Mummy s Jewels

Mummy’s Jewels

As Christmas drew near, the house seemed to come alive.
In Vicky’s house, Christmas began when the boxes of tree decorations came down from the attic.

Inside, each decoration was wrapped in soft cotton wool, like a tiny treasure that had been waiting all year for this moment.

One by one, glass baubles, painted pine cones, little houses, red-and-white toadstools and paper garlands were nestled among the thick green branches.
Beside the tree stood the familiar figure of a big Santa in his brocade suit, handmade by grandad many years ago.

By Christmas Eve, the house was filled with the scent of pine, grandma’s gingerbread and the magical feeling that Christmas was almost here.
That afternoon, aunt Wanda arrived all the way from Paris. She was young, beautiful and wonderfully elegant.

As aunt Wanda came into the house, she kissed Vicky, and the little girl pressed her cheek against the soft fur that trimmed her aunt’s coat collar.

The llama fur felt as soft and light as the downy white head of a big dandelion.
Everything about aunt Wanda seemed amazing to Vicky. But most of all, she loved her aunt’s jewellery.

Her long earrings flashed with every movement, and the three rings on her slender fingers sparkled with colourful gemstones.

Aunt Wanda had brought beautiful gifts with her. For mummy, she had a fluffy white fur collar just like her own.

Mummy fastened it to her winter coat and at once it looked more elegant.

Vicky received a beautiful party dress and a small round tin. The rest of presets wrapped in colorful papper und tired with bright ribbons lay at the bottom of the tree, next to Santa;s big feet.

Vicky tried again and again to open the little tin by herself, but the lid simply would not budge.

Mummy took the tin and gently lifted the tight lid.

Inside were tiny, brightly mixed hard-boiled fruit drops dusted with icing sugar.

These fruit drops, as though dusted with frost looked like a collection of tiny jewels.

“Look, darling. The red ones are strawberry, the yellow ones are lemon, the orange ones are orange and the green ones are mint,” mummy said.

Vicky chose a red one.

Carefully, she gently licked away the fine icing sugar from it. It was delicious!

The drop turned clear and shone in the light like a tiny ruby.

For a moment, Vicky thought a tiny ray of sunshine was hiding inside the drop.

She carried the tin everywhere, opening it without mummy’s help and gazing for ages at the mixed fruit drops, as though they were real jewels.

At last, night fell. Along with her presents, aunt Wanda had brought a new Christmas tradition from Paris: everyone would stay awake until midnight, when Santa would come to life and work his magic. As a special treat, just for to night, mummy would let Vicky stay up late with the grown-ups.

Now the house rang with laughter, lively chatter and the clink of glasses. A golden-brown roasted Christmas goose took pride of place at the centre of the table. Around the table sat the whole family: granny, grandad, mummy, Vicky in her beautiful new dress and aunt Wanda in an elegant evening gown.

In the glow of the Christmas lights, her earrings and rings, with their real rubies, emeralds and diamonds, glittered even more brightly than in daylight.
Midnight was only a few minutes away. While the grown-ups were filling their glasses with champagne, Vicky tiptoed over to the Christmas tree and stopped in front of Santa.

She clasped her little hands as if in prayer and whispered, “Dear Santa, please bring my mummy some beautiful jewellery just like aunt Wanda’s. Please hurry!”
Just then the clock struck twelve.

Vicky waited. Any moment now, Santa would come to life and make her dearest wish come true.

But he remained as still as ever beneath the tree.

Vicky crept into the bedroom, took mummy’s winter coat with the new collar from the wardrobe and opened the tin.

One by one, she licked the powdered sugar from the mixed fruit drops, turning each into a bright, sticky little jewel before carefully placing it on the white fluffy collar.

“When mummy wakes up tomorrow, she’ll have jewels of her very own! ” Vicky was so excited. “My Mom will be the most beautiful mummy in the whole world!”