A Christmas Story, Part 1

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Sunday December 2, 2018. Around 9:00 a.m. San Francisco, CA.

Sunlight, steaming through the slender "fan" type window, increases the brightness the buttercream-yellow kitchen in the modestly-sized apartment on Lombard Street.

Wearing her baby-pink, slightly above-knee length chemise-style nightgown, and white velour ballet-type slippers, Julie has just finished setting up her 4 and-one-half-pre-lit, artificial Frasier Fir Christmas tree. Stopping for a moment, Julie goes over to the window-sill of the "fan" type window, and picks up a small matchbook, and lights a classic evergreen Christmas candle. The scent from the candle may be artificial; but the scent of holiday baking was real enough; Julie spent the morning baking and decorating-- sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies.

Julie turns her attention to decorating the tree. She uses the remote to choose the clear LED light option on the tree -- for now.

Julie kneels down on the large square tiles of her black-and-white checkerboard floor, and goes through the small square box of ornaments near the tree. She picks out some small fake birds with "clip" feet like the kind used in flower arrangements; and walks around and puts them on the branches. They are male cardinals, which is the state bird of Ohio, where Julie is originally from (and a few other states as well). Next, she picks on some felt-covered fruit ornaments; peaches, red apples, and green and purple grapes; and other pretty, but traditional ornaments; different styles of Santas and snowmen; and people on sleds.

Julie had a tree-topper that was nice enough; a very traditional angel; but for years she had been looking for something a little unique to put near the top of the tree; and a few days ago, she finally found it. She carefully opened the clear, square plastic box, and took out the medium sized white-plastic spider web, with a one-inch black-widow-type spider in the upper left side of the web; the spider is sort of grey; and both the spider and the web have been strategically dusted with glitter; just enough to give it a little shine. In the box, is a piece of with a story, and Julie reads it. It says:

"THE CHRISTMAS SPIDER WEB
In Poland, many Christmas Eves ago, a woodcutter
his wife and children set out to select a tree from
the neighboring woods. Soon, choices of the many
evergreens were discussed. "This one too tall, too
too short, too fat." Finally, it was agreed, "This one
is perfect."
Returning to their cottage, a new problem
presented itself. "Where should we set the tree up?"
Since the cottage only had a kitchen and two
bedrooms, the kitchen corner was the spot selected
for the Christmas tree.

The children were soon sent to bed to dream of the
day and gifts to come. But the parents went to bed
with heavy hearts. The father had carved wooden
toys, and the mother had made dolls and clothes for
Santa to leave the children. But they had no money to
buy or time to decorate the tree. "The children will be
so disappointed, to see the tree undecorated."
The next morning, the children, of course, were the
first to awake, and run and see the tree. Parents were
soon called, and all were delighted! During the night,
Angels of God had sent spiders to weave webs of
shining silver, to decorate the tree! So, today at
Christmas, some people hang webs of shining silver in
remembrance of the story of the woodcutter and his
family; and many other people hang tinsel on their
trees."

Julie had never heard that story before; but she liked it very much. She folded the paper very carefully, and put it back in the clear, square plastic box.
She says aloud, to herself, "Hmmm... That gives me an idea." :)






 
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