Chapter twelve

Christmas 2020

December twenty third was the first day of Christmas vacation, and it was also Patty's seventh birthday. Since Christmas eve was the next day, and Christmas the day after, there wasn't a party this year. It was just Patty with her family, including her grandfather Victor, at the manor. As the children were playing and the two teenage boys wasting time on their cell phones, Victor and the other adults were talking. As usual, Victor wanted the update on Patty.

"Patty is pretty well behaved, even when she acts out she quickly corrects herself" Phoebe stated.

"At school she is doing well, gym is her harder class" Coop informed.

"She is pretty social with other children, still has a hate-love relationship with Angelina, right now they are friends" Phoebe shared.

"Between Phoebe and I she is closer to me I'd say but she's really close to her mother too" Coop mentioned.

"Her only power is beaming, she should get at least one witch power within the next two years, if not she'll need to have a power examination because something would wrong with her power development cells" Coop explained.

At Supper everyone gathered around the kitchen table to enjoy Pizza from Piper's restaurant. Phoebe and Coop went around serving the food since it was their daughter who was having a birthday. Then after supper it was time for the cake. Phoebe and Coop left the kitchen for a moment and headed down to the fridge in the basement, there they got the cake and lit the candle. As they came back into the kitchen holding a cake that had a lit candle in the shape of a seven, they sang the annoying and catchy birthday song, and everyone sang along.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Patty, happy birthday to you, and many more!"

The next day was Christmas eve, nothing special was going on until that night. At noon however, Billie came with Austin, Ginny and Jamie, along with Christy who brought her three month old son Carl. They brought candy and chocolate for the Halliwell/Mitchell children. Then at two Sam came and gave his grandchildren: Tamora, Kat, Henry Jr., and Mackenzie, gifts from Russia. Right before supper Victor paid a visit and handed out 20$ to each of the children, and 50$ to each of his daughters, he also gave 50$ to Paige since he considered her to be a daughter.

On Christmas eve night, around seven, Henry Jr. and Parker went up to the attic. With no powers or magical blood, Henry Jr. wasn't able to summon spirits, but it was his turn to summon Grams and grandma Patty, so Parker was going to use her magic to do this and Henry Jr. did his share by placing three white candles in a circle on the ground. Parker casted the summoning spell, and moments later, in spirit form, Grams and grandma Patty emerged in the circle. Grams and her daughter stepped out of the circle and as they did they transformed into human form. Henry Jr. and Parker hugged them, then led them down to the living room where everyone else greeted them.

"You really need to summon us more often, the children grow so fast" Grandma Patty said.

"You're right, the children love your visits" Phoebe replied.

The night was filled with music and dancing. The children and adults were singing and laughing. Talking to catch up. Grams always had the best stories from the afterlife to share with her great grandchildren. By the time the last child was in bed it was nearly ten, and by the time the last adult was in bed, it was half past mid-night. While the living slept, Grams and grandma Patty stayed awake in the living room talking, as ghosts they didn't sleep anymore.

On Christmas morning the children all stormed down the stairs by five. Their parents followed them tiredly, questioning themselves on why they had stayed up so late when they knew this was going to happen. "The year we're doing this oldest to youngest since last year we did it the other way" Leo reminded everyone as he turned one the camera.

From his aunt Prue and uncle Andy, Wyatt got a new skate board, he had been asking for one. From his father he got a trunk with his full name on it. From his aunt Phoebe and uncle Coop he got a new pair of running shoes because Belle had eaten his. From his aunt Paige and uncle Henry he got the game "guitar hero" and everything that came with it, this was his favourite gift as he had been wanting it for a long time. From his brother he got the "cowboys revenge 3" video game, another game he had been wanting for a while since he had beaten the first two. From his younger sister Melinda he got a new school bag, his old one had been stolen at school the previous month. From his little sister Aria he got an empty spell book, Wyatt was already making spells of his own, some that had worked and some that had not.

From his aunt Prue and uncle Andy, Chris got a new skate board, Preston had broken his old one. From his father he got a trunk with his full name on it. From his aunt Phoebe and uncle Coop he got a new pair of running shoes because Belle had also eaten his as desert after eating Wyatt's. From his aunt Paige and uncle Henry he got a new set of potion ingredients, he was running out of his own supply. From his older brother he got a new video game he had been wanting to try out. From his younger sister Melinda he got a new bag because he hated the one he already had. From his little sister Aria he got three packs of blue, black and red pens for school.

From her aunt Prue and uncle Andy, Melinda got ice skates. From her father she got a trunk with his full name on it. From her aunt Phoebe and uncle Coop she got her first pair of high heels, she loved this gift. From her aunt Paige and uncle Henry she got the just dance game she had been wanting all year. From her older brother Wyatt she got an I pod touch and from Chris she got a radio, she almost screamed when she opened these and hugged her brothers tightly to say thanks. From her little sister Melinda she got a CD of all of her favourite songs to listen to on her new radio.

From her aunt Prue and uncle Andy, Tamora got a new video game. From her aunt Phoebe and uncle Coop she got her first pair of high heels. From her mother she got tickets to see a fire show in the magic realm in two days, her favourite gift. From her father she got a new dummy to practice her powers on because her old was was to burnt to use anymore. From her twin sister she got the horror movie "Carrie" and her younger brother gave her the movie "fire starter." Little Mackenzie gave her big sister hair elastics.

From her aunt Prue and uncle Andy, Kat got a micro phone. From her aunt Phoebe and uncle Coop she got her first pair of high heels. From her mother she got make up. From her father she got a karaoke machine, she screamed when she got it a hugged her father tightly to thank him. From her twin sister she got Christmas movie. Henry Jr. got her a journal and Mackenzie got her A CD of her favourite songs. The rest of the children got clothes and toys. Books and many other things they loved. There were too many presents to count and list. Once all the presents were opened, Piper and Leo got everyone's attention.

"Our family symbol is the triquetra, it stands for the power of three. I thought we should all wear our family symbol each day to represent our family, our power, and our status. So for the girls, a necklaces with the symbol. And the boys with have wallets with symbol on them" Piper explained.

Leo handed them out, all the children thought it was a good idea. It wasn't only the children doing this either. Prue, Piper, Phoebe and Paige each had a necklace as well, and their husbands had the wallets. It had actually been Aria's idea to do this, and Paris had also brought up the idea after. Now wherever they went, they would represent who they were and what they stood for. The mortals may not understand the value and significance of this, but all those from the magic world would, and it really only mattered that the Halliwell and Mitchell children knew.

After presents were opened everyone gathered around the table for breakfast. Paige waved her hand over the empty table and in seconds a grand feast appeared. There was pancakes and waffles. French toast and eggs with bacon. Everything you could imagine having for breakfast was on this table. As they ate they talked about the presents they had received and what they would use first and couldn't wait to show off at school.

The rest of the day was spent as a family. Crafts and other activities in the kitchen. Playing outside in the back yard. Watching home movies and regular movies on the TV. The children putting on a magic show using their powers. Christmas carols playing in the back ground, children and adults alike starting to dance around together laughing.

This household may be hectic on a regular basis, kids misbehaving and kids fighting, kids running all over the place and knocking things down as they make messes everywhere they go, and their parents chasing after them trying to keep every pet and everyone under control, and keep all the children alive during each evil attack. However on Christmas they had nothing to worry about, no one to fight with, no one to punish or scold. On Christmas all they were was a family, the children behaved and got along with each other, while the parents could relax and have a good time. So for this family at least, this was the true meaning of Christmas...everyone putting aside their differences and just enjoying one day with their family.