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8. The Best Christmas

It was Christmas Eve and the family had returned from Grand- mere and Grandpere Doucette’s. During the visit, Grandmere Doucette had told the children the story about the first Christmas when baby Jesus was born. She had given the children each an orange. The orange had been sweet and delicious... Alphy could still imagine the taste of it in his mouth, even after he had eaten it.

Now it was bedtime and Henri had told the children that Santa Claus wouldn’t be coming until they were in bed asleep. The stockings were hung up. Josephine went to bed readily, but Alphy and Edmond hesitated going up the stairs. Edmond took two steps and then turned around and told his father he had something to ask him before going to bed. Henri waited for the request.

Edmond asked, “How come you didn’t hang up your sock?”

Henri chuckled and replied, “Santa Claus just brings things to children, not grown-ups.”

Alphy, hearing the conversation between Edmond and his father, also stopped in the stairway. He commented, “What do you suppose Santa would do if he found your sock hanging up?”

At their request, Henri agreed to put his sock up, too. Again he told the children to get to bed, otherwise Santa wouldn’t be coming at all.

Alphy and Edmond, who shared a bedroom, were too excited to sleep, wondering what Santa would bring. They were especially curious if he would leave anything for their father. They chatted

excitedly before drifting to sleep.

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