Title: Advent Calendar
Rating: K
Pairing(s)/Character(s): Sally-Anne Perks
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em - not making any money off 'em. Dern it.
Word Count: 480
Summary: Sally-Anne Perks wants the perfect Christmas present for her parents this year.
Notes:
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry: Speed drabble thread – Prompts Used –Three, Frog, Front, Choke, Grim, Wonder, Struck, Sob
All Those Characters Challenge: Character – Sally-Anne P
Dance Competition: Round 7 – Vogue – Write about a character who is well-organized or smart.
Countdown to Christmas Drabble/One-Shot Competition: Prompt Used: Advent Calendar
Procrastinators United Competition III
As Much As You Can Competition
Represent the Character II
Nine-year old Sally-Anne Perks wants to do something special for Christmas this year. She wants to get her parents a creative present. For the last three years, she has done homemade cards, and she's sick of them.
She thinks and thinks about what she can do for her mum and dad, how she can show them how much she appreciates everything they do for her. When she sobs in despair, they are always there for her. When she's grim and has no smile on her face, they always knew how to make her laugh. When she feels choked up with emotion, her mum and dad knew how to stabilize her.
She goes to the drawer that had a sticker of a frog on it. It's on the front side of her bed. She grabs a piece of paper and pencil. She makes a list. She lists ideas for creative presents, and next to them, writes reasons why she should or shouldn't go with that idea.
Suddenly, an idea strikes. It's such a wonder that she hasn't thought about it sooner.
An advent calendar!
December has already started so she has to do a shorten version of it, but it could work. Starting on the fifteenth, every day she can do something nice for her parents. She make a list of possible things she can do for them: make breakfast, do laundry, clean dishes, feed dogs, change her brother's diapers for a whole day, pull weeds from the garden, polish the good dishes and utensils...
It all leads up to Christmas Day. She will do things that helps her parents out and makes their lives easier, and on Christmas Day, she will give them a present she's able to afford with her allowance.
It's perfect.
She knows her mum dad will love it.
She makes the calendar, listing what she will do each day, and then she tapes it to her bedroom wall, right by her bed, so she won't forget what she has to do for that day.
On December 15th, she surprises her parents with breakfast when they came downstairs. She also hands them her brother's bottle, already heated and tested on her wrist.
On December 16th, she makes sure to take care of the dogs' needs, not waiting for her parents to ask her to help them like they always have to.
On December 17th, she pulls the weeds from the garden.
By that time, her parents are curious about why she's being so nice to them and helping out so much.
"It's an advent calendar," Sally-Anne explains. "Every day, all the way up to Christmas, you'll get something special from me to you," she say, proud of herself.
"Honey, that's so sweet," her mum says.
"I'm just glad I was able to come up with a creative present."
Sally-Anne knows this will be the best Christmas ever.
