A/N: Please Please Please review!!!!!!!!!!!!! Merry Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!! (How did I do with the note from the children and Georg?)
Georg walked down the staircase with a bag and a note in his hands. He was surprised to see his wife by the fireplace placing gifts under the tree. He put the bag behind his back and walked down to Maria.
"Maria, what are you doing?" Georg asked while he watched his wife pull eight small gifts out of a bag.
"Darling I just couldn't bare to see the children have no presents on Christmas. They have been such wonderful children I just had to get them a gift. It is small and probably little compared to what they are used to receiving though." Maria told him.
"Maria you told them why they couldn't have any gifts. They understood and were very happy with singing in the concert." Georg told her. He looked down at the wrapped packages. "How did you pay for those anyways?"
"You know the money you gave me for watching the children?" He nodded at her. "Well I had just enough to buy them some mediocre presents. I hope they will appreciate them anyways." Maria stated gazing at the tree. Beneath the tree stood a small nativity scene. Baby Jesus had yet to be placed there so Mary and Joseph stood looking at an empty manger. The Shepards, animals, angels and Wiseman also sat looking on, waiting for the new King. Georg looked at Maria.
"I am sure they will love whatever their Mother gives them. They would be fine without them you know." Georg followed Maria's gaze. She was still looking lovely at the manger.
"You know I always used to wish I was there that day He was born." Georg stated.
"Really?" Maria asked surprised.
"Yes. If I could pick one night to go back in time that night would be it. I am sure it must have been the most beautiful sight ever." Georg told her.
"I would have loved to have been there too." Maria sighed. "It would have been so entirely beautiful."
"Not as beautiful as you are though my dear." Georg told her. He gave her a kiss and Maria spotted the bag he was holding in his hands.
"What is that?" She asked eagerly.
"It is none of your business until tomorrow morning." He told her seriously.
"Georg come on you promised not to keep secrets from me." Maria begged.
"I don't keep secrets from my wife…unless it is Christmas and seven small children would kill me if I told." He told her smiling. "You will get to see tomorrow. It will be a wonderful surprise."
"Alright I suppose I don't need to know until Christmas." Maria sighed.
"Yes you will find out tomorrow. Now what do you say we put these down and go to out room to celebrate…hmm?" He smiled. Maria blushed slightly and a nodded as they set their presents down and walked up the stairs.
***
"Oh look it is snowing!" Cried Gretl.
"The sun is out too! It looks like a wonderful day to play in the snow!" Marta yelled.
"Kurt give me back my shoes! I need them for my dress!" Brigitta glared at her brother. "To bad we aren't getting presents this year. You would be getting coal."
"I'm trying to read can you please be slightly more quiet?" Louisa asked politely.
"No way it is Christmas. How can one be quiet?" Freidrich asked. Liesl rolled over from her bed.
"Remember what we told Father? Part of our present to them was that we were not going to be obnoxious for this Christmas. Remember?" Liesl asked them. Kurt's mouthed popped open and he handed the shoes over to Brigitta.
"Oh yeah, I forgot. I will be good now I promise." Kurt replied. Brigitta took the shoes and marched over to her bed.
"Alright I say we all get ready for church so we can sing with Mother and Father for a little while before then." Brigitta said. Six children nodded and went their separate ways to prepare for church.
Georg and Maria walked down to the tree. They heard the children screeching and laughed.
"I guess they are their usual normal selves today." Maria told him innocently. They laughed and sat on the couch and waited for their seven children to come tumbling down the stairs. Soon they heard a rumbling noise that sounded like elephants stampeding down the stairs.
"Here they come." Georg muttered to Maria. Maria smiled as she saw her children all clean and ready for the day.
"Merry Christmas children!" Maria and Georg chimed. The children echoed with the same response hugged their parents.
"Mother? Why are their presents under the tree?" Kurt asked. "Are we taking them to the concert to give to people?" Maria smiled stunned that Kurt of all the children would say something like that.
"No they are actually for all of you." Maria answered.
"But Mother you said…" Liesl trailed off.
"I know Liesl, but I had a little extra, I couldn't resist."
"Thank you Mother!" Seven excited faces dove into the Christmas tree to find their gift. When they found it they sat down to open them. Soon the house was full of happy shouts and gasps as each unwrapped their gift.
"Thank your Father too. He is the one who gave me the money in the first place." Maria told them. They thanked their Father as well. Georg stared at Maria shaking his head. She was just too wonderful and nice; all the thanks could never be just on her. "Oh Georg that one is for you." Georg picked up the heavy gift. He stared at her questionably. "Open it."
