The Christmas Star
One more tale to tell
This short story is a humble present to everyone on earth. It is first present in English, as it is the most widely spoken international language. Spanish comes after for it is my mother tongue, and then the Portuguese version, a temporary host country, where I found peace of mind to work on it, my first Christmas story.
Inspired by Children and my hope in humanity
Dedicate to Raquel and her dedication to us
I heard someone crying inside the dark alley. It was the day before Christmas. I was on my way to visit my grandmother. I always like to be the first one to give her a Christmas hug, and I normally did it before Christmas Eve.
Passing by the small store that sold peperechas and pastel de nata every morning, I hear someone crying inside the small alley. Someone was seating alone in the dark. It was a little girl weeping as if she has lost her most precious possession.
Are you Ok? I asked.
She looked at me with sad eyes. That was the deepest sadness I have ever seen in my whole life. Like the deep sorrow of someone who has lost hope.
Are you ok?
I can’t find Christmas, she told me.
A deep cold something ran inside me. Until now I am don’t know how to describe such a sensation, empathy perhaps, but it came from my disbelief that there could be someone unable to find Christmas.
How is that even possible! I said with a smile on my face.
I can’t, she ensured. I have looked everywhere for it. There is no Christmas.
She broke down in tears again. So deep and so true was her sorrow that for a moment, I felt sad as well.
I sat beside her on the sidewalk by the ditch, covering her with my yellow coat, and asked –Where did you go to find Christmas?
Everywhere, she said. Everywhere, but I couldn’t find it. It’s not in school. I looked for it this morning but I couldn’t find it there. Then I went to my best friend’s house, but it wasn’t there either, and it wasn’t home either… not even at home.
But that is impossible! I claimed. It should be somewhere. Christmas is real!
Come, let’s go to find Christmas together, I said with determination. Come, I said again offering her my hand.
Where? She asked.
I don’t know where, but I’m sure Christmas is out there. Come!
That was the first time I saw her smile. That was the smile of true hope.
Let’s go up the hill, Christmas should be in a high place, I said.
How do you know?
Because in Christmas time, there is a star in the sky, the brightest one, where the soul of Christmas lives.
The soul of Christmas lives inside a star?
Yes, we just need to find the right spot where the star shows up and ask her any questions.
I’ve never heard of Christmas living inside a star.
I know, very few people have.
How do you know?
A wise man told me the true story of Christmas once when I was still very little, I don’t remember the whole story now, but I still remember about the star. I saw him speaking to that star once.
Did he tell you where Christmas is?
No?
Did you ask?
Yes, I did. But he said that I would know it when the time has come. Now is the time.
How do you know now is the time?
I don’t know. I just know.
But how do you know the star wants even to listen to us?
She will, I know. “All you need”, the wise man told me, “is to be specific”. We don’t want to waste her time, it’s not polite to waste other people’s time So, we have to be specific.
But she is not a person, is a star. And what are we asking her?
Ok, you are right, but the wise man said so. Perhaps she is a person, after all. Anyways, we will know when we find her. And we do, we’ll ask her where Christmas is.
We have to ask her how to get there also, no?
Yes, we’ll ask her that question too. And once she tells us where, we will go there, and then we can go home and tell others, so, nobody would ever be sad at Christmas.
I feel less sad now.
That is good news. Maybe we are getting closer to where the star is.
Yes, maybe. What color is the star?
I don’t know. She ill all colors I supposed.
Maybe she is red. I see a lot of red during Christmas time.
You are right. Maybe she is red and green.
What about red, green and white?
Yeah, white sounds good also, and we can add some blinking lights of many other colors.
Yes, like the lights on the Christmas tree at home. Do you have a Christmas tree at home?
Hmmm, yes, but just a small one.
Mine is big. Wider and taller than my father and fat little brother. Do you have a brother?
No. My mother and my father both died a couple of years ago. So, I live with my aunt and her family. They are good people. But I spend most of my time with my grandmother. I think she feels alone after my mother died.
Do you feel lonely?
Sometimes. But I know my mom and dad are watching over me all the time. When I feel sad, I talk to them, and then I don’t feel lonely more.
What about during Christmas, don’t you miss them?
Yes, I do. But they are with me all the time, as they did when they were alive, especially at Christmas… They always told me to smile at life at all times. I always trusted my mom and dad, so that is what I do, I smile at life at all times. You could also try, it feels good.
