Happy Holidays VI
A New Tradition
by Amber
Trixie had taken Bobby for a walk in the preserve after school. “I’m glad we have a two-week vacation, Trixie. And I’m glad you’re walking with me to find all the evergreen branches,” Bobby commented.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Trixie replied. “I love collecting evergreen branches with you.” She smiled down at her younger brother. “I hope you finished all your Christmas shopping so you can help me with mine,” she confided.
“Can I help with my gift?” He asked with an impish grin.
Trixie laughed aloud. “I don’t think so, you little goose,” she shot back. “I bought yours two months ago. Don’t even bother trying to peek either. It’s already wrapped.” She pretended to look sternly at Bobby.
“Would I do that?” he asked with a ‘too-innocent’ look on his face.
Trixie just wrinkled her nose at him as she bent down to examine a smallish branch on the ground. “What do you think of this one? Is this about the size we want?”
Bobby studied the branch thoughtfully. “I think it’s perfect.”
Trixie smiled. “As Honey would say it’s ‘perfectly perfect,’” Trixie agreed. For the last couple of weeks, Honey had been ill with the flu and Trixie had missed spending time with her.
“Is she feeling better now?” Bobby asked. Honey was tied as a close second with Diana for his affection when it came to girls. Trixie was first, of course. They were even ahead of Moms, because she didn’t want to let him grow up.
“She’s fine now. Her parents just didn’t want her to get out into the cold and have a possible relapse.”
Bobby nodded. He knew Honey’s parents could sometimes be more over-protective than Moms could. “I’m glad,” he said simply.
After about half an hour, they had found all the branches they needed. “Now what should we do with these?” Trixie asked teasingly.
Bobby laughed. Then, adopting a serious face, he replied, “I don’t know, Trix. What do you think?”
“Hmm,” she replied, as if giving it deep thought. “Maybe we should make wreaths out of them and give them to the neighbors.”
“It’s a possibility,” Bobby said, nodding solemnly.
They glanced at each other and burst out laughing. They then headed back to Crabapple Farm with their arms full.
As they walked into the kitchen, they saw their mother sitting at the kitchen table, studying her recipes to make doubly (or maybe triply) sure that she had all the ingredients for everything she wanted to cook.
“I hope you two aren’t trying to bring those branches in this house,” she said, without turning around. “I just finished cleaning the floors.”
Trixie and Bobby looked at each other, and as one, said, “Sorry Moms.” They turned around and went back onto the porch. “I guess we’ll do the wreaths out here,” Trixie told Bobby. “You start making the wreaths while I go get the decorations.”
Bobby nodded his agreement while Trixie went back inside.
Moms smiled at Trixie. “Yes,” she said before Trixie could ask.
Trixie smiled back at her mother. “Thanks.”
Trixie went looking for, and found, ribbons, small silver bells, rhinestones, and sequins. She gathered all the supplies into a basket and went back to Bobby.
Three hours later, they had completed the wreaths. After they had obtained permission from Moms, they set out to give them to their neighbors.
Their first stop was at the Wheelers’, where Mrs. Trask opened the door. “Hello Trixie and Bobby. What have you got there?” Her question was accompanied by a smile.
“Just a Christmas wreath,” Bobby answered.
“It’s something Bobby and I started doing this year. We make them and give them to our neighbors,” Trixie told Mrs. Trask.
“Well, how nice. Thank you.” She took a wreath and hung it on the front door.
“Do you think Honey can come with us to give the rest of them out?” Bobby asked hopefully.
“I don’t see why not,” Mrs. Trask replied. “Her temperature has been normal for a few days. I’ll just go ask her. Won’t you come in and wait?”
“No, thanks,” Trixie answered. “Could you please ask her to meet us at the stable? We want to give Regan one, too.”
Mrs. Trask smiled at them. “Of course.”
Trixie and Bobby walked to the stable singing, “Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Oh, what fun it is to ride on a one-horse open sleigh. Hey!”
Regan came out of the tack room, wiping his hands on a cloth. “To what do I owe this honor?” he jokingly asked.
Trixie nodded to Bobby. Bobby explained to Regan, “Trixie and I made wreaths for our neighbors. We wanted to give you yours.”
Regan smiled down at Bobby. “Well, that’s a very nice thing to do. I’ll hang it right here,” he said turning to the stable’s doors. “Now, how’s your family?”
Trixie smiled. “Moms has Brian and Mart in town buying extra Christmas light bulbs. Dad’s still at work and Moms is making sure she has everything she needs to make turkey stuffing.”
“I hope she does, kids. Especially seeing as how she invited everyone for miles to come to a potluck Christmas Eve dinner. I, for one, plan on being second in the buffet line, right behind Mart,” he said with a laugh.
At that moment, Honey came in.
“Well, since Honey’s here, we’d better go deliver the rest of the wreaths.” Trixie said.
“Bye, kids,” Regan called from the doorway.
Trixie and Bobby, along with Honey, started walking towards Mr. Maypenny’s cabin.
“Are we looking for reindeer tracks along the way?” Honey teased Bobby.
They all laughed.
Trixie noticed a new bracelet on Honey’s wrist and asked about it. “Oh,” replied Honey. “Mother and Dad brought it back for me from their latest trip.”
After giving Mr. Maypenny a wreath and having a cup of hot chocolate with him, they continued to Mrs. Vanderpoel’s house. They ended up staying for warm windmill cookies with her after she told them she loved the wreath, she promised to give Brom his. Bobby was disappointed that Brom wasn’t there. The next stop was the Lynches’, where no one but Harrison was home, but they left a wreath anyway.
They stopped by Mr. Lytell’s store on the way home. Trixie made Honey and Bobby go in without her.
“This was fun,” Honey said. “I want to make them with you next year, okay?”
Trixie and Bobby said good-bye to Honey at the bottom of her driveway, and then went home, feeling good about how they had made their neighbors smile. They were just in time to help trim the tree with the rest of their family, as they did every year on the day school let out for the holidays.
The End
Required elements are:
A gift- Honey’s bracelet
A holiday song- Jingle Bells
A food associated with the holiday season- Turkey stuffing
A holiday decoration- Christmas wreath
A family tradition- Trimming the tree
An animal associated with the holiday- Reindeer
Thanks to Niki and Kaye for editing for me.