Finding the Christmas Spirit

Hi Everyone,

I couldn’t find a Christmas book to review, so I wrote a quick Christmas story instead. Hope you enjoy. 

“The Christmas spirit is gone.”

“What do you mean? Gone?” Merry Enbrite stared at her assistant, not really seeing any of the features on Elvina’s petite face. 

Elvina shrugged, examining her long red-and-white striped acrylic press-ons; the tiny rhinestones scattered over each fingernail twinkled like the Eastern Star, both dazzling and distracting. Didn't the tiny female understand they were so Scrooged?

“I mean Noelle hasn’t shown up for work all week.” Elvina gave her head a little nod, the non-verbal screaming: Duh.

“And you’re just now telling me this?”  Merry wondered why she had an assistant. Wasn’t like Elvina ever did any actual work. Everyone had a cellphone, so Elvina didn’t even screen calls.

More important, what in the name of Ebenezer were they going to do? Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving Parade would be a real turkey without the Christmas Spirit.  

“Find her,” Merry ordered.

Elvina’s shiny, cherry lips curved into a magical smile. “I know you don’t think I do anything, but I’ve been on it since Monday afternoon.”  The smile faded. “If Noelle were around, I would’ve found her.”

A wave of guilt flooded Merry senses; perhaps she had been a bit harsh on her assistant. But hell. She'd been so busy she wouldn’t even know it was Thursday if tomorrow wasn't Thanksgiving.

Frankincense! She never said “hell.”  Not even in her thoughts. Merry supposed she hadn’t been much of a leader lately either. She’s been so focusing on making this one the best Thanksgiving parade ever she’d rather ignored her employees. 

She’d make it up to Elvina and Noelle later. Right now she had a spirit to find.

“You two talk, right? Merry asked.  Do you have any idea when she disappeared?”

“You mean this time?” Elvina flopped down onto the chair at the tiny conference table.  “Noelle was complaining about having to start work in July. I can kind of see her point.  Until recently, we never really needed her until the beginning of November – – at the earliest. Now, Christmas stuff start showing up in the stores before the Fourth of July fireworks stop booming.  Why do the department stores put Christmas trees for sale that early? By the time Christmas gets here, people are sick of the fa-la-la-la-la hoopla. I think Noelle was sick of that.”

So, no luck finding her?” Merry asked, her voice shrieking. 

Elvina shook her head. “Nope. Since she’s broken up with Jack, her behavior has been very unpredictable.   Noelle hasn’t been to any of her usual places.   She hasn’t shown up for CrossFit, neither her mom nor her little sister have seen her. She hasn’t even been spotted at Starbucks.”

Merry sank into her chair, her hopes sinking with her. Her career was over. She’d get the old heave-ho along with her lump of coal. 

She glanced at Elvina, a glimmer of an idea forming. Her assistant was always perky. And normal people seemed to love her.
“Elvina, I don’t suppose…”

"No way in hell!" Elvina took a step backward. Her assistant did say "hell." A lot. "There isn't enough milk and cookies in the whole universe to make me take that job."

Merry supposed she couldn't blame the girl. She walked to her window and widened the blinds to stare at the floats lined up for tomorrow’s event.

The Christmas trees were all silver, not a green one in sight.  There were more floats devoted to Frozen and Transformers than there were to the Christmas nativity. The main emphasis of the parade seemed to be promotion of products, to sell this, to sell that. Sell, sell, sell. 

Hell, the department store chain even wanted Santa to wear board shorts and flip-flops. We’re pushing South Beach fashion. 

The memory of that scene made Merry draw the blinds closed. Tight. 

No, she didn’t blame Noelle for abandoning the parade. Not at all.

And perhaps getting fired wasn’t such a bad thing. Maybe she could open a florist. Maybe she’d start saying “hell” on a regular basis.

“I have an idea!” Elvina’s voice penetrated Mary’s gloom. 

For a moment, she wanted to hope, but dared not. “I’m all ears, Merry replied, instantly regretting her words. Elvina could be a bit sensitive about her ears.

“The assistant didn’t seem to notice. She looked almost... well, sheepish. “It’s going to cost you though, boss lady.”

Merry hated to be called boss lady. Maybe Elvina had noticed the ear comment. “Doesn’t matter,” she said. “I’ll just bill it to the department store chain. Santa in Board shorts, my derrière.”

“That’s the spirit.” Elvina flashed her bright smile and pulled out her cell. 

After punching in a quick-dial number, Merry heard the call go to voice mail. Then, a jingle bell sounded in lieu of a beep. 

Elvina said, “I don’t know where you are, Noelle, but Merry says if you return by the end of the day, she’ll let you have your pick of the new Louboutin line. Before the shoes go on sale at this hotshot store.”

Merry blinked. “Shoes? You’re trying to lure her back with heels?” Then she laughed. “That’s so brilliant, Elvina.”

“I know,” Elvina replied. “Nothing raises the spirit like a new pair of designer shoes.”

* * *

The next day, the parade went off with only one tiny glitch. Santa, a man Merry feared would be like the drunk in Miracle on 34th Street, turned out to be a super-hot guy. And very buff. She and Elvina spent almost a quarter hour padding the man’s beach shirt. Touching his chiseled abs created sizzles in weird places. Not the sort of feeling Santa should evoke in women, even a fake Santa. 

Merry watched from her clandestine spot in the crowd. She like to observe the parade with the regular onlookers, no special booth for her. 

Everything flowed, but everything was missing. No matter that Noelle had arrived within an hour after Elvina’s call. The Christmas spirit was really working the crowd, but something just didn’t feel right to Merry. The procession was just flat.  Almost boring. 

Maybe her assistant was right about people being sick of the holidays, sick of the commercialism of a once-sacred family tradition. Maybe she had become one of those people.

Then, the miracle happened. A small girl, sitting on her father’s shoulder, screamed. “Daddy, look! Daddy! Daddy! It’s Santa!” She pointed. And smiled. 

That smile transformed everything. Joy grew and multiplied, spreading quickly over the crowd in the most remarkable way. 

All was right in the world. If only for a moment. In a moment was enough. 

Then Santa looked up and gave her a saucy wink. That just was not right. Nice, but not right. 

Wishing everyone the happiest of Thanksgivings. And lots of saucy winks.