm sure she could probably make you an avatar....maybe PM her about it. :love:

I Will have to do that! Thanks!
:love:
~Kit-Kat~