NOTE: This story is 20 pages long in Microsoft Word. It is a regression story.
Harry’s 12 Days of Christmas
December 2010
By Teekabell
Chapter 1
Harry rolled his eyes at his mother when she told him to be a good boy at school today, or Santa wouldn’t bring him presents. At twelve, he knew his parents got the presents. He liked getting presents at Christmas, but felt his mom got carried away a bit at Christmas pretending about the existence of Santa. She would massively decorate the house inside and out. But on the twelfth day she would start making a big deal out of everything. On the Twelfth day, Harry’s mom would get out the countdown calendar, play The Twelve Days of Christmas, and start putting presents under the tree. Over the days leading up to Christmas, she would make Christmas treats, finish the decorating, and take Harry to go see Santa. Presents would start to collect under the tree.
On the way out the door to get on the school bus, he was reminded to take the first piece of chocolate out of the countdown calendar and put it in his lunch for dessert. He was tempted to tell his mom he didn’t want to do the calendar this year, but his mom had always said that if you stopped believing in Santa, he would stop getting presents from Santa. Although he knew he would still get presents from people, the best presents were always labeled as coming from Santa. He took a chocolate kiss out of day 12, and headed out to the school bus for another annoying day of seventh grade.
When Harry got home from school, the house was in full Christmas mode. It looked like Mom had put up more Christmas stuff this year than last. Everything was decorated throughout the house, except for the tree. That was always a family affair. Under the tree was one present. It was a small rectangular shaped box wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper obviously for a baby. Harry didn’t know any babies, so the gift was a puzzle. To add to the mystery, there was no name on the present. He asked his mom who it was for, but she only said it was for a special little kid. Leaving Mom to putting Christmas candles around the house, he went up to his room to play before he was made to do his homework.
After Dinner, Dad got the boxes of ornaments and the three of them went about decorating the tree. No matter how silly Harry thought Mom was about Christmas, he still loved decorating the tree. The Christmas music was playing and the three of them would remember old times with different ornaments.
“When are we buying this year’s ornament Mom?”
“I thought we might do it Wednesday after school with 10 days till Christmas, and our trip to see Santa will be Saturday so Dad can be there too.”
“Oh Mom, I am not a little 7 year old. I don’t need to go see Santa. I will look silly sitting on his lap at my age.”
“Well, Harry, let’s wait till Saturday before you make up your mind.”
Mom quickly changed the topic to when Dad would finish setting up the lights outside the house. Dad grumbled about doing it so close to Christmas and he would only have to take them down again so soon, but Mom won and he would start work on them tomorrow when he got home from work. Dad always put up the lights trimming the house the weekend after Thanksgiving, but stuff like a lighted Snowman and animated characters always waited till somewhere in the 12 days of Christmas countdown. Dad grumbled every year wanting to put them up that weekend after Thanksgiving, but Mom always won.
The next morning after Breakfast Harry took a chocolate snowman out of Day 11 of the countdown calendar and put it with his lunch in his backpack. On the way out the door to another day of 6th grade, he smiled at the tree in the living room and looked curiously down at the one present under it, the baby gift. Hearing the bus, he quickly ran out the door and down the street. Harry didn’t want to miss the bus, he had heard that the Principal at the Middle School always wore silly outfits the last 4 days before Christmas Break, he really wanted to see what she was going to be wearing, or if the older kids were just playing jokes on the 6th graders.
Harry reached the bus just as it was starting to close the doors. He sat down and looked out the window, watching the Elementary aged kids starting to collect for their bus which came about five minutes after the Middle School bus. Smiling down at the little kids as the bus pulled away, Harry heard discussions of Santa, presents, and the Elementary Christmas Program.
When Harry got home that afternoon, he immediately went to find Mom to tell her all about the Principal. He was dressed as an elf all day, and ate lunch in the cafeteria with the Grade Level reps for each grade. Mom sat him down for Christmas cookies, while he continued to tell her with abundant glee all about his day. Once the cookies were gone, Harry headed up to his room to play before having to do his homework. On the way, he stopped by the tree and saw that there were now two gifts under the tree; the baby gift and one wrapped in snowman wrapping paper. That new gift, had his name on it. As he was reaching out to pick it up, Mom stopped him and told him to leave the gift alone. Reluctantly, he left the tree and headed toward his room. Before leaving the living room however, he turned around and looked at the two gifts one more time. Although he started by looking at his gift, his focus wondered over to the baby gift. He so wanted to know what was inside and who it was for.
