CJ's Yule Blog

Today was the last day of school, and CJ brought home a neat in-class assignment. Her class was given a sheet of paper that listed different questions related to writing a story—"Who are you?" "Where are you?" What is your problem?" etc.

Then, they rolled two dice, added together the two numbers showing, and found the corresponding number answer to their questions in each category. With all their questions answered, they could begin to craft a story. (This may be a blog meme for the New Year!)

Here are her answers:

Who? Santa Claus
Where? At Santa's workshop
What do you have? A package of Christmas cookies
Whom or what do you meet? Prancer and Comet
What is your problem? You must find a cure for the Christmas blues

* * *



A Christmas Cure
by CJ

I was up at The Pole, listening to the radio, when I heard the news. Good news, because I got to travel at a time other than the 24th of December. Bad news because—well, you're about to hear why.

"THERE IS A CHRISTMAS GROUCH! HE HAS THE CHRISTMAS BLUES! ANYONE WHO CAN HELP HIM WILL GET THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!"

That's why it was bad news. It proved that few people are still as jolly and generous as me today.

So, thinking I could help this fellow, I hitched up the sleigh and flew away.

Little did I know this man lived in CHINA—
a country where people don't speak the language I know—English.

We finally arrived. I tried to communicate with the man,
but we couldn't understand each other's languages.

But out of the corner of my eye, I saw some cookies in the sleigh. Maybe if I gave the cookies to the man, he would understand that Christmas is about giving. I gave them to the man, and he flashed me a smile. But where was my reward?

Then, two of my reindeer, Comet and Prancer, started writing me a message in the snow. This is what it said: When you gave the cookies to the man, he was happy and gave you the gift of happiness. It is the greatest gift ever.


I felt so happy! I flew away in my sled, showing my gift to everyone. From then on, I always gave "the greatest gift on earth" to every child for Christmas. It's packaged in the darkest corners, but everyone always finds it.

* * *

She's so profound here that it makes me cry! Happiness, packaged in the darkest corners.... You know, we can't know happiness without also realizing the opposite of happiness—dark corners, whatever they look like to you. And maybe happiness is something that we have had tucked away within ourselves, just hidden, since our first days. We just don't always find it.

Do you believe everyone can find his or her happiness? It may just take someone else—like Santa found out—to help them see it. If we could do that, we really would be giving (and receiving) the "greatest gift of all."

Thanks for the gift, Sweetheart! (And thank You, Lord, for her gift, too!)