When it was 2:30, the circus bugs arrived, bringing a burst of energy and laughter into the house. Everyone exchanged warm greetings and friendly hugs, filling the room with cheerful chatter.
The Blueberry Trio squealed with excitement as they rushed over to Francis, wrapping their tiny arms around him. "Francis! Francis!" they exclaimed in unison.
Francis crouched down and hugged them back, a big grin spreading across his face. "Aw, my favorite little ladies! Missed you too!"
Gypsy fluttered gracefully toward Mike, her wings shimmering in the soft light. She enveloped him in a gentle hug. "Oh, it's always so good to see you, Mike," she said warmly, her kind eyes sparkling.
"Same here, Gypsy," Mike replied with a grin, returning the hug. "Glad you all could make it."
The room buzzed with happiness as the circus bugs settled in, their lively presence adding even more joy to the festive atmosphere.
"So, aside from the New York tree lighting, I assume it's another *Ellen* show at 3?" Manny asked, settling into a chair with a curious glance.
"Yep," David confirmed with a nod. "And the usual 4-6:27 lineup on NBC 5, which includes NBC Nightly News at 5:30."
"And Wheel of Fortune, of course, after?" Heimlich chimed in, his excitement evident.
David chuckled. "You bet. Wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Ah, spinning the wheel!" Slim sighed dreamily. "So suspenseful, so many vowels!"
The group laughed, the lively conversation blending seamlessly with the festive mood as everyone settled in for the upcoming shows.
"So, dare I ask how it's going at the circus?" Lily inquired, her tone both curious and amused as she sipped her cocoa.
"Oh, you know, the usual," Rosie replied with a wry smile. "Tuck and Roll causing mayhem, P.T. Flea milking us for all we're worth..."
"Flies trash-talking us, calling me a girl," Francis added with a huff, crossing his arms dramatically.
Mike sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And you lost your temper again, didn't you...?"
Francis shrugged defensively. "Hey, it's not my fault they don't know when to back off! A guy's gotta have his dignity."
Angela chuckled. "Let me guess. It ended with one of them getting flicked across the tent?"
Francis grinned sheepishly. "Maybe."
The room erupted in laughter, the lighthearted banter easing everyone further into the festive mood.
"So, what should we do for the next 30 minutes?" Slim asked, stretching his legs out and glancing around
.
"Well..." Lily began, a playful smile creeping onto her face. "I was thinking we could teach the Blueberries Monopoly."
"Monopoly?" Dot asked, tilting her head curiously.
Angela laughed softly. "Oh, you girls are in for a treat. It's a board game where you buy properties, build houses and hotels, and try to bankrupt everyone else."
Mike leaned over with a teasing grin. "It's also a game that's been known to end friendships."
"Or in this case, bug-ships," Francis quipped, earning a snicker from Heimlich.
"Come on, it's not that bad," Lily said, heading to grab the box from the game cabinet. "We'll keep it simple and stick to the basics for now."
Lily placed the Monopoly box on the coffee table and opened it with a dramatic flair. "Alright, Blueberries! This is Monopoly, the game where you become a tycoon and try to make everyone else go broke."
The girls' eyes widened as they saw the colorful board, the tiny tokens, the stack of money, and all the cards.
"Step one," Angela said, pulling out the tokens. "You choose a piece to represent you on the board. We've got a thimble, a car, a dog, a top hat, and more. Pick the one you like best!"
Dot reached out immediately. "I want the dog!"
"I'll take the car!" Teeny said.
Daisy's eyes sparkled as she grabbed the top hat. "This looks fancy!"
Emily chose the ship, leaving the adults to pick from the remaining tokens.
"Now," Lily continued, spreading the board out flat, "the goal of the game is to buy properties, collect rent, and build houses and hotels to earn more money. Eventually, you want to have so much money that everyone else runs out!"
"That sounds fun!" Dot chirped, holding her dog token tightly.
"Each of these spaces represents a property," Mike added, pointing to the colored rectangles on the board. "When you land on one, you can buy it if it's not owned. If someone already owns it, you pay them rent."
Angela held up a Chance card. "These are Chance and Community Chest cards. When you land on these spaces, you draw a card, and it might help you—or it might cause you trouble."
"And don't forget about jail," David said, pointing to the corner marked with the police officer. "If you land here or roll the wrong dice, you're stuck until you roll doubles, pay $50, or draw a Get Out of Jail Free card."
Lily pulled out the colorful stacks of Monopoly money. "Each player starts with a set amount of cash. You'll use this to buy properties and pay fees. Be careful, though—if you run out of money, you have to mortgage your properties or sell your houses."
"What are the little green and red buildings for?" Teeny asked.
"Good question," Lily said. "When you own all the properties in a color group, you can start building houses on them. Four houses can be upgraded to a hotel, which earns you even more rent."
David chimed in with a laugh, "But don't land on hotels when you're broke, or you'll be in trouble!"
