My Bros & I

christmas

"Can you get the door?" Preston asks as he gets the tree out of the trunk. I run up to the door and yank it open, hitting my nose in the process. I groan and rub my nose, then walk inside.

By the window stood the rest of my brothers, laughing loudly.

"What are you laughing at?" I ask, carrying my bag of candy to the kitchen. They follow behind me still laughing.

"We saw your little run in with the door." Noah says. I blush and open my skittles, taking a handful.

"I meant to do it!" I defend, eating my skittles. Everyone laughs and Dean ends up snorting.

"Sure, just like you thought you wouldn't have to share those skittles." He says, reaching his hand towards my candy. I move it away immediately before he can grab any so he reaches me and squeezes my side causing my grip to loosen and the pack to fall on the ground. He grabs the pack and takes a handful then leaves he room smiling widely as he stuffs his face with skittle. What a dick.

"Is anybody going to help me set up the tree?" Preston yells from the living room. At the sound of his voice I bolt towards the living room. "IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME BABY!"

After an hour of my brothers placing the ornaments in all the wrong places and me fixing them the tree was finally done! Well, apart from the star.

Mom and dad came running down the stairs after hearing our/my excitement.

"Oh my babies! It looks beautiful!" Mom says, grabbing us all in a group hug. After that she grabbed each of us separately and kissed us all over our faces, another common act in our family. It was funny to see Preston who was at least a foot taller than our mom and covered in tattoos, bend down and get smothered.

"Mom!" He whined. I laughed and hugged him tightly when mom let go. "Come on Prest, where's your Christmas spirit?" I asked. He glares at me and picks me up over his shoulders. "Let me down!" I squeal, grabbing tightly onto his shoulders. He laughs and says, "Come on, Baby, where's your Christmas spirit?" I scowl and start kicking my legs around. He lets me down with a poke to my sides and I jump away from him.

"Well now, we haven't finished with the tree!" Dad says. I smile and grab the star. I then turn to Preston who looks at me evilly. "Don't even think about it!" I say. He smiles and runs towards me. I try to run away but he catches me and flips me over his shoulder.

"I told you not to do that!" I say, smacking his head. He laughs. "Sorry, Baby. It's tradition!" He says. I smile slightly and roll my eyes, then place the star perfectly on the tree.

In my family it was tradition for the oldest child to help the youngest child put the star on the tree. Ever since I was old enough Preston would flip me over his shoulder.

Preston lets me down and I back away.

"That's enough of that now. I've had enough air time for today." I say.

"Time for the draw. Remember, the limit is $30 this year!" Mom says. She then leaves the room and comes back with a hat shortly after.

"I put your names all in the hat already so all you have to do is pick." She says, putting the hat down on the table.

It was another tradition in our family for the kids to do a name draw for gifts. Mom and dad would get us gifts and we were obviously allowed if we really wanted to to get more gifts for other people. It just helps us since not all of us have jobs or a stable way to get money.

"Youngest first!" I yell, running and grabbing the hat. I shove my hand in and pull out the first paper I find.

Dean