Dawn's Rising

Chapter 14; Christmas Magic

As if on wings, Christmas Eve suddenly came upon them causing all to finish in haste their final preparations for the celebration of the Lord's birth. Everyone added last minute touches to gifts to be given to loved ones, and final tidbits were baked for the great Christmas Eve feast. No one was idle the entire day in the snow decked little valley.

Early that morning, after a long search out in God's winter clad nature Petter and Karl Jakobsen found the perfect Christmas tree. With a couple of well placed hacks of an ax the tree came toppling over in a spray of frost and ice. The two men then hefted the generous sized tree onto their little sled and pulled it home with them.

After a meticulous cleaning of the entire house, all the furniture was cleared out from the middle of the family dining room and chairs and sofas were placed along its walls. The great tree was then hoisted up onto its stand in the middle of the room.

Within an hour's time the Jakobsen family had managed to transform the ordinary tree into a glittering masterpiece. Heirloom ornaments that had accompanied them on the long journey from the old country of Norway hung amid garlands of brightly colored paper and strands of strung popcorn. Lastly small red candles were fastened here and there at the ends of branches to be lit later on that evening. Long garlands of pine bows were bound together with dried roses and colorful fruits and hung in draping lines along the walls just beneath the ceiling. Everything was meticulously placed and inspected by Silje's critical eye. It all had to perfect because this evening Karl Jakobsen's family would be host to all the four families for the exchange of gifts. Soon everyone would begin to come with all their precious Christmas presents to be placed into one huge collection beneath their Christmas tree.

With a chorus of giggles Julianna and Kristina descended the stairs with their arms filled with packages of various sizes. With wide proud smiles of joy they took the honor of being the first to place gifts under their tree. Catching their childish delight, Silje turned with a girlish giggle of her own and rushed into her room to gather up hers and Karl's gifts for everyone as well. There was nothing like the magic of Christmas to transform even the oldest of people into children again.

Right when the three of them were finished assorting and placing their gifts in neat rows under the Christmas tree, a knock sounded at the front door. The first visitors bearing their packages were already arriving! With the exuberance of the very young, Kristina ran to the door and opened it up. Jens entered in with a brown sack slung over one shoulder.

"Hi Kristina! Merry Christmas," Jens said with a huge smile as Kristina opened the door even wider.

"Merry Christmas, Jens. Come in," Kristina said with a proud smile, feeling grown up at the privileged of inviting someone into their house.

"Merry Christmas Aunt Silje and Julianna," Jens said as he walked into the living room. Then as he took in the appearance of the transformed room he stopped in his tracks and took a good look around.

Finally with an impressed whistle, Jens turned to Silje and said, "My oh my! What you girls have done to the place," Jens then focused on the grand Christmas tree and approached it with reverent awe. He gazed from one to another of the diverse glass and ceramic ornaments in every shape and size, color and texture. There were also meticulously hand-carved ornaments of wood, painted in intricate patterns. Jens stretched out a hand and fingered carefully a perfectly formed miniature duck with its wings outspread. He marveled at the texture the individual feathers as his fingers ran over its surface. "Who made such a masterpiece?"

"It was my father who made that, and most of the other wooden ornaments, "Silje said as she approached Jens' side. "Petter and Karl made the rest of them."