#19 - Crackers for Christmas

With a big smile, Lily pulls out a basket full of Christmas crackers.

“What is this?” her son Jules asks suspiciously. “Who doesn’t love gifts?!” Lily exclaims cheerfully. “Everyone gets one!”

Ben and the kids carefully choose a cracker. Or should I say the cracker. They pick one, spin it around, and put it back. Then they take another. Or yet another. A bit strange, since all the crackers look identical. At least on the outside.

Then, suddenly, the room fills with crackling and tearing sounds. The youngest, Jack, finds a tiny perfume bottle and sprays it around. Jules’ cracker reveals a deck of cards. Ella cheers loudly when a lottery gift card pops out of hers. And for Ben – chocolates. The family’s favorite chocolates, no less. Lily is delighted by a mini pine-tree-shaped scented candle in hers.

“Who’s that last cracker for?” Jack asks. Their dog Charlie suddenly perks up from his basket. Laughter erupts. “For Charlie, I guess,” Lily laughs. Of course, Lily knows the gift inside are 6 red glittery bows on a clip.

And so, this year’s Christmas dinner turned into a joyful chaos of red bows and sweet-smelling people enjoying chocolates, playing cards by the light of a melting little Christmas tree. Together, they eagerly await tonight’s lottery draw… just as Lily had planned. 🎉✨

Do you have crackers at your Christmas dinner?