At Alice Chadwick's house, Kristen was excessively blowing noisemakers.
"Kristen, darling, you're not supposed to blow the New Years eve noisemakers yet" said Chad.
Kristen just blew the noisemaker again.
Chad laughed and said "You're supposed to wait until the new year comes in."
Kristen ran over to the front door and stared at it.
"It's not going to come in through the door, Kristen" said Meg.
"Huh?" said Idina.
"I'll explain. Just like Christmas Eve is the night before Christmas, New Years eve is the night before the start of the new year" said Meg.
"Ohhh!" said Idina and Kristen together.
"When the new year starts, we blow on the noisemakers and say 'happy new year'. And then we celebrate and eat all kinds of yummy goodies. This is one of the very few days your father takes a break from calorie counting" said Meg.
Idina and Kristen both laughed at the last sentence.
"Oh, very funny, Meg" said Chad.
"Happy new year?" said Kristen reaching for her noisemaker.
"Uh-uh, Kristen. Not yet" said Meg.
"The new year starts at midnight. That's way past our bedtime" said Chad.
"Right. But this year, you grandma Alice is letting us stay up to watch the new year come in" finished Meg.
"That's right, Meg. We're having our very own New Years eve party" said Alice.
Kristen blew on her noisemaker again and said "Happy new year!"
"It isn't time yet, Kristen!" Chad laughed.
"Why don't you show them on the clock?" said Alice.
"Oh, yes. Good idea, Mother" said Chad.
He carried Kristen to Alice's grandfather clock and said "See, dear one? When both hands point at the number twelve, then it's midnight. And then we say..."
"Happy new year!" said Kristen.
"That's right. But not until midnight" said Chad.
"That's when you get to eat your special happy new year cookies, right, mother?" said Meg.
"That's right, Meg. I made a special plate just for us" said Alice.
"Look, girls. They're clock cookies and the time is midnight" said Meg.
"I'll put them right here by the clock so that we can have them on the first stroke of the new year" said Alice.
Kristen tried to grab the cookies, but Chad picked her up and said "That means not until midnight, Kristen".
"So what do we do first, mother?" said Meg.
"Well, it isn't a New Years eve party without party hats! Come on. Let's pick out our hats" said Alice.
"Yay!" Idina and Kristen squealed.
Idina picked out a tiara to wear while Kristen put on a Japanese kind of hat.
"Smashing, girls" said Chad.
Meg put on a straw hat with roses.
"How's this?" she said.
"It's lovely" said Chad.
Idina and Kristen applauded to agree.
"What about you, Daddy?" said Idina.
"Me? Oh, I'm not a hat person" said Chad.
"Pleeeeeeeeeease?" said Idina and Kristen together.
"Yeah, Chad. Wear that cool-looking bowler you had on Laredo" said Meg.
"Oh! Very well" said Chad.
He put on the hat and Kristen and Idina both clapped to say they loved it.
"Which one are you going to wear, Mother?" said Chad.
"I think I like this one" said Alice.
She put on a blue sombrero and said "What do you think?"
"I love it!" Meg laughed.
Kristen blew on her noisemaker again and said "Happy new year!"
"Not yet, Kristen. Remember what I said about the hands on the clock? Both hands aren't at the top so it's not midnight yet" said Chad.
"But we still have plenty of time to get this party started!" said Meg.
"That's right. And I know just what'll get it started. Some fancy New Years eve drinks. David, would you help me make them?" said Alice.
"Yes, Mother" said Chad.
Alice and Chad made some fancy New Years eve drinks with fruit juices and fizzy water.
Kristen and Idina both LOVED the drinks.
"What's next, Mother?" said Meg.
"Well... how about a snowball dance?" said Alice.
"Oh, wow! I love those!" said Meg.
"Me too. Do you know how snowball dances work, girls?" said Chad.
Idina and Kristen both shrugged.
"You dance with your partner until someone says 'snowball!'. And then you switch partners" said Meg.
Idina danced with Alice while Chad danced with Meg.
But since Kristen was alone, she was able to sneak off and blow on the noisemakers again.
"Happy new year!"
"Kristen! It's still not midnight yet!" Meg said frustratedly.
"Maybe we should think of something we can all do together" said Chad.
"I know just the thing" said Alice.
She had the family lay down and put their heads on each other's bellies.
"Why are we laying down?" said Chad.
"Just wait, David. You'll see. Now, Kristen. You lay down and put your head on Idina's tummy" said Alice.
Kristen did as she was told.
Then Alice started laughing, which caused Chad's head to bounce up and down.
Then Chad started laughing too and it went on and on and on until everyone's heads were bouncing.
Pretty soon, it was midnight. Kristen got up and blew the noisemakers again.
"Kristen, you're supposed to wait until..." Meg began.
Then she looked at the clock.
"It's midnight! That means it's time to say..." Meg began.
"Happy new year!" everybody said in unison.
YOU ARE READING
The Married Life of Chad and Meg
FanfictionChad Stuart and Meg Murry are married with kids. How does life go on for them? Let's find out in some "Max and Ruby" reenactments.