After doing his homework, Harry got to go help Dad set up the outside light sets. This was his second year of being able to help Dad with the outside lights. Dad had always said that only people with double digit ages can help set up outside lights. They started with a snowman, then put some lighted gift boxes, and lined the driveway with candy canes. Dad cringed at what was next, but it was Harry’s favorite and the one that caused Mom to win the argument every year for waiting till this time each year to set it up – Santa Clause in his sleigh with reindeer pulling it. It took a while, but eventually Santa was in the front yard, with his sleigh taking off.
Harry got to go out and look at all the lights lit up on the house before being sent up to bed. Coming back in, he had a huge smile on his face.
“We did that Daddy,” Harry said giving dad a big hug and then running to his room.
******************************************* Harry’s 12 Days of Christmas
December 2010
By Teekabell
Chapter 2
The next morning Harry jumped out of bed with almost as much excitement as Christmas Day. “Mom, today’s the day. It’s today Mom. Today’s the Christmas Program.”
“Yes Harry,” Mom replied. “You have been in many Christmas Programs Harry.”
“Yeah, but as a 5th grader, we are on stage for the whole program, helping with the little kids. Our class was also chosen as the class to do the opening and closing songs.”
Harry was dressed and down to breakfast with no prompting from Mom or Dad. When he saw that breakfast wasn’t ready, he went into the living room and sat down in front of the tree looking at the lights, decorations, and the two presents under the tree. He initially picked up the present with his name and shook it, but couldn’t figure out what it was. He then looked at the baby gift. He reached out and touched it, with the care that someone approaches a stove burner that might be hot. Backing off, he sat down and just stared at it till he was called to breakfast.
Taking a bell shaped chocolate out of number 10 on the countdown calendar, Harry’s face lit up with glee.
“Cool Dad. See, I am 10 and there are 10 days left till Christmas.”
“That is neat Harry,” Dad commented has he continued to get ready for work. “But you better get going or you will miss the bus.”
Harry quickly headed out the door and down the street to the bus stop. He got there just as the Middle School bus was pulling away. He looked up at the big kids on the bus, wondering what it will be like to go to Middle School.
“Harry . . . Harry . . . Harry . . . Earth to Harry.”
“What . . . Oh . . . hi Jenifer.”
“Harry, what you thinking about? Worried about the Christmas Program?”
“No, I was just thinking something was wrong,” Harry looked at the Middle School bus down the street. “Shouldn’t I be on that bus?”
“Yeah, in your dreams silly,” Jenifer said with a smirk on her face. “I know you can’t wait to grow up Harry, but I am glad we are still in Elementary School. Middle School kind of scares me. Anyways it is much more fun being a 10 year old at Christmas than a big Middle Schooler. We get cool toys to play with, they get yucky stuff like books, clothes, and perfume. My older sister got nothing fun for Christmas last year.”
“I guess you’re right,” Harry said still looking at the Middle School bus as it turned the corner down the street. “I really want some Lego models for Christmas to play with, but as a Middle Schooler I guess I wouldn’t get fun stuff like that.”
Harry and Jenifer talked about what they wanted for Christmas and their family traditions around Christmas. As the Elementary School bus pulled up, Lenny joined them and he changed the topic to the Christmas Program that afternoon.
On the drive home from school that afternoon, Harry couldn’t stop talking about how much fun it was to be a 5th grader in the Christmas Program. He would ask her if she saw different things, or tell her about something silly that happened on stage with one of the little kids. Instead of going straight home, they went to the Hallmark store to pick out a Christmas Orniment.
Harry loved the Christmas Ornament shopping trip each year. It was always just him and Mom remembering things that happened that year and trying to find the right ornament to represent the year.
“What about this one Harry?” Mom asked showing him one of with three kids next to each other, a baby, a little kid and a bigger kid.
“That would be silly Mom, I am an only child.”
“It could represent you growing up and no longer being my baby.”
“You’re silly Mommy,” Harry said as he continued to look through the ornaments.
They spent at least a half an hour going through ornaments and remembering the year. The final choice was a little boy singing, to represent Harry in the Christmas Program.
When they got home, Harry immediately went and hung the ornament in a prominent spot on the tree. He then just sat down in front of the tree and looked at it. There were three presents under the tree now. Harry crawled up to the third one, noticing it was for Mommy from Daddy. While down on his hands and knees, he positioned himself directly over the baby gift and sniffed it. It didn’t smell like a baby. Harry wasn’t quite sure what a baby stuff smelled like, but this just smelled like the other wrapped presents. He sat back down and looked at the presents. He kept looking at the baby gift, wondering what it could be and who it was for.
After being read a Christmas story and tucked into bed, Mommy gave Harry and his Teddy a kiss goodnight.
“Mommy?”
“What sweetheart?”
Harry wanted to ask about the baby gift. He wanted to know who it was for and what was inside it. He wanted to ask Mom all about it, but he was a big 10 year old. Even if Mommy was crazy about Christmas and Christmas Magic, he knew there was no such thing as Santa Claus. He was a big kid who should not be interested in baby stuff, so he just hugged his Teddy.
