The Newest Ornament
Short fiction
Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” filled the living room as the family of four sifted through old boxes and totes, digging up ornaments. Some of the glittery bulbs and frayed elves could be considered relics at this point. One at a time, the decorations found their way onto the tree, often accompanied by a story that had been retold so many times over the years that the fine details could be repeated from memory.
“You found the Hogwarts Express!” the older boy said. “I was looking for it.” Together, the two brothers found a suitable spot and hung it on the tree.
Their mother entered the room, holding a small, framed photograph. It had a hook on top.
“What’s this?” the boys asked.
The father smiled as he poked his head from around the tree. “It’s an ultrasound.”
“A what?”
The mother laughed and rested her hands on her stomach. “You’re going to have a baby sister.”
Thanks for reading “The Newest Ornament” — I hope you enjoyed it.
For those of you who celebrate Christmas, do you have a favorite ornament or holiday decoration? If so, is there a memory associated with it, or does it remind you of someone?
I appreciate you being here and reading my work!
Take care and have a great week.
What a beautiful story! One of my very favorite ornaments is a little woolen sheep that my mom gave to our younger son, Greg, for his first Christmas. I remember my mom saying that she wanted to give him something special, just for him, since he was our second child, and our first child already had a lot of ornaments that were just his. Every time we hang that ornament, I remember how kind my mother was.
Love how the title complements the story! Favorite ornament -- In keeping with your story, my sister-in-law gave me a kangaroo ornament the year I was expecting. Makes me smile every time I pull it from the box!