Georg opened it and in it was a framed picture of the family at the wedding. By its side was another picture of them singing in concert. He smiled at it and then opened the other part of the gift.
"What is this?" He asked as he stared at a bottle that was too small to be a wine bottle but held the same shape. On it was a Hebrew inscription.
"It's water for baptism from the Jordan River in the Holy Land." Maria told him.
"How did you get this?" He asked still stunned.
"Well I have my ways…I can explain later."
"Who are we going to baptize in…" His voice trailed off as he realized something. He stared up at Maria. She smiled at the joy in his eyes. "Are you pregnant, my love?"
"Yes." Maria stated simply. He got up from the couch and sat down with her on the floor. His eyes danced for joy. The children became excited as well.
"I think that is the best Christmas present I have ever received." He told her truthfully. Maria's eyes filled with tears as he kissed her lips. "I love you Maria." The rest of the family, with hugs of congratulations, met Maria.
Once they had calmed down Georg reached over to the bag.
"Now we have a present for you, Maria. The one who saved us all." Georg told her still holding her in his arms. Maria carefully opened the note. It read:
We were a lost family; we really didn't know what to do
We thought God had forsaken us, we really didn't know how to live
We were lost in our misery, until we one day met a governess, you
You didn't automatically hate us, or judge us on the harmless tricks we played
You realized that we weren't incorrigible, impossible and mad
You found out all we were was a tinsy bit sad
So instead of running far away, you became our mentor and stayed
You taught us what to do when we feel sad,
By simply remembering our favorite things we now don't feel so bad
You made us feel loved again by tucking us in at night
You showed us the beauty of the world and how the stars are bright
You enlightened us with facts we could have never learned without you
You taught us that we could do anything we set our minds to
You taught us the joy of being able to sing once more
You taught us the importance of every single note,
How each and every one mattered no matter how big or small they were
You re-taught us all to love again; you brought our beloved Father back
You taught him how to see the joys in life again,
He fell in love again with the simple joys such as singing and dancing
And the most wonderful thing of all was he fell in love with you too!
You taught us all that our hearts were blessed with the sound of music and
We would really someday sing once more
You taught us that some of the most wonderful gifts come from the heart
You taught us that a family loving each other is the most important part
You taught us that we don't need all these material things
For they won't be the things that last, the things we really need
You brought our family back from darkness into light
You showed us that there is a God who we should love with all our might
You taught us that Christmas is about Jesus and the power of giving
It is not about the presents and the material things we are receiving.
You taught us that when we give, we end up with a present better than any other
When someone thanks us for something we have given
We feel we've been handed the world and all the beauty and love in it
We realize without you we would have not learned these lessons
We still would be in the midst of a gloomy life on Aigen
We are so grateful that you are our Mother now and teacher and our friend
We are blessed that God brought you to us, he knew we needed you
We are sure that there is no one who is a better Mother than you.
And we are sure long after we are gone, when everyone talks of Mothers,
They will always say, "The best Mother ever was a young lady named Maria."
They will continue by telling the simple story, of how a nun from Salzburg
Conquered a house with seven children and a Sea Captain too
And filled the house with unconditional love
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts and please always know
Your family will love your always and you are the most wonderful
Mother, person and friend we will ever know!
We love you Mother!
Your dearest children and Husband,
Liesl, Friedrich, Louisa, Kurt, Marta, Gretl, Brigitta and Georg
Maria gazed up at her children with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you, that meant a lot." Maria told them. The children gave her a large hug and told her to open the small bag with the present in it. Maria opened the bag and she found a small silver medal of St. Joan of Arc.
"Mother, Father told us all about how your patron saint is Joan and he told us the whole story about why you choose her too. I love the story he told. Joan really was an amazing person." Brigitta smiled proudly. "Mother when I get confirmed can my saint be Joan as well?" Maria smiled and took the girls hand.
"Of course Brigitta, if that is what you want. Thank you for the lovely medal." Maria told them as Georg strung it around her neck.
"Here darling, this is for you as well." Georg told her handing her another small bag. She opened it and found another note.
