Thanks Alivia for this idea!

Hi everyone!

Welcome to another post. In this one – yes, there is going to be a short Christmas Leo & Kaylee story! Enjoy! 🙂

(P.S… this is the 100th post on the Dream Doodler! Wahoo!)

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Leo & Kaylee: A Christmas Story

It was finally December – and our month to finally put up the Christmas tree.

 

Me and my family always did it somewhere during the first week of December. I never really understood why people would put it up so early. Mid-November. 

 

I was reading a book on my bed, the snow was falling outside. It was a Saturday afternoon, everyone was feeling groggy but willing to get the decorations up. 

“Kaylee!” Mom’s voice travels upstairs. “Time to put up the tree!” 

I spark up, almost forgetting to place my bookmark. “Coming!” 

Running downstairs, I already see dad coming through the front door with a big, alive tree. The place smelt like pines and tree sap the second dad stepped through the front door. The pine needles were falling everywhere. 

“Here… okay, a little to the left…. Yeah, okay. Down. Slowly…. Yeah that’s good-okay, stop!” 

Dad placed the tree right next to the couch, visible to see through the front door. 

“Kris, get the broom and sweep up these needles.” Mom orders. “And Kaylee, get the ornaments from the basement.”

I nod and head for the basement, the ornaments were always my favourite part of the Christmas tree. And the lights. But the ornaments are always so pretty. 

I reach the laundry room, and go behind the washing machine. 

“Now where did dad put them..” I mumble to myself. 

Then I see a red cloth box. 

“Oh!” 

I take it upstairs and open the lid. It was like a party of colours. There were bulbs of all shapes and sizes, faces and colours. I pick up a mini Santa and put it on the tree.

“Kaylee, we need to put the lights up first,” Kris smirks.

I scoff. I knew that. 

I take the mini santa and put it back in the red basket again. 

 

Dad put some original Christmas carols on and Kris starts to wind the lights around the huge, green tree. The lights are green and purple and red, golden and blue and white. I find stockings from another huge green bin and hang them from the staircase. There were four; and they read: mom, dad, Kris, and Kaylee. 

 

After Kris puts the lights up, we start to hang the ornaments on. There are some from all different years, different colours and shapes and sizes. I try to spread them evenly across the tree.

I step back. It looked amazing. Kris was helping put ornaments on. Mom and dad were hanging up holly wreaths outside. 

I run upstairs to get my phone and send a picture to Leo. He doesn’t reply but instead runs across the street in a hoodie and raps on the door. 

“It’s freezing outside let me in!!” He laughs. 

I double up. “Yeah, you had to come.”

“Can I help decorate?” Leo asks, while mom comes in from outside. 

“Of course!” Mom smiles. 

 

He smirks at me and then we hang ornaments on the tree. We sing along to carols and talk about school. Christmas break was coming soon and we were all eager to get out of school. It starts to snow outside and we all beg mom to make hot chocolate. She finally agrees and we sneak marshmallows. 

 

The first week of December was always my favourite in the whole year. Usually Leia would be here but this year is just as fun. The snow seemed to fall harder and harder every minute, leaving a blanket of snow around our house, keeping it warm and safe. 

 

We sit at the table with our huge mugs of hot chocolate with extra mini marshmallows. We all gaze at the tree, looking amazing with the snow out the window. 

“Thanks for stopping by,” I say to Leo as I take another sip. 

He smiles. I already knew that he didn’t have to say anything. 

 

Even though this Christmas was different without Leia, it still feels the same in some way. Like nothing has changed. I remind myself that the memories are still here, in this house, in this neighbourhood. In these ornaments, lights, walls, and bedrooms. Or maybe it’s just in your head, like sticky notes pinned to a bulletin board, reminders of to-do lists. 

 

Leo goes home a few hours later. I laugh all the way when he runs back home in his hoodie. The snow was now like a wind, brushing and covering the streets. I get into my pajamas early and listen to some newer Christmas music.  

 

I realize and begin to be grateful for changes. If everything was the same, it wouldn’t be very interesting, would it? And things would be boring, life would be boring. You wouldn’t have anything to work on or push your feelings through. 

 

I write down these things. And remember.

Christmas will always be Christmas, no matter how different it may get.