by Stacy
It’s that time again The Children’s Holiday Story sponsored by Susanna Leonard Hill. The rules are here. You have to write about a child’s holiday treat — anything goes … sort of. You have to include a treat, write for a child under 12, and write the story in 250 words or less.
In this story, an opportunity to go sledding is the holiday treat.
The stories are always delightful. I decided this afternoon to participate. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful Holiday Season.
The No Snow Dilemma
By Stacy S. Jensen
Suzie doesn’t like this Christmas weather.
She glares at the sun and blue skies.
“I’ll never go sledding,” she cries. “It doesn’t look like snow.”
Her mother doesn’t care about the weather. “No chores,” Mom says. “No sledding.”
“There’s no snow,” Suzie wails.
“There are chores,” Mom points to the chart.
Suzie points to the window.
Mom is a statue.
Suzie stomps off to her room.
Mom has a different plan. Minutes later … Suzie empties the dishwasher.
“There’s no hope for snow.”
Mom says, “There’s no hope for sledding, if you don’t do your chores.”
Suzie digs in.
She refuses to gather the trash.
She watches as her sister sets the dinner table.
She fails to pick up her clothes.
Suzie gets sent to bed early to “think” about her choices.
“I can’t ‘think’ about anything with this nice weather,” Suzie mumbles.
When Suzie wakes up to gray skies, she’s hopeful and checks off some chores.
She feeds the dog.
She helps her sister with Christmas crafts.
She gets the mail without her mother asking twice.
Then, she sees rain.
Suzie KNOWS snow will arrive soon.
But, her dad says, “No. Just flurries.”
Suzie goes to bed to “think” about this news.
The weather isn’t better the next day, but Suzie remembers one chore left undone.
She rakes the leaves into a pile in the sunshine and discovers she doesn’t need snow for her sledding treat. She just needs to do her chores.
by Stacy
This is a last-minute effort to join in the holiday fun. Enzo and I brainstormed ideas for this story. He did not like my execution, but it was wrapped up among a day filled with a 5k, church pageant practice, a day of treat making, and a Christmas party. Thanks Susanna Leonard Hill for hosting this contest. I can only hope that all my word count tools were correct at 250 words. LOL
Penguin’s Quest for Answers: Saves Christmas
By Stacy S. Jensen
Penguin knew he was on Santa’s Naughty list.
He counted on his flippers and feet all the incidents.
He ate his sister’s snack after school. Penguin protested, “But, it was on my plate.”
He knocked down a line of friends ready to fish. “I slipped.”
He fell into a mongoose on the beach causing chaos. “I didn’t mean to do it.”
Penguin tried to be nice.
He helped Grandma down the beach, made lunch for Mom, and sheltered eggs for Uncle.
But, nothing Penguin did removed him from the naughty list.
So, he left Boulder Beach, South Africa headed to the North Pole.
When he arrived, Penguin found Santa and made his case.
“I’ve been good.”
“Ah,” Santa said.
“I’m not sure how to get off the naughty list,” Penguin said.
“ACHOO!” Santa sneezed.
“Are you sick Santa?” Penguin asked.
“Maybe, just a … ACHOO,” Santa said.
“I can help,” Penguin offered.
Santa was too tired to protest.
Penguin checked the flight map, Santa’s sack, and the list.
Santa gave Penguin his special hat and off he flew to deliver presents.
When he returned to the North Pole, Santa said, “You saved Christmas.”
“Am I off the naughty list?” Penguin asked.
Santa snored.
The elves helped Penguin return home.
“Where have you been?” Mom asked.
“Just helping a friend,” Penguin said.
“Santa left you a present,” she said.
Penguin found his very own hat with the words “TRAINEE” across the front and a book “How to be Nice All Year.”
by Stacy
The lovely and talented Susanna Hill’s Fourth Annual Holiday Contest is under way. The rules are to write a children’s story under 350 words where the wild weather impacts the holiday.
The story idea came to me first and then I tried to work in a weather element … so, I’ll just let you read it while I go revise the peppermint cream recipe I tried yesterday. While I do that, perhaps I can figure out a way to revise this …
How do I fix this?
By Stacy S. Jensen
Dear Santa,
I just saw my name on the naughty list. How do I fix this?
Ella
P.S. I’m dropping this in the mail before the blizzard hits.
Dear Santa,
The mail carrier didn’t stop for two days. It gave me “thinking” time.
I know why I’m on the naughty list.
I hit my brother Jacob when he stole my blocks.
Ella
P.S. Why is he on the nice list?
Dear Santa,
Oops.
I hit Jacob with a snowball.
I told him I was sorry. I meant it too.
Ella
P.S. Mom says I have great aim.
Dear Santa,
I practiced for the church play tonight. I followed direction.
I jumbled my line once.
Here’s my line: When they arrived in Bethlehem, all the inns were open.
Stinkers.
The inns were full. They were FULL.
Ella
P.S. The streets are finally clear after the blizzard. The mail carrier promised she is delivering my letters to the North Pole.
Dear Santa,
A woman at church said I was an angel.
I was a cow.
Mom thanked me for not mooing at the woman.
Ella
P.S. I haven’t hit Jacob all week.
Dear Santa,
Christmas is here!
I hope you missed that frosting incident last night.
Jacob ate one of the reindeer’s carrots.
I left you candy cane cookies.
Merry Christmas!
Ella
P.S. The TV weather woman said no more blizzards. Easy peasy deliveries tonight!
Dear Ella,
Thank you for the letters.
I saw you being nice to your family and friends.
Keep it up all year long.
Merry Christmas!
Santa
P.S. Please eat your vegetables. Your dog Ralph doesn’t like green beans.
Dear Santa,
Thank you. Thank you.
Mom promised to read the “52 Ways to be Nice” book to me.
Jacob thought the baseball glove was his.
Glad you put my name on it.
He liked his coal.
Ella
To read more entries, please visit Susanna’s blog.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season. We celebrate Christmas and will keep our fingers crossed that our calf moos at the right time during the church Christmas program and remembers that the inns were full!
P.S. (from Stacy not Ella) If you want to check out which names made the naughty and nice list, here’s one.
