The Family Who Never Celebrated Christmas

Daniel Bell had always loved Christmas; the presents, the time with family, decorating the tree, baking gingerbread cookies, sipping hot cocoa after a chilly day, and mostly everything else about it was great. Since Daniel was a boy scout, he donated to charity, the food bank, toys for tots, and the salvation army to show that he cared about other people. But little did he know that his own neighbors were in trouble. The trouble was, they never celebrated Christmas! When Daniel found this out, he was amazed.1

"I could never imagine!" out bursted Daniel at the dinner table. "A life without Christmas would be terrible."2

"Don't go telling people, dear," his mother said, sipping her steaming tea. "Since Christmas is tomorrow, why don't you be a sport and say Merry Christmas to them?"3

I guess that's a good idea, thought Daniel. So he put his dirty dish in the sink, and headed on over. Their house was a bit smaller than Daniel's, but it still looked okay. The people in his neighbor's family were just a grouchy man, and his unenthusiastic wife. When he got to their small porch, he rang the door bell. Slowly the grouchy man answered the door. "Merry Christmas!" greeted Daniel nicely. "Aren't you excited?"4

The man with the gray mustache shook his head. "No, my boy," he answered sadly. "We never celebrate Christmas."5

Even though his parents all ready told him, Daniel was shocked once again to hear that. He was going to ask about his religion, but felt it would be too nosy. "Oh," Daniel mumbled, staring at the welcome mat. "Well...." Daniel couldn't think of anything to say, so they paused for a while.6

"What would you want if you did celebrate Christmas?" Daniel celebrated, standing on his tippy toes. 7

"Probably a new pipe," grumpily replied the man. The man rubbed his hands together, and finally said, "See you later, mighty neighbor."8

"See ya," Daniel told him, running away in the snow. The man sighed and closed the door.9

When Daniel got home, he told his dad what happened. "I wish we could help them," wished Daniel. "They seem so lonely; it makes me feel terrible."10

Meanwhile, while Daniel was saying this, his father was fixing his car, but still listening. "You did a good thing, son," his father said, opening up the trunk. "I have an idea. How about you and your mother make a batch of her famous gingerbread cookies for them? It'll put them in a good mood, at least."11

This put a smile on Daniel's face. "Good idea, dad!" exclaimed Daniel, while running out of the garage. He ran into the kitchen to catch up with his mom. His mom was rolling a bundle of dough on a clean board.12

"Mom, can we make some cookies for the neighbors?"13

"I guess so, honey. It surprises me that you want to bake! After I finish this batch I'm working on now, we can make a whole new one," she suggested.14

Daniel sat on the sofa in the nearby living room, and watched sit coms until it was four fifteen. At four fifteen, his mother took the old batch out of the oven, and lay them on plates for his family to eat. After she did that, the two made cookies from scratch. First, they combined pudding mix butter and sugar. Then Daniel cracked an egg, and he poured it in the mixture. Next, they let the bowl with the mixture cool until it was firm, and when it was, Daniel's mom rolled the floured surface until it got thick. Lastly, the two cut out gingerbread men with a cookie cutter, and lay them on a big, black pan. She put it in the oven for ten minutes.15

Daniel played his Nintendo DS until the gingerbread men were finished. He ran into the dining room excitedly, for he couldn't wait to decorate them. His mom waited for like three minutes to let them chill, and then she had a whole rainbow of colored icing to chose from. "Wow, mom," Daniel said, licking icing off his finger. "I never knew you had so much cooking supplies."16

"Yeah, I've always loved to bake," she replied, spaying red icing on her Santa Claus one. "It's been a family tradition to bake things ever since I was a little girl."17

Thinking of when his mother was a little girl always made Daniel laugh, but didn't do it when she was around. Daniel's cookies weren't very neat, but would still taste really good once you ate it. In comparison, though, Daniel's mother's were all colorful, and neat, which made them enjoyable.18

After a half an hour of celebrating gingerbread decorating with his mom, the two put them in a plastic container and they brought them over to the Jonson family. (their neighbors)19

This time Mrs. Jonson answered the door, and sounded actually cheerful to see what they brought her. "Well, thank you!" she thanked, setting them on the dinner table. "I'll have to tell Tim when he gets back!"20

