A Christmas Carol

By Leslie Johnson

It was a silent night—the one after Grandma got run over by a reindeer. I heard Prancer laid her out beside Frosty the Snowman.

Good King Wenceslas last looked out at the winter wonderland an hour before and asked. “Do you hear what I hear?”

We harkened to the herald of angels singing away in the manger for the entire twelve days of Christmas. Then it came upon a midnight clear the news about Grandma.

Grandma survived, and there was joy to the world in the little town of Bethlehem. She told us to have a merry little Christmas, as it was the most wonderful time of the year. “Deck the halls.” She said. “And I’ll be home for Christmas.”

It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas. We’d been rocking around the Christmas tree when the little drummer boy from next door came dashing through the snow. He said he’d been in a one-horse open sleigh when he heard sleigh bells jingling. Looking to the east, he saw three ships come sailing in. They were early. They should have arrived on Christmas Day.

I picked up some silver bells for the First Noel. It snowed again, and I knew we would have a white Christmas. So glad it would not be a blue Christmas. We’d had those since Elvis died in 1977. Let it snow, I thought.

When Grandma got home, she asked, “What child is this?”

“It’s Mary’s boy child, Grandma.” said Rudolph.

“Oh, how wonderful. For unto us a child is born. It is the miracle of life.”

I handed Grandma some chestnuts roasted on an open fire. Jack Frost took a handful, too. It was nice for him to be part of this Carol of the Bells.

After my ears stopped ringing, I told the boys, “God rest ye merry gentlemen. It’s time to put those bells away for another year.”

Grandma called from the couch, having seen the time. “I heard the bells on Christmas Day.”

“Yes, now it’s time to go to church. O, Come all ye faithful!” I called. “Let’s go hear the angels on high.”  We walked through the winter wonderland, past Parson Brown marrying a couple of lovebirds to Hark, the Angels we have heard on high.” Then we returned home to find Grandma and the children were still up playing checkers.

“Oh, holy night, Santa Claus is coming to town. We should get to bed.” exclaimed little Johnny. Looking back at the checkers board, he said. “We three kings take all your game pieces.” He hopped his stacked checkers over all the others to clear the board.

 “It’s time to have yourself a merry little Christmas.” cried Susie, Johnny’s little sister. “All I want for Christmas, is my two front teeth.” She grinned, showing that expansive break in enamel.

“Good night, Johnny!” Grandma said. “No peeking.”

“I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus last Christmas. I will not be peeking ever again.”

“Good night, Susie. You two had better scoot. I hear reindeer up on the rooftop, click, click, click.”

And with that, the crowd dispersed, and we all headed upstairs.  Snuggled in our beds, we prepared for the new dawn. No creatures were stirring though sugar plums were dancing when I heard those infamous words. “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”