What makes some Christmas stories stand the test of time while others fade and fizzle? You know the kind: when told year after year, they melt our hearts with a sizzle.
My husband, with his childlike sense of holiday wonder, wrote wired his own Christmas story this year. He was influenced by this:
Yes, these are the prep items assembled for our trek to Tiny Town’s* first-ever Light Parade: a bowl filled with candy to throw to the children, Grinch hats, gloves, and face bandanas for the cold drive to town.
I should explain that hubby is fascinated by all things electronic and lit-up. He’s also played Santa to children in impoverished Phoenix neighborhoods before. So when he read about the parade in the local paper, he was “in.”
This year, donning a hat much different than Santa’s, he hopped into his side-by-side, draped as it was in festive lights, with blaring speakers to boot.
Before the big event, we posed hubby’s handiwork in front of the snow-covered mountains that make up our view:
And then we set off – along the railroad tracks into the backside of Tiny Town – to meet Neighbor Mark and Roxanne who, unlike us, played by the rules with their Disney-themed Ranger.
Mark and Roxanne, Santa-hatted, beside their Mickey Mobile.
The street lined with little ones came to life, numbed fingers grasping at candy. Hubby, oh-so-handy, weaved side to side handing out sweets. Behind us beeped and bopped the fire truck, sirens singing and Christmas songs ringing.
I have a feeling we won’t simply re-tell this story each year. We’ll re-live it by participating again and again.
And the Grinch, it turns out, was the perfect ambassador because remember:
“… in Whoville they say – that the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day. And then – the true meaning of Christmas came through, and the Grinch found the strength of*ten Grinches, plus two!”
For Readers, Writers, Everyone: What are your favorite Christmas stories? Why do they resonate with you? Have you begun any new holiday traditions over the years?
Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
*Not the actual name, of course, of our small town. It just seemed to fit with this Seuss-esque post, don’t you think?