"You're certainly welcome, Marie," answered Daniel's mom. "If there's anything you ever need from us, please feel free to call!"21

After Mrs. Jonson thanked them again and said good bye, she mumbled, "That was rather nice of them to do such a thing."22

Soon it became dark out, and Daniel went to bed as soon as he was told. He could only imagine the stockings filled with candy, the presents surrounding the tree, and the toasty fireplace warming up the family room. Then he thought about the Jonson's. They wouldn't have any of those things, which made him sad. He had to give him something, something magical. But what? What would be magical enough to change someone's mind about Christmas? He didn't know but he had only a little bit of time to figure it out.23

The next morning, they ate sticky, sweet cinnamon buns to go along with their present opening. Turns out, Daniel got clothes, two games for his DS, three DVD movies, a music CD, and a board game. "Thanks, mom and dad," he thanked, hugging his family tightly. This was just one of the reasons why he loved, and cherished Christmas so much.24

Later on, after all of his cousins came over, it was just Daniel and his parents. He kept staring out the window at Mr. Jonson, snow shoveling his driveway full of snow. "Dad, he still doesn't celebrate Christmas after all," he groaned, twirling the curtain with his pointer finger. "After all we did."25

His dad sat beside him, and encouraged him. "You don't have much Christmas spirit, either, son," he said to him, staring at his short blond hair.26

Daniel made a puzzled face. What does he mean, he thought to himself. "Huh?" he questioned, turning his head. "I've had Christmas spirit all along."27

"No, 'cause you're giving up now," he mentioned. "If you still have some of that Christmas spirit in ya, lets go to the woods and cut down a tree for 'em."28

Daniel grinned and got up. "No way!" he laughed, jumping happily. "This might work!"29

His father chuckled merrily afterward, and on the way he said, "But lets not lully gag. We have exactly one hour before it gets dark, and I don't want to be lost in the woods. Remember, we're going in, and going out." So the two trotted through the high snow into the huge woods behind their house. 30

In the woods were trees all around, but none except for the pine had leaves on it. Searching and searching little ones, wide ones, tall ones, and short ones, but none they actually thought would good in the Jonson's tiny home. After forty five minutes, his father wanted to go home. "Son, lets go home," he suggested, taking out his watch. "It's five forty five, and it takes fifteen minutes to get home. Lets be on our way."31

"No," cried Daniel, looking around. "This isn't for us-it's for the Jonson's." After looking through five more trees, Daniel yelled, "That's it!"His dad, who was far behind, had to make sure it wasn't too big. 32

"I guess that'll work," he stated, taking out his axe. "Now stand back!" After three hard swings, the tree fell on the cold ground, and the two helped each other pick it up. As they carried it home, Daniel's dad murmured, "All the things you do for a neighbor.."33

When they got home, even though their feet were tired, they took it to the Jonson's house. This time Mr. Jonson answered the door. "My word!" he exclaimed, while laughing. "Is that- for us?" When Daniel nodded, Mr. Jonson took it from the boys and set it inside. "Come on in, boys!"34

After the two boys wiped their wet feet on the rug, they wandered into the family room, and asked, "Do you like it?"35

Mr. Jonson formed a crease in his forehead. "It's very.." he started. Daniel gulped. Mrs. Jonson gasped. And Daniel's father just stayed put. "It's very lovely," he finished. "Thank you for doing all of this just to give us Christmas spirit; we really owe you."36

"No, that's what Christmas is all about, Tim!" chuckled Daniel's father, putting the tree in a correct formation.37

After a couple of minutes, Daniel said, "What are we waiting for? Let's decorate!"38

In awe, the Jonson's for the first time decorated a beautiful tree, and ate their gingerbread men, too. Mrs. Jonson even hung up microwave popcorn on their tree, making it look like a beauty. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Jonson," said Daniel joyfully.39

Mr. Jonson's eyes glimmered. "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" he toasted, banging his cup of wine with his wife's. And from there on, Mr. and Mrs. Jonson celebrated Christmas every year, and this time, they gave Daniel's family a present, too. Merry Christmas! The End.40