HOW I RUINED MY CHRISTMAS
by
Suzie Ambrose

       As an only child, I was used to spending lots of time alone. I can honestly say I was never “lonely”, and had an active imagination to keep me occupied.

       This particular Christmas, I was upstairs rummaging around in the attic, looking for treasure. I was reading “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe”, and wondered if we had such a wonderful cupboard up there. After an hour or so of wandering around and knocking on walls (listening for the telltale thunk which could mean a hollow area for a secret hiding place), peering under an old iron bed (thankfully, no monsters), I finally discovered an old trunk back in the far corner. (It had belonged to my mother when she emigrated to Canada from England, after marrying my father during World War 11).

       I remembered my mother had an unusual key in her jewellery box. Carefully sneaking down the stairs, into my parents’ bedroom, I approached her dresser. I was not supposed to be in here, but it held a certain fascination because of the wonderful aroma, no doubt from her perfume, White Shoulders. I still can close my eyes and recall that day, some fifty years later.

       Sliding open the tiny drawer, I removed the key. Intricately carved at the top with a long, shiny brass shaft and two teeth at the end it screamed treasure map to me. I quickly ran back up the stairs and over to the trunk. I slotted the key, turned once or twice, and the lock sprang open. Success!

       Staring into the opening, I could see several brightly wrapped Christmas presents. Confused, I picked the topmost one up. “To Suzie – Love Mom and Dad”. It was heavy, quite large and all for me! Putting it down, I saw another one addressed to me, and one or two more. I had found the mother lode! Picking up the largest one again, I noticed that one corner had come unstuck. Meaning to fix it, I found myself actually pulling it open.

       No! Don’t do it! I silently said to myself, but finished opening the present. Skates! Exactly the kind I wished for and had put at the top of my Christmas list. This was so exciting! I picked up another one and another, until all five were unwrapped and sitting in front of me. There were books, crayons, a board game and a diary.

       Now I was scared. Well, I would just have to rewrap them and pretend to be surprised. I tried to rewrap carefully, putting the tape back where it was before, and thought they looked okay. Perhaps a little crumpled in places, but when they were under the tree, no one would know any different.

       Christmas morning! I was up early and allowed to open one present and my stocking before anyone else got up. I quietly tiptoed to the tree, picked one of the rewrapped ones, took my stocking and went back to bed. Whew! One down and four to go.

       By the end of the gift giving, I was very tired and not very happy having to put on an act. Fortunately, it seemed that everyone put it down to the excitement, and a sleepless night waiting for Christmas.

       It was my first entry in the new diary, and I vowed never to do that again.

       Twenty years later, I asked my mother if she had known what I had done. Yes, she had known, but seeing how badly I was trying to pretend everything was normal, she felt it was punishment enough that I had ruined Christmas for myself.

       I knew she had magic powers!