Squirrel Wraps Up Christmas

Susanna Hill is hosting her 8th annual Holiday Story contest!
The Contest:  Write a children’s holiday story (children here defined as age 12 and under) about A Holiday Hero!  Your hero’s act of heroism can be on a grand scale or a small one – from saving Christmas to leaving a fresh-baked loaf of Challah bread for a homeless person to something like Gift Of The Magi where two people give up the thing most important to them to be sure someone they love has a good holiday.  Your hero can be obvious or unlikely.  Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 250 words.

Something about winter pulls me out to the woods to spy on the wild creatures and sneak a peek of their Christmas shenanigans.  Happy Holidays everyone! 

Squirrel Wraps Up Christmas

By Lauri Meyers

(via publicdomainpictures.net)

Squirrel checked off his last Christmas gifts: fancy French mud for Mrs. Beaver, a beekeeper veil for Baby Bear, a fanny pack for Possom. He tail twitched around the room singing, “I’m going to wrap, wrap, wrap up Christmas!” He just needed wrapping supplies and food for the feast.

On his way to the birch tree, he passed Mrs. Beaver.

“I’m stuck on the kits’ gifts! When I grab a stick, I drop the stack,” Mrs. Beaver grumbled. He carried the pile to her dam.

As Squirrel gathered bark, he heard a yelp in the bushes.

 Baby Bear whimpered, “I’m giving Mama a basket of berries, but these briars are busting my paws.” Squirrel showed him the claw flick trick, and the berries were flying.

Squirrel tugged vine ribbon from a branch. He nearly pulled Possum’s tail.

“Where did I stash my wife’s gifts?” Possum worried. Squirrel sniffed around and found the strong odor of old yogurt, moldy bread, and gym socks.

At home, Squirrel folded at full speed and finished with big bows. He bopped his head, and sang, “Who’s the wrapper? I’m the wrapper!”

Ding, dong!

He froze mid-bop. Forget being the wrapper-- he was the Feast Forgetter! He only had acorns. His dragged his tail to the door. 

“I brought dandelion salad,” said Mrs. Beaver.

“I brought berries,” said Baby Bear.

“I brought this pizza crust,” said Possum.

“You saved us today!” they said.  

“You saved the feast!” Squirrel said and tail twerked to the table.