I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

by Angel

Twenty-year-old Trixie Belden let out a huge sigh of frustration. She had looked all over her room and still could not  find it.   When she and Jim had started dating in high school, their first Christmas together, the first gift he gave her was a stuffed hippopotamus. It was their inside joke.

He despised Christmas music and hated the fact that they had the holiday stations that started playing nonstop holiday music right after Halloween. His favorite song, was I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.  So he gave Trixie the stuffed hippo. On the hippo there was a ribbon around its neck with a promise ring. Trixie cried when she got the ring. They had been a couple ever since.

“Gleeps, I’ll just die if I can’t find that hippo!” exclaimed Trixie. She was sure she had put the hippo with the rest of the holiday decorations and could only wonder why it was gone. She immediately went to ask the youngest Belden, Bobby, if he had anything to do with it.

Bobby was down in the kitchen helping Moms making Christmas sugar cookies. “Bobby,  did you take my stuffed hippo?” asked Trixie. 

“Why on earth would I want that thing, Trixie?  I’m not a kid anymore.”

Trixe sighed.

Moms smiled. She knew what had happened with the hippo, but it wasn’t her secret to tell. “Trixie, honey, why do you want the hippo out so bad?”  

“Moms, it’s two days before Christmas, I always have him out when Jim comes over for Christmas Eve and we exchange Christmas gifts.”

“I’m sure you’ll find it by then, sweetie.”

“Fine, Moms. I need to go to the clubhouse. The girls and I are decorating it for Christmas. The boys are supposed to meet us later, to help put up the lights.”

“Fine, Trixie. Just make sure you and your brother are back for dinner.”

“Okay, Moms, see you then.”

Trixe walked through the path in the woods to the clubhouse, her boots crunching in the snow. She was softly singing Christmas songs.

Honey and Di were waiting for her at the clubhouse.

“Hey, Trixie!” Di greeted her.

Honey, noticing her best friend wasn’t her usually bubbly self, asked softly, “Trixie, are you okay?”

 “I’m okay, Honey.  It’s just, gosh, I can’t find that hippo Jim gave me.”

 “Oh, Trixie I’m sure you’ll find it.” 

 “I hope so.”

“Let’s get this decorating started.”

The girls turned on the radio and had Christmas music playing as they decorated. They hung all the stockings by the fireplace.  Every year that the Bob-Whites spent Christmas together, they sewed a jingle bell on their stocking,. It was a tradition that was started their first Christmas. Honey smiled as she looked at the bells. Some were gold, some were silver and some were purple. 

Trixie was busy putting the lighted garland up around the clubhouse when Di dragged out the Christmas tree.

Honey and Trixie squealed with delight. “It’s the tree!”

They ran over to help Di decorate it.

“Look at the ornaments!” Honey exclaimed.

 “Do you remember this one?” Trixie asked holding up a small plastic hippo.

“Jim got that for you, didn’t he?” replied Honey.

 “Yeah, this was what he gave me our second Christmas together.”

 “What is up with you and Jim and that song?” asked Di.

 “It’s something special,” said Trixie.

The girls turned and looked at the finished tree.

 “Let’s turn off the lights so we can see it in the dark,” said Honey.

“Okay,” said Trixie and Di.

Honey turned off the clubhouse lights. 

“Wow,” said the girls, admiring the pretty tree.

Trixie started to softly sing, “Oh Christmas tree, oh Christmas tree, how lovely are your branches?”

 

Meanwhile, the boys, Jim, Dan, and Mart, were just now pulling into the Wheelers’ driveway. They had spent the morning shopping in White Plains for Christmas gifts.

“Are you guys sure Trixie is going to like what I got her for Christmas”?

 “Jim, stop worrying. Trixie will be crazy not to love what you got her for Christmas. The only other thing I need to say is it’s about time!”  said Dan.

Jim smiled. “I know. I need to go put this up in my room so she doesn’t find it.” Then he asked, “Do you want to grab something to eat in the kitchen and then head to the clubhouse?” 

Mart was all ready heading to the kitchen.

“Sure, Jim, but you better hurry or the food is going to be all gone, looks like Mart is getting there first,”said  Dan.

Jim went on up to his room. He opened up the closet and reached up on the very top shelf, and put his gift with the stuffed hippo he got Trixie their first Christmas together. 

He had shown up at Crabapple Farm a few days ago asking to talk to Mr. and Mrs. Belden. After he
got their permission, he had asked them to get Trixie’s stuffed hippo for him so he could have it for later use. They had been more than  happy to assist him.

He met the other two boys down in the kitchen and made himself a sandwich. When he was done, they headed toward the clubhouse. Dan was grinning when he asked, “So, boys, do you want to sing Christmas carols?”

 Their reply was to hit Dan with snowballs.

As the boys walked in the clubhouse, the girls were singing  Deck the Halls.  The boys made it just in time to sing  the chorus.

“Jim! You’re here. I missed you so much!” Trixie ran over to Jim, threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug and kiss.

“I missed you, too.  We have the whole Christmas break to see each other, though,” said Jim.

 “I’m so glad, Jim,” sighed Trixie.  Jim was going to grad school at Emporia State University in Emporia , Kansas.  It was a small school and not well known, but it had one of the best teacher’s programs in the United States.

The downfall was that he was only able to come home on holidays and spring and summer break.  Trixie was going to school at College of the Ozarks, in Missouri, to get her degree in criminal justice.  Honey and Dan, and Di, and Mart were there, as well.  Brian was the only one who had stayed in New York to go to school, and he was in med school at NYU. He hardly ever came home he was so busy. Right now he was unsure if he was going to make it back to the farm for the holidays.

