SURPRISE!!!

It was Christmas eve. All houses down the lane were decorated with X'mas lights in their balconies. One couldn’t see many Christmas trees around here, as Christians were scarce in the locality. In one of these homes was a little girl who found the absence of Christmas trees and Santa Clause making her feel deeply upset.
She wished for a Christmas like they showed in the movies; with all the gifts and surprises, get-togethers and decorations! She sure couldn’t do it all on her own. But she knew she at least had to try.

So here she was, peeping out of the window to make sure her family wasn’t back from work yet. Rushing back to the bedroom, she sat sewing tiny sponge pieces into cones to make a tiny Christmas tree. She had all of half an hour every day to secretly make the gifts; when no one else was home. She tried not to spoil the surprise but  now should she actually do that?

It was almost done by Christmas eve; she got ready for the eve with a three layered thermocol Christmas cake for her mom, a snowman made of tissue paper for her dad, and that sponge Christmas tree for her sister.  A neat drawing, as she liked to believe, of Santa’s face was to be her mask. She’d also gotten a red top, red pant and a red belt ready to become a Santa. All that was left was to get a bag to tuck in the gifts and a tummy for Santa. That evening she tried stuffing every pillow in the house under her top. But unfortunately, all pillows were the size of her own body and just wouldn’t stay. Much to her surprise, the tummy idea had to be cancelled.

Finally, the day arrived. All set, she waited for her family to end up to be together in the living room, which proved to be  the most difficult task. But anyhow, she ended up dragging everyone into the same place in the name of  ‘something’ she couldn’t tell them. So much for a small surprise!

Keeping them put, she rushed ‘backstage’ to the bedroom and got dressed up in a moment. And off she went with a sweet and gentle ‘Ha ha ha!’ which resembled non other than the laugh of a Santa. And surprised they were! She could even say that they were very pleased too to see that. For which they made her go back and come again so that they could shoot a video of it and remember it forever.....

Years later, she sat watching the video of  the Christmas eve once upon a time. Oh, the things they did as kids. She’d forgotten the last time she’d given such a surprise to her family. Had life kept her so very busy since then? Talking about resolutions and goals by the year end, now she had hers too. Pulling out her diary, she wrote it down,

“This holiday season I promise to give a surprise to my family.”

   

After reading this short and sweet story, even we all will plan something new, a gift wrapped with love and emotions!!!