A Horton Family Tradition

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This story is dedicated to my friend Jenn who loves Days as of Our Lives as much as I do, and to Francis Reid, the infamous Alice Horton. She passed away Feb. 3, 2010 and she'll never be forgotten.

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Alice Horton was getting ready for Christmas with her beloved family. She was decorating the tree, making her delicious, homemade donuts, and wrapping gifts for the blessed event. As she worked, a bright smile of sunshine lit up her face. She remembered days gone by with her dear husband Tom, their five beautiful children, and their precious grandchildren. Christmas had always been a happy occasion in the Horton home.

Tom and Alice were the proud parents of Tommy Junior, Addie, Mickey, Bill, and Marie Horton. Tommy Junior and Addie were the twins. Although sadly Tommy and Addie died in young adulthood, it wasn't long at all until Tom and Alice had many wonderful grandchildren to love and spoil.

Sadly, Alice's dear, sweet Tom was no longer there to share in the holiday festivities. He had passed away in his sleep a couple of years back. Christmas without him had never been quite the same. A single tear fell down Alice's age-weathered cheek. Her heart ached, thinking of how much joy they had experienced over the years with all of their loved ones.

One of the greatest joys of Christmas was the hanging of the ornaments. Each one was hand-made and decorated with the name of every family member. Tom and Alice had always hung theirs first, followed by each of the children and their children. This year it was Alice who hung hers and Tom's ornaments near the top of the tree. The glitter glistened in the glow of the various colored Christmas lights. The ornaments were ever so precious and beautiful.

Alice smiled as she continued to hang the ornaments in honor of every family member who had passed as well as the ones who were unable to make it to this particular Christmas. Little Zach's ornament sparkled next to that of his dear grandmother Addie who had died while saving the life of his mother when Hope was just an infant. There were just a few ornaments left in the box when Alice was done, as well as one very special one for a new Horton who had just been born.

She then rushed into the kitchen to finish up the donuts. Once they were ready, she could concentrate on the special dinner. She hummed merrily as she waited for the doorbell to ring which signalled that her family had arrived.

Alice had dinner prepared just in time. Suddenly the doorbell rang, interrupting her thoughts of Christmases passed. She had the hugest smile on her face as she hurried to the door. "Mike, it's you!" she said to her grandson.

She wrapped her arms around her dear grandson, hugging him so tightly. "Hi Grandma!" Mike said as he returned every ounce of his affection. He kissed her dear cheek as she lovingly wiped away some snow that had collected upon his shoulders.

She turned to Mike's beautiful wife April, who was carrying their six month old son, a small boy that Alice had never seen before, except for in pictures. "Ohhh, it's little Michael!" she said as she laid eyes on her dear great-grandson. "April, he looks just like you! Ahhh! He sure is cute!"

She snatched up the adorable baby but as she held him in her loving arms, she felt a tiny tug on her skirt. She gazed down to see Rosa, her great-granddaughter who was almost two. She was a beauty as well.

"Hi there, little angel. You've grown so much!" said Alice.

"Where is everyone?" asked Mike as he stepped inside his grandparent's home and placed some wrapped gifts under the tree.

"They'll be here soon," said Alice. "Would you like a donut or a glass of milk?"

"Thank you so much," said April as she took the baby and had a seat in the Horton living room next to her handsome husband.

Alice went to fetch a tray of refreshments as April and Mike got settled in with the kids. When she came back, Alice offered the goodies to her grandson and his wife. Rosa tried one of her great-grandmother's yummy donuts, followed by a glass of cool milk. She smiled with her milk-mustache and said, "Yummy!"

Mike couldn't help but laugh. He loved fatherhood and every moment with his wife and children... but there was one child he was missing this day, but he'd be walking through the door soon with his mom.

Mike wouldn't have to wait long. The doorbell rang again and he graciously offered to answer it. He was greeted by his ex-wife Carrie along with her new husband Julio, who just happened to be April's younger brother. "Hi, Mike. Merry Christmas!" said Carrie.

They had parted ways amicably, considering they were parents of a cute little son who needed and loved them both. "Tommy!" Mike exclaimed, hugging his boy who had been named in honor of his grandfather Thomas Horton.

"Daddy!" Tommy said as he hugged Mike ever so tight.

Everyone wanted to see little Tommy who had grown up so much and of course, Tommy was excited to be reunited with his dad, stepmom, and his siblings.

"Tommy's here!" Rosa cried out. "We can open the presents now!"

Everyone laughed as Carrie and Julio settled in with the rest of the family. Alice's heart was full as she was surrounded by her family. But no more had she sat down to enjoy her great grandkids when the doorbell rang once again.

"I'll get it, Grams," said Mike.

He went to the door and pulled it open quickly to see his little sister standing outside. "Jennifer!" he exclaimed. Jennifer hugged her brother as Emilio noticed that his siblings, Julio and April had also arrived with their families.

"Come inside!" Mike said, giving his brother-in-law a smile.

"Wait!" he said as he stopped in his tracks, realizing his sister's baby bump. "What in the-?!"

Jennifer only grinned. "Emilio and I are expecting a baby!" she said as she made her announcement to one and all.

"Ohh myyy!" said Alice with excitement. "We'll have a new ornament to hang next year!"

"Speaking of that; who would like to do the honors?" Alice asked.

"We'll all help," said April.

Soon all of the remaining ornaments had been hung on the tree, including little Michael's, the youngest of the Horton clan. Now that Jennifer was expecting, there would be another one... and Alice couldn't have been happier...even if her tree was full of ornaments to overflowing!

"Can we open presents now?" Rosa asked again.

"Yeah! Can we?! CAN WE?!" Tommy cried out.

"Yes, you may," Alice said with a smile.

The men of the family passed out the gifts and soon everyone had a small pile before them. There were presents for one and all, but Alice's greatest present was the gift of her family, a joy so precious that money could never buy.

Rosa got a pretty dress and a dolly. Michael got a cute outfit and some baby toys. Tommy got a toy train and a new pair of jeans. There was a lot of ooing and awwing as the gifts were opened. Even the adults had been pleased with their various presents.

Always after gifts, there was donuts, milk, and other delicious treats, followed by a huge Horton Christmas dinner.

Mike ate until he was stuffed. "No one beats your cooking, Grandma," he said as he kissed his grandmother's cheek.

"Mike, you said my cooking was the best," teased April.

"You make the best tamales and the greatest enchiladas," Mike said to April with a grin.

"Next year we can have Christmas at our house and I can whip up some Mexican food," April offered. "That way, Alice, you can have a rest."

"Thank you, my dear, but I really must insist I bake some of my special donuts and bring the ornaments... along with one for the new baby," said Alice.

"I think that's a fine idea," Mike agreed.

Emilio rubbed Jennifer's baby bump. "I can't wait until the baby gets here. That will be a special present in itself."

"Definitely it will," said Jennifer.

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Nobody knew it, but that would be the last Christmas they'd spend with their dear, sweet Grandmother Horton. A few months later, she'd join her beloved Tom at the gates of Heaven.

Even though they lost her, April still made the dinner and as they decorated the tree, they pulled out the box of Alice's treasured ornaments. There on the top was the tiniest ornament of all; one that Alice had just had made before she had died.

"Alicia (pronounced Al-lee-see-uh)," said Jennifer as she picked up the delicate ornament that Alice had made for Jennifer's newborn daughter just before her death.

(Alicia Ramirez was five months old that Christmas Eve. As she lay in her pink bassinet near her family, she had a twinkle in her eye just like that of her beloved great-grandma Horton's.)

The End