'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the neighborhood, there wasn’t a decoration in sight. Not a light nor a wreath was hung on a house. No Christmas tree was peeking through the neighbor's window either. This was quite strange since the holiday is such a joy. But will any children get a toy?
Young Bonnie awoke on Christmas Eve with a feeling of emptiness. “Something’s missing,” she said. She jumped up out of bed, slipped on her slippers and ran downstairs. She went into the living room and saw no Christmas tree. She ran into the kitchen and questioned her mom.
“Where’s our tree?” Bonnie asked.
“No tree this year, sweetie. It’s just another day,” her mom replied.
“Another day?” Bonnie thought. It was not another day for her, it was Christmas Eve. Christmas is her favorite holiday so she couldn’t settle with this feeling.
Bonnie put on her snow boots and decided to go for a walk.
As she made her way through her neighborhood, she noticed something ... no one was showing any Christmas cheer.
“I’ve got to do something,” Bonnie said.
She went back home and gathered some tools. Some Christmas lights from the basement, a Santa hat and the microphone from her karaoke machine.
Bonnie raced down the street to the local park where all her neighbors hung out.
It was evening time, so parents were out with their kids.
Bonnie wrapped the lights around herself and turned them on. She plopped the Santa hat on her head and turned on her microphone.
“Hey everybody, look at me!”
People turned and looked at Bonnie in awe. “What is she doing?” “What’s going on?” they were saying.
“Where’s your Christmas spirit? Where’s the joy? Where are your Christmas trees?”
All eyes were on Bonnie. She started to sing.
“We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry Christmas. We wish you a Merry Christmas.”
People started to walk away as Bonnie was singing. She kept on going and even danced a little. Her mom peered through a small crowd. She smiled and cheered her daughter on. More people started to walk away. Bonnie’s spirit was broken, she ran home crying leaving behind her microphone.
Bonnie’s mom could feel how hurt her daughter was and she decided to create a Christmas miracle. She grabbed the microphone and stood on a park bench.
“It’s Christmas,” she said. “We should be celebrating and spreading joy to one another not moping around and ruining this for our kids.”
“Yeah,” a kid yelled in the crowd.
“I want you all to put your feelings aside and think about your families. Think about how Christmas made you feel as a kid, the magic it brought. We should want that same joy for our kids this year, especially in 2020, do you feel me?” Bonnie’s mom was sparking change, you could see it on the people's faces.
“I want you all to go and decorate your homes as best as you can. Put up your Christmas trees and wrap some gifts for your kids. And tomorrow morning, meet back here for some caroling. It’s time we bring back the love in Christmas.”
The crowd started to disperse as they went back to their homes and started to decorate like they've never done before.
Bonnie’s mom went to the store and bought all the Black barbie dolls she could find with kinky curls and coils. She went back home and raced to the basement. She wrapped the dolls in pink glitter wrapping paper with red bows on the top. Satisfied with the presents wrapped up nice and tight, she went to the basement and dusted off their Christmas tree. In the middle of the night she dragged it upstairs with a “thump, thump, thump.”
When she was finished decorating, she went door to door and made sure everyone was finding their Christmas spirit. Bonnie’s mom was saving Christmas, just like her daughter.
As she woke up on Christmas morning, Bonnie could hear people singing, “Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town.”
“What is that?" she said.
Bonnie ran downstairs and into her living room. There was a Christmas tree with so many presents under it.
“Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town. Santa Claus is coming to town,” the singing continued.
Bonnie put on some shoes and dashed outside. All of the houses on her street and the next street and the next street had lights hanging across them.
“Wow,” Bonnie said.
She walked down the street in amazement. Everyone had decorated their houses and they looked outstanding.
Bonnie followed the singing to the park and stumbled upon a huge crowd of people all singing Christmas songs. As she got closer, Bonnie could see her mom leading the crowd in song. She ran up to her mom and gave her a great big hug. The crowd started to cheer and shout Bonnie’s name. A young boy walked up to Bonnie and gave her a fist bump.
“Because of you, we found our Christmas spirit. Thank you,” he said.
Bonnie’s mom leaned in and kissed her forehead.
“Merry Christmas,” she whispered in her ear.