"Finally, there are special spaces like Railroads, Utilities, and Tax spaces," Angela said. "Railroads and Utilities work a bit differently, and the Tax spaces mean you lose money—so try to avoid them!"
Mike grabbed the dice. "We roll to see who goes first. After that, you roll the dice on your turn, move that number of spaces, and decide what to do when you land somewhere. Any questions before we start?"
The Blueberries shook their heads eagerly.
"Alright!" Lily said, handing out the starting money. "Let's get rolling!"
The game began with everyone rolling the dice to determine who would go first. Angela rolled the highest number, so she took the first turn.
She rolled a seven and moved her top hat token to "Chance." She drew a card and read it aloud: "Advance to Go. Collect $200!"
The Blueberries clapped as Angela moved her piece back to Go and happily collected her money.
Next, Dot rolled a six and landed on "Baltic Avenue," a dark purple property.
"Ooh, that's a property!" Mike said, leaning in to help her. "You can buy it for $60, or you can pass and leave it up for grabs."
"I'll buy it!" Dot said excitedly. She handed $60 to the bank, and Mike gave her the title deed card.
"Now you own Baltic Avenue. If anyone lands there, they'll have to pay you rent!" Lily explained.
Teeny's turn came next. She rolled a nine and landed on "Community Chest." She drew a card and read, "You inherit $100!"
"That's lucky!" Angela said as Teeny grinned and took her winnings from the bank.
When it was Daisy's turn, she rolled a five and landed on "Reading Railroad."
"Do you want to buy it?" David asked. "It's $200, and railroads can be valuable if you own more than one."
Daisy thought for a moment and nodded. "I'll buy it!"
As the game progressed, the adults and Blueberries learned strategies and cheered for each other. Emily landed on "St. James Place," decided to buy it, and declared, "This one's my favorite because it's orange!"
Later, Mike landed on Daisy's Reading Railroad and had to pay her $25 in rent. "I should've bought more railroads," he joked.
Dot built her first house on Baltic Avenue after collecting enough money from rent. "Look! I'm building something!" she said proudly.
Teeny managed to snag Park Place, one of the most expensive properties, and everyone groaned when they realized she might get Boardwalk too.
The game continued with laughter and occasional frustration as players landed on properties they couldn't afford or drew unlucky cards. Heimlich was particularly unlucky, landing in jail twice.
"Do I still get to roll?" he asked, and everyone burst into laughter.
"You have to wait until your next turn or pay $50 to get out!" Angela explained.
After about half an hour, it became clear that the Blueberries were getting the hang of it. Dot had a small empire of purple properties with houses, Teeny controlled the expensive blue properties, and Daisy was raking in cash from her railroads.
"You're all becoming little business moguls," Lily said, smiling.
"Who knew this could be so much fun?" Daisy said, grinning.
The game paused when the clock neared 3 p.m., and David reminded everyone about the Ellen show. "We can pick this up later if you want," he said.
The Blueberries agreed, and everyone carefully set their tokens and money aside to resume the game later.
Mike turned on the TV, and the North Texas NBC channel was finishing up its last minute of commercials and holiday-themed promos. The screen was filled with cheerful jingles, snowflakes, and warm hues of red and green.
The moment the Christmas-themed intro graphics and festive theme music filled the room, the group perked up. Emily clapped her hands in delight at the cheerful visuals, while Dot exclaimed, "It's so pretty!"
Throughout the show, laughter echoed in the room. Teeny giggled uncontrollably at the hilarious antics in one segment, while Daisy pointed excitedly at the sparkling decorations adorning the set. The circus bugs, of course, each commented enthusiastically on every dessert-related joke.
"Did you see that gift giveaway?" Lily asked, wide-eyed as the audience on the screen cheered wildly.
"I know, right? That's the ultimate Christmas surprise," Angela replied, grinning.
The Blueberries were particularly captivated by a heartfelt moment involving holiday traditions, their expressions soft with wonder as they leaned closer to the screen.
By the end of the hour, the entire group was feeling the holiday spirit. Ellen's closing line rang out warmly: "Be kind to one another! Bye!"
As the credits rolled, the group lingered in their seats, chatting and laughing about the funniest moments of the episode. Emily, her eyes bright with delight, clapped her little hands and wiggled in her spot. "That lady's so silly!" she exclaimed with a giggle, leaning against Lily.
"She really is, isn't she?" Angela said, smiling at the little girl's excitement.
Mike stretched, his grin matching hers. "She always knows how to brighten the day."
The room felt cozy and alive with chatter as the group relived their favorite bits of the show, the joy of the season making every moment feel a little more special.
As the show went on, the group's excitement built with every performance. They laughed, cheered, and clapped along with the songs.
