Subject: A Christmas Story- A Parallel Christmas
From: Melissa
Date: Mon Dec 11, 2000 3:15pm
Julia sat by the fireplace; she took a sip of the eggnog that Elizabeth had made. She was watching the family decorating the tree. It was huge; Julia wondered how they got it into the house at all. It was beautiful, the perfect tree, the perfect decorations, just what you'd see in the catalogues.
Julia felt out of place in Collinwood at Christmas time, she wished she had family of her own that she could go to during the holidays. The Collins said that they wanted her there, that she was part of the family, but she didn't feel it at this time of the year.
"Merry Christmas Julia," Barnabas said coming over to her, after he greeted the family.
"Merry Christmas Barnabas," she said trying to sound cheerful.
"Here, I got you a little something," Barnabas said handing her a little box.
"Oh Barnabas you shouldn't have," she said taking the box.
"I wanted to," he said. "Aren't you going to open it?"
"No, I think it would be better if I waited till everyone else opened their gifts," Julia said.
"All right," Barnabas said, "Why are you sitting here all by yourself?"
"I don't know, I was enjoying watching them all," she lied.
Barnabas took her hands and helped her up and led her over to the rest of the family.
"Good Julia joining us," Roger said smiling at her, "Where should we hang this," he asked her holding up an old chipped ornament. "I personally think we should get rid it, how long have we had it anyway?"
"We can't throw it away Roger, it was our first ornament that we got for our mother," Elizabeth said, "It means a lot to this family."
Julia looked at the star, there were a few cracks and chips, and it was clear that it was glued more than once, but there was something about this star. She took it carefully from Roger and hung it on the tree, just where the light from one of the bulbs hit it, and a thousand rays of light shot out, hitting the wall.
"Look at that Roger," Elizabeth said, "Mother would always do that."
Roger smiled and took his sisters hand.
Barnabas looked at Julia with affection, something that she was not used to seeing coming from him.
Dinner's ready Mrs. Stoddard," Mrs. Johnson said.
"Thank you Mrs. Johnson," Elizabeth said.
What had changed? Julia wondered. After hanging that ornament, and the change in Barnabas, she felt completely different, she was happy and fully into the Christmas spirit once again.
To be continued. . .