A Snow Angel for Christmas - a One shot - PG REPOST
Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2009 1:22 am
For all my friends , this is my simple Christmas gift. It's snowing like crazy here, which inspired this little one-shot.
May all of you enjoy the holidays, and if you're traveling, may your travels be uneventful.
I don't own the characters (Joel Silver and CBS do)
Rating is PG
A Snow Angel For Christmas
“Beth, honey, you need to get into bed and go to sleep. Santa doesn’t stop at houses where little girls and boys are still awake.” A six and a half year old Beth Turner sighed, thoroughly convinced that her mother could see and hear through walls. How else could she have known that her daughter was staring out her bedroom window searching the sky? It wasn’t Santa, though, that young Beth was looking for. Snowflakes were what she was hoping to see against the cold night sky. Maybe, just maybe, she might see him as well.
The weatherman hadn’t promised, but he felt pretty sure that LA just might see its first Christmas snowfall in decades. Beth had seen snow only once before, when her family spent Christmas with friends in the Midwest. She had been so very little then, but she clearly remembered feeling the snowflakes tickling her upturned face and touching the snow with her chubby little fingers. The snow was so cold, yet as soon as she touched it, it melted. She remembered giggling every time she made the snow melt.
What she liked most of all were the snow angels the other children made on the ground. She tried to make one herself, but it wasn’t as pretty as the others. Now that she was older, she wanted to make a snow angel in her own yard. It would be neat and pretty and very special.
“Beth, are you in bed yet?”
“Yes, mama.” Beth pushed herself away from the window and climbed into bed, content to let her mother win this battle. Besides, if Santa really didn’t stop at houses where children were still awake….well, she just wasn’t going to take any chances. She’d been pretty good this year, at least she thought so. Hopefully, Santa thought so, too. As she snuggled into her bed, she thought about all the fun that she would have tomorrow, opening presents and playing in the snow. Tonight, her head would be filled with all the things little girls dreamt of this time of year. She wouldn’t let those other dreams spoil this Christmas for her.
The next morning, Beth woke slowly, at first forgetting what day this was. As she remembered, her eyes popped open and she ran to the window, her bare feet cold against the floor. Snow!!! Not a lot, but enough for her purposes. She changed from her pajamas into some clothes, hoping to make a snow angel before her mother awoke.
As she made her way to the living room, her steps were halted by an unexpected sight. A beautiful Christmas tree adorned the corner of the room. It wasn’t very big, but it was real, not one of those fake trees that seemed to be everywhere these days. Where had it come from? It wasn’t there last night. Her mother had said they weren’t having one this year. Had Santa brought her family a tree for Christmas? He must have been very quiet putting the tree up, for she hadn’t heard a thing during the night.
Beth approached the tree, still captivated by its beauty. Its scent was heavenly and the needles just a little prickly on her fingers. There weren’t a lot of ornaments on the tree, and only a few lights, but ones she remembered from before. Crowning the treetop was something new, though, an angel, all dressed in white, his outstretched arms holding a banner proclaiming his Christmas message:
Peace on earth to men of good will.
To Beth, it was the most magical sight she had ever beheld. As she stood gazing at the tree, her mother came up behind her. Wrapping her arms around her enthralled daughter, she kissed the top of her blonde head. “Merry Christmas, Beth.”
“Mama, where did the tree come from?”
“Why, from Santa, of course. He must have heard how good you’ve been this year.”
“He’s beautiful, mama.”
“Who is, honey?”
“The angel at the top of the tree. Is he a guardian angel, mama?”
“I don’t think so, honey. Guardian angels are invisible.”
“But why, mama? Why do they have to be invisible?”
“Because it’s easier for them to keep us from harm if they’re not seen. Some children I know might try to outsmart their guardian angels if they could see them. So they remain hidden from view, but always right beside us, just in case we need them.”
Beth pondered her mother’s words for a moment, then shook her head. “Sometimes, mama, guardian angels let you see them.”
Her mother sighed. If she didn’t concede now, this discussion could go on all morning. “If you say so, Beth. Are you ready to open your presents?”
“In a minute, mama. I want to go outside and see the snow.”
A chuckle escaped her mother. “Always practical, aren’t you, my lamb? The presents will still be here, but the snow won’t last very long. All right, go outside, but only for a few minutes.”
Beth put on her coat and hurried outside. There was only an inch or two of snow on the ground, but it would be enough. She walked behind the house, stopping just outside her bedroom window. Ever so carefully, she lay down in the snow and began to move her arms and her legs. When she was finished, she stood up, carefully stepping away from her work of art.
It was almost perfect. Her arms had made the angel’s wings and her legs, the angel’s gown. But one thing was missing. Kneeling down beside her angel, Beth traced her finger in the snow, writing words she had carefully learned.
For my angel. Love, Beth.
Satisfied that her snow angel was now perfect, Beth turned toward the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse of her other angel. When she didn’t see him, she just said ‘Merry Christmas’ very quietly, then ran back inside.
As the young child and her mother shared the joy of Christmas, a lone figure emerged from the woods and carefully approached the snow angel. He had seen the little girl carefully create her work of art, but couldn’t see what she had written in the snow. When he read her words, he bent his head, marveling at how such a simple gift could touch his heart so. As the snowflakes clinging to his eyelashes melted, they masked his tears. Soon, the snow would be gone, but this Christmas and Beth's gift would remain with him forever.