Susan Boyle's voice was met with awe, and Mariah Carey's holiday classics had them singing along. Sheryl Crow brought the energy up, and Jackie Evancho's angelic performance had everyone watching in amazement. The incredible voices of Josh Groban and Katherine Jenkins filled the room, followed by Annie Lennox's soulful tune. Spencer List was full of youthful energy, and Kylie Minogue's performance got them grooving. Jessica Simpson's powerful voice made everyone stop and listen, and Jake Zyrus ended the performances with a bang.
The energy in the room was palpable. The countdown to the tree lighting began, and the group grew even more excited, voices rising in anticipation.
"Alright, you guys ready?" David shouted over the buzz of conversation, a huge grin spreading across his face.
"This is the big one!" Slim said excitedly as everyone counted along in unison.
"10! 9! 8! 7! 6! 5! 4! 3! 2! 1!"
With a sudden flash, the massive Christmas tree in New York's Rockefeller Center lit up in a glorious cascade of color. A gentle hush fell over the room as the jazzy instrumental of "We Wish You a Merry Chistmas" filled the air, accompanying the magical moment. The camera zoomed out to show the enormous tree, its lights sparkling brilliantly against the night sky, while the choir's harmonious voices echoed through the city.
Everyone watched, captivated by the sight.
"Wow, it's so beautiful," Dot breathed, eyes wide in awe.
"It's the biggest tree I've ever seen!" Teeny exclaimed, her tiny hands clasped together.
Daisy, practically bouncing, added, "The lights are so bright!"
As the song continued, everyone sat in a shared moment of wonder, taking in the magic of the tree lighting, their hearts warmed by the festive spirit.
After the hosts' final words of commentary and their goodnight biddings, the camera lingered on the illuminated Christmas tree for a full minute, with the music still playing softly in the background. The logos of Brad Lachman Productions and Universal Media Studios appeared before the screen finally faded to black.
Lily reached for the remote and turned the TV off.
"Alright, Blueberries. Time to take you back home now," Angela said, her voice soft but firm.
Dot, Teeny, and Daisy all let out disappointed "awws," their little faces falling. Even Emily, who had been so excited, pouted at the thought of them leaving.
"Mommy, Daddy, can't they stay a little longer?" Emily whined, her small hand tugging gently at Lily's.
Lily smiled down at her daughter, brushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "I wish they could, sweetie. But it's getting late, and they need to head home soon."
Mike and David exchanged a knowing glance, each understanding how much the kids had enjoyed the evening. "Maybe we can all do it again soon," Mike suggested.
"Yeah," David added, ruffling his daughter's hair. "But for now, let's make sure our Blueberry friends get home safe and sound."
"Let's get you girls bundled up again," Angela said with a warm smile as she knelt down to help Dot, Teeny, and Daisy back into their winter gear.
Lily grabbed the jackets, scarves, and gloves from the coat rack while Mike handed each item to Angela. "Alright, arms up, Dot!" Angela said playfully as she slipped the little jacket onto the young ant.
Teeny giggled as Mike helped her with her mittens. "These are so soft!" she chirped, wiggling her tiny hands once they were snugly covered.
"And don't forget your scarf, Daisy," Lily added, wrapping a colorful scarf carefully around the little Blueberry's neck. "We don't want you catching cold!"
As they finished bundling the girls, Emily watched with wide eyes. "Can I help next time, Mommy?" she asked eagerly.
"Of course, sweetheart," Lily replied with a chuckle.
With everyone dressed warmly and ready, Angela clapped her hands lightly. "Alright, let's get you girls home before it gets any colder!"
After the Blueberries shared big, heartfelt hugs with Emily, David, Lily, and the circus bugs, they shuffled out the door, giggling and still talking about the Christmas tree lights. Mike and Angela led the way toward the Grand Caravan, and everyone waved as they passed by.
"Drive safe, my friends!" Manny called out with a grin, tipping his tiny hat in a playful gesture.
"Will do!" Mike replied with a wink, giving the group a thumbs-up.
"Make sure the Christmas cheer doesn't go out too soon!" Gypsy shouted after them, causing the Blueberries to burst into giggles from the back of the van.
The two human adults piled into the car and the engine rumbled to life. With the snow softly falling around them, they drove off into the winter evening, the warmth of their laughter echoing through the chilly air.
"Okay, time for us to go home too," Heimlich said with a contented sigh, looking at his circus friends, who all nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Be careful out there," David called out, giving them all a friendly wave. "And don't let Tuck and Roll start any trouble on the way back!"
"Of course not," Francis said with a chuckle, shaking his head. "We'll keep them in line… mostly."
"Safe travels, everyone!" Lily added, smiling warmly at the group.
As the circus bugs began to shuffle out the door, the atmosphere remained cheerful, with everyone still buzzing from the festive fun. "We'll see you all soon!" Rosie called back as they left, the door closing behind them.
With the house settling back into its calm, the evening remained filled with a sense of warmth, friendship, and the lasting glow of holiday spirit.