Nice Christmas

 

Clara woke to jingling bells and frost on the window. When she stepped outside, she blinked in disbelief. A squirrel dashed past, its tail wrapped in a striped scarf. Above, sparrows swooped in neat arcs, each wearing tiny earmuffs. Even the neighbourhood dogs trotted proudly in sweaters patterned with stars and snowflakes—adorns Clara had never seen before.

  At first, she thought it was a prank. But the animals weren’t wandering aimlessly. They were moving together, all heading toward the woods at the edge of town. Rabbits hopped from gardens, cats padded silently from porches, and deer emerged with antlers crowned in holly garlands. Their pace was steady, their eyes bright with purpose.

  Curiosity tugged at Clara. She pulled on her coat and followed, crunching through frosty grass. The deeper she went, the more magical the air became. Strands of light shimmered between branches, as if the forest itself had dressed for Christmas.

  In a clearing, the animals formed a circle around a towering pine. Its trunk was wrapped in ribbons, and at its peak glowed a star brighter than any Clara had ever seen. Then, softly, they began to hum. It wasn’t words but a melody—gentle, harmonious, filling the clearing with warmth.

  Clara’s breath caught. She realized she had stumbled upon something secret: a Christmas celebration not made by humans, but by nature itself. She didn’t step forward, didn’t interrupt. Instead, she sat quietly at the edge, letting the music wash over her.

  For the first time, she understood. Christmas wasn’t about gifts or glittering shop windows. It was about gathering, about joy shared in unexpected places.

  And so, Clara stayed, a silent guest at the animals’ celebration, carrying its magic back with her when dawn broke.