CHRISTMAS WITH A LIGHTWOOD
'Twas the night before Christmas
The pitter patter of little feet woke up Jace from his peaceful sleep. Jace got up and yawned. He stretched out his muscles and went on a search to find his shirt. Just then he heard shouting outside and it was not enough time to get a shirt.
"JACE, JACE!" Max yelled shoving the door open and light flooding the room. "SNATA'S COMING TONIGHT"
"Gosh Max at least close the door" Jace groaned.
"Max I said don't wake your brothers and sister up they had a long day" Clary came next to him panting. When she noticed I was awake she looked up. Then she noticed I was wearing no shirt. She blushed and put a hand on Max's shoulder.
"Come on let your brother change let's go put some cookies and carrots out for Santa" Clary led the little boy away from the room. Jace scoffed and went back to bed this was going to be a long night.
when all through the house the lightwoods were sleeping but not that Max.
"Why do you we put out carrots out for Santa. Santa only likes cookies" Max said.
"The carrots are for the reindeer Max. The cookies are for Santa" Clary sigh.
"Can you tell me a story" Max asked
"Fine but then you have to go to bed" Clary yawned.
"Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that. ….
He had no further intercourse with Spirits, but lived upon the Total Abstinence Principle, ever afterwards; and it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God Bless Us, Every One!" Clary finished.
Max wiped away a stray tear. "I didn't want Tiny Tim to die and he didn't"
Clary smiled "Okay off to bed. Santa won't come if you're not asleep" Max gasp and shot out of that room like a bullet and went to bed in his room.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
Jace was fast asleep when he heard a thud from outside his door. He grabbed his knife and went toward the door. He opened it and peeked out. Clary was lying on the ground fast asleep.
"Too tired don't want to move" She mumbled. Jace chuckled and picked Clary up. He opened his bedroom door and put her on his bed. He grabbed an extra blanket and made a bed on the floor. Then he got comfortable and went to sleep.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
Max sprang from his bed to see what the matter was.
Away to the window Max flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to his wondering eyes should appear,
Max looked out the window and saw a pack of wolfs pulling a sleigh. On the sledge a girl there sat. She had long silver hair with brilliant blue eyes. You would have thought she was a goddess.
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny wolves,
with a little lady driver, so lively and quick,
And she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the sky! to the top of the cloud!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Abigail too. Down the chimney St. Abigail came with a bound.
She was dressed all in fur, from her head to her foot,
And her clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on her back,
And she looked like a peddler just opening her pack.
Her eyes - how they twinkled! Her dimples how merry!
Her cheeks were like roses, !
And the hair on her head was as white as the snow;
And Max laughed when he saw her, in spite of himself;
A wink of her eye and a twist of her head,
Soon gave Max to know he had nothing to dread;
She spoke not a word, but went straight to her work,
"I can sense you" She said but never stopped sorting through the gifts.
"Wh-o-o are you" Max stuttered.
"Abigail" The girl smiled "I am what you would call Santa Clause. It will be our little secret" She put her fingers to her mouth.
She filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying her finger aside of her nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney she rose;
She sprang to her sleigh, to her team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard her exclaim, she drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.",
Max sighed and went back into the house. Boy was he going to have a story in the morning.