'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring. Not even the Dormouse. Well, that might not be true, but it was Christmas Eve and the Mad Hatter and the March Hare were in the process of tucking their daughter in to bed for the night. January was a blessing for the couple and in a way she looked like the perfect mixture of the pair. It took a lot for the duo to have a child. She was their miracle.
The five year old smiled as she snuggled up underneath the covers, giggling softly. "Mommy? Daddy? Could you tell me a bedtime story?" January asked politely as she looked up at her parents. Hare was mommy and Hatter was daddy. They naturally accepted those roles and names that their daughter gave them.
"Well… it is Christmastime. How about 'Twas the Night Before Christmas? It's a classic and it's a tradition to tell children this story on Christmas Eve." Hatter said with a smile before he looked at his partner. "Hare, did you bring the storybook?" He asked as he furrowed his eyebrows at him.
"Oh, yes. I always bring…" Hare pulled out the book from his suit jacket and grinned. "….the storybook." He handed the book over to the Hatter and got more comfortable on the bed with his daughter. No matter how old he got, the Hare still acted like a child.
Clearing his throat, Hatter opened the book and began to read. "''Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house… not a creature was stirring. Not even a mouse." Hatter began before he continued to read, but there was a problem.
"What about a Dormouse?" Hare interjected with furrowed eyebrows, tilting his head which made January giggle and nod her head.
Sighing, Hatter looked at his partner before shrugging his shoulders. "Whatever. Anyway… The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there." And just as he was about to go to the next page, there was another interruption.
"Who's St. Nicholas?" Hare asked as he sat up a bit, huffing. "I thought this story was about Santa Claus." He added as he looked back at his daughter, nodding his head.
Getting a bit annoyed, Hatter breathed deeply through his nose before speaking. "It is, honey… it's just another nickname for him. Now may I continue?" The host asked, hoping for no more interruptions.
"Sure, sorry. Go on." Hare nodded as January snuggled up closer to Hare's chest as Hatter continued to read on.
The Hatter continued to read and got to the part with all the reindeer listed. "Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On, Cupid! On, Donner and Blitzen!"
"What about Rudolph?" Hare asked as he leaned in slightly, raising an eyebrow. "He's missing from this story, Hatter." He added as he snatched the book from the host and narrowed his eyes, looking through it.
Groaning, Hatter snatched the book back and shook his head. "Hare, the song about Rudolph wasn't written until way after this story!" The host hissed as January giggled at her parents bickering. It was so cute. "Now, may I continue? Please no more interruptions!" He begged as Hare nodded. "Good…" So, Hatter continued to read the story.
So far, Hatter was doing pretty well without any interruptions from the Hare for a while until he got to a about halfway through the story. "He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot."
"Wait a minute… if that's the case then Santa's clothes must be black by the end of the night! How will anyone recognize him? His red suit is ruined!" Hare pouted as he looked back at January then at Hatter who had another annoyed look on his face. The Hare's face fell and he cleared his throat before he looked away. "Keep going…"
The Hatter continued to read and did his best to sound as exciting as the story seemed to be. When the story came to an end, he made sure to look at January with big and bright blue eyes. "But I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight, "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"" Closing the book, he smiled as Hare and January clapped happily at the story.
"Bravo!" Hare smiled before he got the bed and chuckled, looking down at their daughter. "Now will you go to bed, sweetie?" He asked as January yawned and shook her head.
"I'm not sleepy…" The little girl yawned again and rubbed her eyes, looking up at her parents with a cute pout.
"Mhm. Sure." The Hatter rolled his eyes playfully before he and Hare exchanged a look, knowing that wasn't the case. She was very sleepy. "Santa won't come if you're not asleep…" He mentioned as January widened her eyes and gasped before she closed her eyes and did her best to fall asleep.
"Goodnight, my angel." Hare whispered as he and Hatter pressed a kiss to her forehead before they closed the door.
Looking back at each other, the pair rushed downstairs to munch on the cookies and down the milk that was left for Santa Claus or so January believed before they went to stuff the stockings and put presents underneath the tree for January to wake up to in the morning. They wanted this Christmas to be one their precious girl would remember for the rest of her life.
The next morning, the pair watched as January opened up and played with all of her gifts underneath the tree. Hare looked back at the Hatter and rested his head against the host's shoulder. "This Christmas was a success I do say so myself."
"How true that is." Hatter agreed as the pair continued to watch their daughter enjoy her Christmas morning. There was nothing more they could ask for. Their daughter's happiness was what made everything all the more special.