The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
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\u2018What\u2019s Christmas?<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
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\u2018What\u2019s Christmas?<\/p>\n
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The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
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The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
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\u2018What\u2019s Christmas?<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
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The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
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\u2018What\u2019s Christmas?<\/p>\n
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The Christmas Miracle<\/p>\n
The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mummy was cleaning the brass candle stick that had lived in Granny\u2019s house, \u201c\u2026 rub a dub dub, par rump a pum pum,\u201d she sang<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat little boy?\u201d she asked<\/p>\n
\u201cThe little boy, he\u2019s gone away, and he doesn\u2019t have anything to bring, was he naughty?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Jilly, that is the little drummer boy in the song, he wants to bring a gift to Jesus, in the manger, it\u2019s just a Christmas song.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs it Christmas now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy put down his newspaper, \u201cNo, that\u2019s just a superstitious celebration\u201d he said crossly, snapping off the wireless, \u201cand we won\u2019t be doing Christmas in this house\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly looked at him, Daddy was sometimes scary. He had only recently come home from the WAR, very handsome in his smart blue uniform, but it was uncomfortable having him around. He took up all Mummy\u2019s time, and shouted and got very cross if things weren\u2019t right. Now he was cross about Christmas. Usually they went to Granny\u2019s for Christmas dinner; once they had chicken and little sausages. Jilly loved the little sausages, and the bread sauce, and sometimes the aunties made mince pies \u2013 Jilly didn\u2019t like those, but the grown-ups did, and after the mince pies Granny got out her knitting and they told stories and sang songs and shared little presents. That was Christmas she thought, the aunties and Mummy and Granny and Jilly, cozy together round the fire. All the men were away at the War, in their blue and brown uniforms, they didn\u2019t bother Christmas; but now it was going to be different.<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, aren\u2019t we going to have chicken,\u201d she asked, \u201cand little sausages?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy shook his paper and growled, Mummy put the candle stick back on the mantelpiece, \u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d she said, \u201cwhy don\u2019t you run outside and play with Sheila and Betty?\u201d<\/p>\n
Sheila and Betty were playing on the wall, balancing along it, singing \u2018Away in a manger\u2019, Jilly joined them, \u201cWho went away,\u201d she asked, \u201cwas it the little boy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t you know anything?\u201d said Betty, \u201cNo one went away, someone came, to save the world \u2026 Baby Jesus,\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd everyone brought him gifts,\u201d said Sheila, \u201cthey followed the star and brought him gifts, but the little drummer boy didn\u2019t have anything to bring so he just brought himself. Did you put your tree up yet?<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhat tree?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFor the gifts\u201d, said Betty, \u201cand the star, ours is up, come and see.\u201d<\/p>\n
In Betty\u2019s house the couch was pushed back along the wall and a big green pine tree was standing in the corner, it had a star on the top, but nothing else was on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are going to decorate it tonight,\u201d said Betty, \u201cwith paper chains and silver tinsel, and candles\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a candle,\u201d said Jilly, \u201con the mantelpiece, Mummy polished it today, it\u2019s all shiny, for Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, do you have your tree up?\u201d asked Sheila, \u201cOur daddy is bringing ours tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly didn\u2019t want to be left out so she said, \u201cOurs is coming tonight too\u201d, and she ran home to ask her Mummy about the tree and the star. At home Mummy was talking to Daddy in the kitchen, Jilly could hear them mumble, mumble, mumble\u2026 she looked around the living room, there was not much space, but maybe if she rearranged the chairs they could put a tree in front of the window. She began to drag the chairs across the room, the rugs bunched up and it was hard work. She knocked over the big lamp and Mummy came in,<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly, what are you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaking room for the Christmas tree,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cBetty and Sheila have got theirs already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daddy growled, \u201cThere\u2019ll be no tree in this house, I told you we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilly was sad, she helped Mummy pull the rugs straight and put the chairs back. \u201cI really wanted a tree,\u201d she said, \u201cand Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy.<\/p>\n
The next day Jilly went to play with Katherine and Patricia across the street. They showed Jilly their cr\u00e8che. Jilly looked at the little wooden figures, made from smooth, nice smelling wood. She wanted to play with the dear little donkey and the sheep, but Katherine and Patricia said the cr\u00e8che wasn\u2019t to play with, it was special, it told the Christmas story; they showed her Joseph and Mary and the kings on their camels coming with their gifts, and the shepherds standing at the back.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is Jesus?\u201d asked Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe hasn\u2019t come yet,\u201d said Katherine.<\/p>\n
Their Mummy was busy baking, mince pies she said, and stuffing ready for a turkey and bread sauce with onions. It all smelled delicious.<\/p>\n
\u201cHello, Jilly,\u201d she said, \u201cHave you got your stocking ready?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat stocking?\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