“Teddy wanted to say Nighty Night,” Harry said holding his Teddy up to Mommy, with his mind full of questions he knew he couldn’t ask.
Mommy came back and gave both Teddy and Harry another kiss and hug.
“Nighty Night you two.”
Harry drifted off to sleep thinking about the baby gift.
The next morning Harry was woken up by his Mom.
“You and Teddy sleep well sweety?”
Harry stretched and gave out a big yawn, “uhhhh, huuuuhhhh.”
“That’s good,” Mommy said as she grabbed a tub out of Harry’s top dresser drawer and headed over to his bed. “Let’s get you out of your night time diaper and ready for your 4th grade Christmas Party.”
While Mommy took Harry’s wet diaper off and wiped him clean, Harry asked her about the cookies she had made for the party.
“There are snowmen, stars, bells, and reindeer all frosted and ready to eat.”
“Yummy, yum yum,” Harry exclaimed as he took his underwear and went to get some pants to wear.
The morning progressed as usual with Mom making breakfast and Harry waiting for it watching the tree and the presents under it. There were now four presents under the tree. The new present was for Daddy from Mommy. There was one present for Mommy, Daddy, and Harry. Then there was that Baby gift. Harry examined his present for a minute or two, but his focus drifted to the Baby gift. The examination of the baby gift was interrupted by Mommy calling him to Breakfast.
Getting ready to go out to the bus for school, Harry took the next chocolate out of the Countdown calendar, before grabbing the container of cookies for the party.
“Look Mommy,” Harry gleefully said pointing at the nine, where he just got the chocolate Santa from. “It is nine days till Christmas and I am nine years old. Neat-oooooooo”
“Be a good boy at school today, you want Santa to see you being good so he brings you lots of presents.”
“I will Mommy. He won’t catch me being bad,” Harry hugged his Mommy and headed for the bus.
After school Harry played with his Space Battle Cruiser in the living room, so he could keep an eye on the gifts. He protected them from several attacks by Lego men, gigantic octopuses, and the infamous Mr. Potato Head. Extra effort was put on by the Space Battle Cruiser to protect the baby gift and Harry’s gift. Although Dad’s gift was safe in the end, there was a time that the Lego men made a base of it. They were successful there, till Mom came in and insisted that the battle move away from the tree.
That night when Mommy was putting Harry’s night time diaper on Harry asked, “Mommy, who is the baby gift for?”
“The baby gift?” she asked as she lifted up his legs to put the diaper underneath.
“The gift under the tree with the baby wrapping paper, what baby is getting it?”
“Oh,” Mommy said with a big smile. “The first gift of Christmas. It is for a very special little boy. The first Christmas gift has Christmas magic in it.”
“But who is it for Mommy?”
“You’ll see sweety, you’ll see.”
Harry could not keep his thoughts off the gift as he was read his bed-time story that night. Once Mommy left, Harry asked Teddy if he had any idea who the present was for, but Teddy didn’t answer and just tried to fall asleep.
******************************************* Harry’s 12 Days of Christmas
December 2010
By Teekabell
Chapter 3
“Time to wake up Harry,” Mommy said coming into Harry’s room. “Today is your last day of school this year. So it is time for all the little 8 year olds to get up.”
“Ow Mommy, do I have to go to school today. It is only a half day,” Harry yawned, held tight onto Teddy, and rolled over away from Mommy.
“Tomorrow is your first day of vacation, then you can sleep in as long as you like, but right now you need to get up and dressed for school.”
Mommy went about getting the baby wipes, underwear, socks, pants, and a shirt for Harry to wear. She usually left the choice of what to wear up to Harry, but on days like this, it was just easier to dress him. Many times when Harry resisted getting up and going in the morning, she considered sending him to school still dressed in his pajamas and night-time diaper, but she knew she couldn’t really do that. Although threatening it was usually a good way to get him moving in the morning, it was never anything more than a threat.
“Up and Adam.”
“Mom-mmmmmyyyyyyy” Harry complained when the sheets were pulled down.
With an experienced hand, Mommy quickly had Harry out of his night-time diaper and dressed for the day. Taking his hand, she brought him to the living room where he sat on the couch with his Teddy till Breakfast was ready.
Looking around, Harry found 5 gifts under the tree. Although curious about who the new one was for, he was too tired to get up and look. He sat there looking at all the presents, but focused on the baby gift. He thought about how he could find out what was inside. He wondered if he could unwrap and then rewrap the present when Mommy wasn’t looking.
“Morning Sport,” Dad said as he walked by. “Hope Teddy isn’t talking you into going back to sleep.”