To My Darling Wife,
Merry Christmas darling, I love you. I am sorry we did not get the biggest Christmas with tons of presents. As I apologize I realize that you do not really care like you said before. You just care about your family being there, and so I hope this is the best Christmas you have ever had. It makes me thank God for you especially this time of year. Christmas, for the last five years, we had presents and material things, but they were not enjoyable. This Christmas we have almost no material presents and I can tell the children are having the best Christmas ever. It is because of you Maria. I look around and can't recall a time when I was happier at this time of year. (Or at anytime of year for that matter.) You are truly the most precious gift God has ever blessed me with. I love you dearly and can't wait to spend many more Christmas's with you, my darling wife. I finally have grasped what this holiday is all about. You have truly made this Christmas the most memorable one I have ever had. I love you.
Your loving Husband,
Georg
Maria opened the small bag and found a silver cross. She smiled. Then she pulled out a small bracelet that was silver and it had a manger scene painted around it in black. Maria gasped.
"It is beautiful, Georg. Thank you so much." Maria told him. She gave him a kiss and put the bracelet on her wrist. "You know I really did not need…"
"Maria we had to get you something. You are the dearest person on the face of this Earth. You deserved something for all you did." Georg told her. Maria beamed.
"Well thank you everyone. I loved the gifts. Now we should go and eat and get ready to sing." The children nodded their heads as they left for the table.
"I love you Maria. You are truly amazing. I never thought our children could survive without presents. They are so used to them." Georg told her.
"They might be used to wrapped presents, but I think that the presents they will receive tonight and last night are even better." Maria said.
"I agree, thank you Maria." He said.
"For what?" Maria asked.
"Everything. For just being you." Maria smiled at him and snuggled closer to him. "Do I get another present tonight?" Georg asked.
"Another present?" Maria asked. Then she noticed the suggestiveness in his eyes. Maria smiled and rolled her eyes. "Oh you…" she began and hit him playfully.
"Is that a yes?" He asked her smiling. Maria kissed him quickly and got up.
"We can talk about that after the concert. We need to eat now though so we won't be late." Maria told him. Maria extended her hand toward her husband and Georg took it and tugged downwards so she fell on to him. He began to kiss her and she kissed him back.
"Father we have to leave in twenty minutes!" Liesl yelled from the kitchen.
"I guess we have to eat now." Georg told Maria. Maria nodded and they both stood up and walked to the kitchen together.
***
A light snow fell on the ground of a large stadium with many spectators in it. The group had assembled to watch a family sing carols on Christmas for free. The night was lovely and the light snow hovering in the nighttime air made the evening even more magical and enchanting.
It had become late and the von Trapp singers had been singing for a few hours. They had received many donations to give to the less fortunate and it was time for the last song of the night.
"Thank you for your kind support tonight and for all the donations. We loved singing for you, it was one of the best Christmas gifts we could get to see all of you entertained and giving to the less fortunate." Maria told them proudly. She took Gretl's hand and put her close to the mike.
"We wish to sing our last song for you now it is one of our favorites and was first sung in a small village chapel in the small Austrian town of Oberndorf. Now it is one of the most cherished and loved carols of Christmas." Brigitta said with a smile.
"We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas!" Gretl chimed in. The family smiled and took each other's hands and began to sing.
"Stille Nacht! Heil'ge
Nacht!
Alles schläft; einsam wacht
Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar.
Holder Knab' im lockigten Haar,
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!
Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!"
The audience began to sway as the family began to sing in English.
"Silent Night! Holy Night!
All is calm; all is bright
Round yon virgin mother and child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace."
The audience began to join hands and sing the famous tune along with Maria and her family. Onlookers from the streets stopped by to sing and watch. Maria and her family hummed the last versus. Maria looked up and saw all the people together gently humming. She looked at her family close by her side also humming.
"Mother, now I know what you mean!" Marta whispered in her ear. "Mother I know the true meaning of Christmas now!" Maria smiled and kissed Marta on the head. She continued to hum. While humming Maria thanked the Lord for blessing her with such a wonderful family and life. Georg squeezed her hand as the song ended and the crowed was quiet for a moment. A small clap was heard from the crowd. It continued to grow until many people were on their feet. Many people were in tears from the wonderful singing and the feelings that came from it.
Georg gave her a kiss and whispered in her ear. "Look Maria, look at the crowd. You didn't just teach us Maria. I think you taught the world what the true meaning of Christmas is tonight."
***
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this story. I know it is simple and not too much is happening, but I wanted this to act as a beautiful reminder of what Christmas is really about. That was my goal and I really hope I accomplished it. Have a wonderful Christmas and thank you very much for reading my story. Merry Christmas everyone!
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