An Upside-Down Christmas

This post is part of Patty Wysong's 

 A to Z meme. This week's letter is "U."

For this week, I'm combining my a to z post with a contest I've decided to enter. And it even fits! :)

The PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) community has introduced me to lots and LOTS of children's book sites, authors, blogs, and other stuff. One of them is Susanna Hill's Third Annual Holiday Writing Contest. We are challenged to write a children's story about a holiday mishap, mix-up, miscommunication, mistake, or potential disaster. The story must be 350 words or less (not including the title), and must be posted and linked to her blog post by 11:59pm ET on Friday (yeah - today :D). Finalists will be posted on the blog next week and winners will have a choice of some FABULOUS prizes (see details in the post here - VERY cool)

I'll be sure to let you know if I made the cut (though I sincerely doubt I will, one never knows LOL). But now, for your enjoyment (or something :::roll::: ): my entry!

An Upside-Down Christmas

By Joanne Sher

Annika loved everything about Christmas. The tree, covered with lights, tinsel, and ornaments. Presents beneath it, wrapped in beautiful paper with sparkling bows. Christmas carols. The stockings. The nativity scenes. Everything.

As soon as the first snowflake fell (usually in November), Annika got anxious, excited, and bouncy. She knew Christmas would be perfect – just like always – and she couldn't wait.

But this year, Annika wasn't so sure. It was already Christmas Eve, and it hadn't snowed. No carolers had come. It just felt different. Still, Christmas was Christmas, and she went to bed that night, a kiss from mama on her head, with anticipation.

Photo Source (right side up)

Christmas morning, as usual, she was up first. She ran out to the tree, and her smile turned upside-down. It was gone! Instead, a pile of ornaments, tinsel, and lights lay on the floor. But then she looked up, and she found the tree – trunk on the ceiling and branches hanging down, with presents dangling from its limbs.

How could this be? Even the nativity scene was mixed up. Joseph was scrunched into the manger, Mary was perched atop the stable, and baby Jesus was holding a shepherd's crook and leaning against a lamb. And who knew where the angel was?

A hand rested on her shoulder. Her parents stood behind her, mouths agape.

Annika turned around. “What happened?”

Mama shrugged. “Hmmm.... John, did you remember to pay the gravity bill last week?”

Daddy slapped his head. “I knew I forgot something! Now we'll have to wait until the office opens to get everything back to normal.” He knelt down, placing his hand under Annika's chin. “I'm sorry, precious.”

“It's all right, Daddy. I know this won't be a perfect Christmas, but I know we'll never ever forget it.” And she smiled as wide as the morning was strange.

And Annika was right. They would never forget that upside-down Christmas, when they sat under the Christmas tree (instead of around it), reached up for their presents, had dessert first, and ate breakfast for dinner.

And Daddy never, EVER forgot to pay the gravity bill again.

**

I hope you enjoyed my silly little story. Be sure to pop over to the contest and read others' entries too! There are some great ones over there, I'm sure!

My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer. Psalm 45:1
Check out more U posts below, or share one of your own!