Hi, everyone! I know it's been a while since I've posted here, but I recently got some feedback on my Christmas story "The Perfect Gift" which I wrote a couple of years ago, and I felt inspired to write another Lizzie McGuire Christmas story. I hope this will put everyone in the holiday spirit.

I have already written this entire story, and I've divided it into twelve short chapters, one for each of the Twelve Days of Christmas. My plan is to post one chapter each day between now and Christmas, with the final chapter being posted on Christmas Day.

So please…enjoy!

christylee

CHAPTER ONE: A TALE TOLD ON THE SCHOOL BUS

Once upon a time there were two families, the McGuires and the Gordons. The McGuires were a happy, sometimes frivolous family, and the parents, Sam and Jo, loved to shower their children with gifts at Christmas. They could have given all these gifts in their own name, but as their parents had done for them, and their parent's parents before them, they delighted in carrying out the tradition of Santa Claus. At seven and four years old, Lizzie and Matt McGuire were therefore firm believers in Santa Claus.

The Gordons, on the other hand, were a more serious-minded family. The parents, Howard and Roberta, had agreed on their first date that if they ever got married and decided to have children, they would raise those children to be level-headed, mature and sensible individuals. Thus, each year for Hanukah, their only son David received from them a series of eight very sensible and educational gifts: socks, underwear, sweaters, and board games designed to increase his cognitive skills. He received nothing from Santa Claus.

David was taught not to believe in Santa Claus. Despite what some people may have thought, this decision had nothing to do with Howard and Roberta Gordon being Jewish, and everything to do with them both being practicing psychiatrists. Thus David—who, for some ridiculous reason they did not know and completely abhorred, had been nicknamed "Gordo" by his little friend Lizzie McGuire—from since before he had been able to mouth the word "Santa" had known with certainty that no such person actually existed.

While Mr. and Mrs. Gordon did not want their child entertaining the foolish notion of Santa Claus, they respected the rights of other parents to let their children indulge in fantasy. Thus, young David, when he was told that there was no Santa Claus had also been instructed not to share this knowledge with any of his peers. It was a heavy burden for a seven year old child to bear, especially during the December holidays.

Lizzie and Gordo (that is: David) had known each other forever, as their mothers had been "roommates" in the hospital when they were born, one day apart. Till now, Gordo had faithfully followed his parents' instructions not to divulge the truth about Santa Claus to others, but this year, for reasons he did not completely understand, he was having a difficult time with these instructions.

Perhaps it was because his status as the second grade genius was now being challenged by a new boy in the classroom, Larry Tudgeman, who was obviously just as smart as he was. Gordo found himself in fierce competition with "Tudge," as the boy was known, and had developed a habit of never missing an opportunity to prove himself a bigger "know-it-all."

So that cool December afternoon, on the bus ride home from school, when Lizzie finally ceased chattering with Kate Sanders long enough to turn to Gordo and ask, "So, Gordo, what are you going to ask Santa to bring you this year?" Gordo could not help but roll his eyes and, almost before he knew what he was doing, spit out "Don't be preposterous, Lizzie!" Preposterous was one of the new words he and his father had recently encountered in their nightly perusal of the Dictionary, and Gordo was using it every chance he got. "Lizzie, oh, Lizzie," he went on with an air of superiority. "Don't you know there's no such thing as Santa Claus?"

Lizzie gasped. "Gordo! Why would you say such a horrible thing?"

"Cos it's true," Gordo answered.

"It is not!" Lizzie insisted, gasping again.

"It is too," Gordo persisted, already regretting what he had done.

It is NOT!" Lizzie repeated adamantly.

Oh crap! Gordo thought with a cringe. What have I gotten myself into? He wished he'd never started this. But it was too late to turn back now.