Honey and Dan were watching the couples. 

“I bet you miss Brian,” Dan said.

“I bet you miss Hallie,” replied Honey.

“I do. I wish Idaho wasn’t so far away. I get used to seeing her every day at school, and then I have to get used to being apart.” I don’t understand how you and Brian do it . The distance is all ready driving me crazy and it's just for holidays and summer break.”

“Brian and I find ways to let the other one know we care.” Honey smiled.

The couples finally broke up.

“Okay, boys, let's get these lights up,” Jim said.

The group went outside to put up the white lights on the clubhouse.  When they were done, they went back inside and watched It’s a Wonderful Life. After the movie was done, Honey and Dan turned on the lights. The two couples were cuddled on the sofa .

“Okay, guys, it’s getting late, it’s probably time for everyone to head home,” suggested Dan.

“Yeah, yeah, Dan.  You’re such a party pooper,” Trixie said, laughing.

“What are everyone’s plans for tomorrow?” asked Honey.

“Trixie and I are going to go on a early morning ride and have a picnic,” said Jim.

“Di and I are going to eat lunch at Wimpy’s and see a movie,” said Mart.

“I’m helping Mother decorate the Manor House for the Christmas ball,” said Honey.

“I am chopping wood for Mr. Maypenny,” said Dan.

Everyone said goodbye and the couples walked each other back to their houses. Mart was giving Di a ride home. 

Trixie and Jim were soon in front of Crabapple Farm.

“See you early in the morning,” said Jim.

“You better make it worth it, me getting out of bed that early to ride horses.”

“We might do more than ride horses,” said Jim, grinning.

 “I thought you were supposed to be Mr. Honorable,” teased Trixie.

“Not all the time, right?” He  kissed her goodnight.

She woke up early in the morning when the sun was just beginning to rise.  Her mom and dad were down in the kitchen drinking coffee.

 “Trixie,you’re up so early,” Moms said, surprised.

“Going to feed the chickens?” her dad asked with a smile.

“Nope, that’s Bobby’s job now,” Trixie said, grinning. “Jim and I are going for a early morning ride.”

“Well, have fun, sweetie.”

 “Don’t get too cold out there!”

“We won’t Moms- we have each other to keep warm.”

“That’s what I am afraid of,” said her dad.

 

 She met Jim down at the stables. He had both Susie and Jupe ready. “Good morning, honey.”

 “Morning.”

 “You look like you could use some help waking up. ”  He started kissing her slowly. “How’s this?”

 “It’s helping a little.” 

He deepened his kiss. “How’s that?”

“That’s helping a lot.”  She kissed him back.  They were getting pretty frisky when the horses started nudging them..

 “I think they’re trying to tell us something, Jim.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

Trixie and Jim got up on their horses and started riding the trails.  They rode in silence enjoying each other’s company.  They came  to a clearing that had a old  unused cabin in it, one of the many old buildings on the preserve.

“Are you ready for breakfast?” Jim asked.

“Sure am!”

Jim and Trixie tied up their horses and went inside the old cabin. Trixie noticed there was a blanket and some pillows on the floor.

“Planning on something sweetie?” Trixie asked Jim.

“I’m hoping to romance you,” he replied.

Trixie smiled. “You could do that just by looking at me.”

They sat down on the blanket, and Jim got some stuff out of the basket. He had cinnamon rolls, bagels, cream cheese, and some fruit.  He got the fire going in the fireplace.

“Missed you so much this school year. I’m glad we have the whole Christmas break to be together.”

 “Me too.”

“I don’t what I would do without you”.

 “You would freeze.”

 “That I would.”

The couple snuggled on the blanket by the fireplace. Content with each other, their arms wrapped around one another, the time seemed to fly by.

Finally, Jim said, “Trixie, I hate to break this up but we should probably get ready if we are going to go with everyone else to the Christmas Eve service.”

Reluctantly, Trixie agreed.

 

The Bob-Whites and their families sat by each other during their Christmas Eve service, missing only Brian who had still not shown up at the farm.

After the service, they headed to Crabapple Farm.  The Bob-Whites usually spent Christmas Eve with their families, but this year everyone was spending it at the Beldens'. As they pulled into the driveway, they saw a tall figure covered in snow standing by the door.

“Brian!” shouted Honey as she got out of the car, running to him, and gave him a big hug and a kiss.

“Merry Christmas, Honey.”

“Merry Christmas, Brian.”

Everyone settled in the living room, drinking egg nog, and watching Christmas movies.

Jim had excused himself to go to the bathroom, and came back carrying a large package.

“Trixie, I know we usually exchange gifts on Christmas morning, but I can’t wait any longer. Please, open this.”

Trixie looked surprised. “ Okay.” She opened the present. “My hippo! I thought I lost him,” said Trixie. “Where did you find him, Jim”?

“Um, Trixie, there is more to the hippo,” said Jim.

Trixie started looking and noticed that around the hippo’s neck was a collar. She looked more closely and gasped. “Jim, gleeps, is this what I think it is?”

Jim got down on his knees. “Trixie, will you marry me”?  Jim asked.

“Yes, Jim, I will marry you,” Trixie exclaimed. “This is the best Christmas ever!”

 Everyone started congratulating them.

“I want to take your picture,” said Moms.

Trixie, Jim, and the hippo sat on the sofa and said “Merry Christmas!” while Moms snapped the photo.

 Happy Holidays VIII