My father and mother tell me the same thing as well, and every time they tell me that, we smile together. It feels good.
Yeah, it feels good.
And your brother, does he smile also?
Yes, he does, but he is still too little to understand. I love him, and in Christmas Eve, I want to give him a big hug as a present because I think a hug is the best present. And I plan to do that with my mom and dad.
Yeah, I’m happy for you that you have your parents to hug. I wish I had mine with me too. I would give them a long hug, the longest hug ever.
You can come to my home, and we can all hug together.
That would be nice, but I have to be with my grandma. She always tells me that I am her eternal Christmas gift. So, I have to be with her. But thanks anyway. I will think of you when I hug my grandma tomorrow.
Ok. I will do to…
We had walked a couple of blocks up the hill and found a two-way street. Not knowing whether the right or the left street was the correct one. We approached a boy seating alone at a bus stop nearby.
Do you know which way to take to reach the top of the hill from where we can talk to the Christmas star?
The Christmas star? He asked with surprise.
Yes, the Christmas star? We want to ask her where Christmas is.
Nobody knows where Christmas is, not even my parents.
It should be somewhere? If we find it out, we can tell everybody so that no one, never again, will be sad at Christmas. You can also come with us.
Yes, join us, the more the merrier.
Yes! Like Merry Christmas, merrier!
But we don’t know which way to take from here.
Take the one that feels right for the three of you, said a lady waiting for the bus. But rush up; it’s late. Finding Christmas could be the hardest thing to do.
Left! Say Emily, and we both boys agreed.
Let’s go, it’s late as the lady said. We have to find a way to get to talk to Christmas Star soon.
With much urgency in our hearts, we started to shout it out as strongly as possible, and asked everybody we found on our way to the top of the hill.
- Does anybody know where the Christmas Star appears?
- Do you know where the Christmas Star appears?
- Excuse, can you tell us which way to take the find the Christmas Star?
Nobody seems to know though, so we just continued going up.
We kept walking and asking. The higher we walked the more excited we felt about finding the Christmas star. We walked and ran, and jumped, and laughed all the way to the top, where there was nothing else but a tree, a wooden bench, the three of us, and the sky.
We throw ourselves on the grass, tired after such a long walk, filled with hope.
Now what?
We wait, Henry said.
No, let’s call her out, I proposed.
How?
Christmas star! I shouted. Just like that. Emily and Henry did as well
- Christmas Star we need you!
- Miss Christmas Star, we have an important question to ask you!
- Please, please Christmas Star come out?
- Christmas Star we need you!
She is not coming, Emily said with a disappointed voice.
Maybe there is no Christmas Star, said Henry. And for the first time, I doubted about Christmas being real.
Close your eyes, I hear a gentle voice speaking inside me. Close your eyes.
Close your eyes, I ask my friends while holding their hands. Close your eyes and let’s hold hands. And at such moment, I could see my father and my mother as real as when they were alive. I saw myself smiling, and those around me smiling as well. I saw blinking lights and presents falling from the sky, and behind them, a gentle light that made me feel at peace.
I can feel it! Emily said with excitement, I can feel it! she shouted it out loud this time.
I can feeeeeel it!
I can feel Christmas!
We remained to lie down on the grass, holding hand, breathing happily… perhaps enjoying together our individual most beautiful dreams.
Should we open our eyes now, Emily asked.
I don’t know. How about the Christmas Star is no there, said Henry
It won’t be there, Emily replied with calm voice.
What!
Yeah, it won’t be there.
So the star is no real?
Yes, it is…
I could feel Emily’s and Henry’s hugs on Christmas Eve. I could see them smiling with true happiness. I could see them hugging their parents and brothers and sisters, I could see Emily happy, knowing where to find the Christmas Star; and as in every Christmas Eve, and feel and see my mom and dead with me…
On Christmas day, as it used to happen when my parents were here, I found a little present under my pillow. Wrapped in beautiful multicolor paper, I found this…
Dear Angel,
Thank you for showing me where the Christmas Star is, now I can talk to her the whole year.
Last night, I hug you in my father and my mother, and in hugging my little fat brother as well.
Henry and I will send letters to all people in the world and tell them where they can find the Christmas Star so that nobody would never again feel sad.
Loves!
Emily.