May all of you enjoy the holidays, and if you're traveling, may your travels be uneventful.
I don't own the characters (Joel Silver and CBS do)
Rating is PG
A Snow Angel For Christmas
“Beth, honey, you need to get into bed and go to sleep. Santa doesn’t stop at houses where little girls and boys are still awake.” A six and a half year old Beth Turner sighed, thoroughly convinced that her mother could see and hear through walls. How else could she have known that her daughter was staring out her bedroom window searching the sky? It wasn’t Santa, though, that young Beth was looking for. Snowflakes were what she was hoping to see against the cold night sky. Maybe, just maybe, she might see him as well.
The weatherman hadn’t promised, but he felt pretty sure that LA just might see its first Christmas snowfall in decades. Beth had seen snow only once before, when her family spent Christmas with friends in the Midwest. She had been so very little then, but she clearly remembered feeling the snowflakes tickling her upturned face and touching the snow with her chubby little fingers. The snow was so cold, yet as soon as she touched it, it melted. She remembered giggling every time she made the snow melt.
What she liked most of all were the snow angels the other children made on the ground. She tried to make one herself, but it wasn’t as pretty as the others. Now that she was older, she wanted to make a snow angel in her own yard. It would be neat and pretty and very special.
“Beth, are you in bed yet?”
“Yes, mama.” Beth pushed herself away from the window and climbed into bed, content to let her mother win this battle. Besides, if Santa really didn’t stop at houses where children were still awake….well, she just wasn’t going to take any chances. She’d been pretty good this year, at least she thought so. Hopefully, Santa thought so, too. As she snuggled into her bed, she thought about all the fun that she would have tomorrow, opening presents and playing in the snow. Tonight, her head would be filled with all the things little girls dreamt of this time of year. She wouldn’t let those other dreams spoil this Christmas for her.
The next morning, Beth woke slowly, at first forgetting what day this was. As she remembered, her eyes popped open and she ran to the window, her bare feet cold against the floor. Snow!!! Not a lot, but enough for her purposes. She changed from her pajamas into some clothes, hoping to make a snow angel before her mother awoke.
As she made her way to the living room, her steps were halted by an unexpected sight. A beautiful Christmas tree adorned the corner of the room. It wasn’t very big, but it was real, not one of those fake trees that seemed to be everywhere these days. Where had it come from? It wasn’t there last night. Her mother had said they weren’t having one this year. Had Santa brought her family a tree for Christmas? He must have been very quiet putting the tree up, for she hadn’t heard a thing during the night.
Beth approached the tree, still captivated by its beauty. Its scent was heavenly and the needles just a little prickly on her fingers. There weren’t a lot of ornaments on the tree, and only a few lights, but ones she remembered from before. Crowning the treetop was something new, though, an angel, all dressed in white, his outstretched arms holding a banner proclaiming his Christmas message:
Peace on earth to men of good will.
To Beth, it was the most magical sight she had ever beheld. As she stood gazing at the tree, her mother came up behind her. Wrapping her arms around her enthralled daughter, she kissed the top of her blonde head. “Merry Christmas, Beth.”
“Mama, where did the tree come from?”
“Why, from Santa, of course. He must have heard how good you’ve been this year.”
“He’s beautiful, mama.”
“Who is, honey?”
“The angel at the top of the tree. Is he a guardian angel, mama?”
“I don’t think so, honey. Guardian angels are invisible.”
“But why, mama? Why do they have to be invisible?”
“Because it’s easier for them to keep us from harm if they’re not seen. Some children I know might try to outsmart their guardian angels if they could see them. So they remain hidden from view, but always right beside us, just in case we need them.”
Beth pondered her mother’s words for a moment, then shook her head. “Sometimes, mama, guardian angels let you see them.”
Her mother sighed. If she didn’t concede now, this discussion could go on all morning. “If you say so, Beth. Are you ready to open your presents?”
“In a minute, mama. I want to go outside and see the snow.”
A chuckle escaped her mother. “Always practical, aren’t you, my lamb? The presents will still be here, but the snow won’t last very long. All right, go outside, but only for a few minutes.”
Beth put on her coat and hurried outside. There was only an inch or two of snow on the ground, but it would be enough. She walked behind the house, stopping just outside her bedroom window. Ever so carefully, she lay down in the snow and began to move her arms and her legs. When she was finished, she stood up, carefully stepping away from her work of art.
It was almost perfect. Her arms had made the angel’s wings and her legs, the angel’s gown. But one thing was missing. Kneeling down beside her angel, Beth traced her finger in the snow, writing words she had carefully learned.
For my angel. Love, Beth.
Satisfied that her snow angel was now perfect, Beth turned toward the woods, hoping to catch a glimpse of her other angel. When she didn’t see him, she just said ‘Merry Christmas’ very quietly, then ran back inside.
As the young child and her mother shared the joy of Christmas, a lone figure emerged from the woods and carefully approached the snow angel. He had seen the little girl carefully create her work of art, but couldn’t see what she had written in the snow. When he read her words, he bent his head, marveling at how such a simple gift could touch his heart so. As the snowflakes clinging to his eyelashes melted, they masked his tears. Soon, the snow would be gone, but this Christmas and Beth's gift would remain with him forever.