Katherine and Patricia screamed, \u201cYour stocking, silly, for Father Christmas to put presents in, tonight, it\u2019s Christmas Eve. We are going to church and then when we come home we are going to put Baby Jesus in the crib, and hang our stockings on our beds, and Father Christmas will come in the night and put presents in our stockings.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJilly said \u201cThat\u2019s stupid, no one can come in your house in the night, and anyway my Daddy says we don\u2019t do Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe comes down the chimney,\u201d said Katherine, \u201cand everyone does Christmas round here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly went home, Mummy and Daddy were having a cup of tea, there were no cooking smells, no tree or star.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t very cheerful in her house.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen shall I hang my stocking up?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s this about a stocking?\u201d said Daddy, and he looked cross again.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Father Christmas,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cto put presents in, he comes in the night down the chimney.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re having no flying saints in this house, and no tree, no star, nothing, we don\u2019t do Christmas, do you hear me?\u201d and he thumped the table and stamped off into the kitchen. Mummy went after him and Jilly could hear them, mumble, mumble, mumble \u2026.<\/p>\n
She played by herself in the living room, with her cut out dolls; she made them a tree out of newspaper and a star out of a shiny sweet paper she had been saving. She told them about Christmas; Jesus came to save the world, she knew that must be right because the big War was over and the daddies had come home, so the world was safe now; and Father Christmas would be able to come. Perhaps he hadn\u2019t come before because the world was a bad world. Now he could bring presents, and put them in the stockings.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cCome on, Jilly, time for your tea, and then bed \u2013 it\u2019s getting quite dark already.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly picked up her dolls, \u201cNever mind,\u201d she told them, \u201cit probably couldn\u2019t really happen anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n
Later after her bath and a story Mummy tucked Jilly into bed, \u201cHere,\u201d she said, \u201clet\u2019s put this on the end of the bed.\u201d She gave Jilly a long white woolen stocking.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s Daddy\u2019s,\u201d said Jilly, \u201cout of his big flying boots. Won\u2019t he be cross? He said no Christmas.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll see,\u201d said Mummy, \u201cyou never know, maybe there will be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s a miracle,\u201d said Jilly<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething amazing that happens that you can\u2019t explain.\u201d said Mummy. She kissed Jilly goodnight and went out. Jilly snuggled down in bed, Mummy had spread Daddy\u2019s greatcoat over the bed to keep her warm; she liked to think of the greatcoat flying high in the sky with Daddy in the airplanes. She pretended it was a magic coat that it would take her to Father Christmas, where ever he was.<\/p>\n
Drifting into sleep she could hear mumble, mumble, mumble in the kitchen, and then the back door rattled and someone wiped his feet on the raspy mat, who was that? \u2018Away in a Manger\u2019 floated in her head and something rustled and crinkled on the bed, was it the magic coat bringing her back?<\/p>\n
\u201cWake up, Jilly, wake up!\u201d That was Mummy. \u00a0Jilly sat up and looked for her dressing gown on the end of the bed\u2026\u2026 what was this, the flying stocking had grown fat and lumpy in the night and it rustled and crinkled when she moved.<\/p>\n
Mummy came in, \u201cWell, well,\u201d she said laughing, \u201che\u2019s been, aren\u2019t you going to look inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Jilly carefully pulled out the rustling parcels. There was a red notebook just like the one Mummy kept her shopping lists in, which Jilly wasn\u2019t allowed to write in\u2026 and two lovely long shiny pencils, whole pencils, not stumpy broken ones \u2026 there was a book, Alice in Wonderland, it had beautiful colored pictures of animals and a little girl with long fair hair, Jilly had seen the same book in Granny\u2019s house, but no one would read it to her, they were too busy \u2026 now she had her own \u2026 and what was this squishy package?\u00a0 Mittens, striped green and brown, the same colors as the jumper Grandma had been knitting for her. She put them on, then opened the next package, it was hard and it had a funny smell … inside was a red and gold wrapper, chocolate?\u00a0 Only the soldiers and airmen were given chocolate, Jilly had only ever tasted one piece, now she had a whole bar \u2026<\/p>\n
\u201cKeep going,\u201d said Mummy, and down at the very toe of the stocking were some hard little lumps, nuts, and a big sweet smelling thing wrapped in tissue paper … an orange\u2026<\/p>\n
Jilly grabbed up all the packages and ran into the living room. It was warm and cosy with the smell of bacon and hot toast. The brass candlestick glowed on the mantelpiece.\u00a0 Daddy was sitting in his big chair by the fire, with a cup of tea, he didn\u2019t seem so cross today.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s Christmas, Daddy, it\u2019s Christmas and look, Father Christmas came! Did you let him in?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know anything about Father Christmas,\u201d said Daddy smiling, \u201cyou\u2019d better ask your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt must be a miracle,\u201d said Jilly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d said Mummy, \u201ca Christmas miracle, especially for you,\u201d and she smiled at Daddy.<\/p>\n
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\u2018What\u2019s Christmas?<\/p>\n
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The Christmas Miracle The wireless was playing that song again \u201c\u2026away\u2026 away in a manger,\u201d Jilly listened, who was away, who had gone away?\u00a0 Then it played the little drummer boy song, \u201c\u2026 par rump a pum pum, me and my drum.\u201d \u201cMummy, why has the little boy gone away?\u201d Mummy was cleaning the brass … Continue reading “The Christmas Miracle”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-314","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-writing-excerpts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=314"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":319,"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/314\/revisions\/319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/francesgilbert.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}