“Hi Daddy.”
In no time at all, all three were sitting down to scrambled eggs for breakfast. Afterwards, Harry took the next chocolate out of day eight on the countdown calendar and put it with his lunch for school. Mom kissed him goodbye and stood in the doorway as she watched him walk down to the bus stop. She only stopped watching when she saw that Jenifer and Lenny were there, they were big 5th graders who would make sure the little kids were safe.
Harry got to come home after lunch today, being the last day before Christmas Break. His backpack was bursting at the seams with various art projects he had made over the last month. Mom quickly took some of them and used them to help decorate the house, with Harry giving advice on exactly where they should go. That afternoon it was slightly snowing, and Harry enjoyed playing outside in the snow. When he came in from the snow, he had some warm apple cider waiting for him.
Once warmed up, Harry explored the presents under the tree. There were 5 just like this morning. The 5th present had Harry’s name on it from Grandma. It was wrapped in reindeer wrapping paper, and was really light. Harry guessed a sweater, since Grandma often gave him sweaters. A boring present, but that baby gift was much more interesting. He carefully looked at how it was taped shut. Could he unwrap it and rewrap it without Mommy finding out?
“Do you want to watch a Christmas video Harry?” Mom asked walking into the room.
“Frosty?” Harry shouted as he jumped on to his feet.
“Okay, Frosty The Snowman it is.”
Harry ran to get a snowman stuffed animal that was in the hallway guarding the front door. He quickly returned and plopped himself down in front of the TV. Harry enjoyed watching and singing along to the show. Afterwards, he made Christmas Cookies with Mommy.
That night Harry wrote his letter to Santa, so he would have it to give to him the next day when he visited. Dad offered to help, but Harry insisted he was a big boy and didn’t need any help. When the letter was finished, Mommy put Harry’s night-time diaper on and tucked him into bed.
“Nighty-Night Harry, tomorrows a big day,” Mommy said kissing him on his forehead. “You will get to deliver your letter in person to Santa.”
“I can’t wait Mommy. Are you sure he is going to be there?”
“I’m sure he will be there. Now you and Teddy get some sleep so you’re all ready for tomorrow.”
Harry was awoken the next morning by Christmas music playing. He lay in bed for a while hugging Teddy before getting up and going into the living room. Before sitting down to watch cartoons, he checked the presents under the tree and noticed another present with his name on it. Six presents under the tree and three of them were his.
“Morning sweety,” Mom said coming into the living room and ruffling Harry’s hair. “How about some pancakes for breakfast?”
“Snowman Pancakes?”
“Okay sweety, if you want.”
While Mommy made breakfast, Harry enjoyed the Saturday Morning Cartoons.
Harry knew today was extra special. He got to visit Santa today. It was also the big test, he would find out if Santa thought he was good or bad this year. He really hoped that he was on the Good Kid list, but Harry thought of several ways he got in trouble this year and wondered if that would put him on the Naughty List. Hugging Teddy tight, Harry contemplated his fate if Santa thought he was naughty. Would the only presents he got this year be the three currently under the tree. Would Mommy and Daddy take those away if they found out Santa had him on the Naughty List. What was enough to put him on the Naughty List? When he wouldn’t clean his room when Mommy or Daddy told him too, or what about that time he got spanked for kicking that other kid. How about his bedwetting, did Santa view that as naughty for a 7 year old? Oh no, what about what he did to Santa last year when he visited Santa? Yeah he got presents last Christmas, but maybe once Santa had time to think about it he decided that was just too naughty and he belonged on the naughty list forever. Harry sat looking at the baby gift hugging Teddy really tight.
“Harry,” Mommy called. “I have a snowman here ready for a little boy to eat all up.”
After breakfast, Harry and Mommy went upstairs to get him dressed for the day. Harry sat on his bed with Teddy while Mommy picked the perfect outfit for him to wear for Santa pictures. She decided on a Turtleneck, a red and green sweater, and brown pants. She then got the changing supplies and headed over to the bed. Quickly Harry was out of his wet night-time diaper and wiped down, before proceeding, she paused and looked down at her little boy laying there hugging his teddy bear.
“Harry,” Mommy questioned looking down at the underwear in her hand. “Do you think maybe you should wear a Pull-Up today when we go to visit Santa?”
“Mommy, I am a big boy, not a baby,” Harry said thinking about the proposal and wondering if maybe she was right.
“Are you sure sweety? We are going out to see Santa Claus today, and . . .”
“But that was last year Mommy,” Harry interrupted. “That was when I was a little 6 year old. I am a big 7 year old now. I am not going to pee my pants on his lap again. Big 7 year olds don’t do that, only little kids do.”
“Okay, underwear it is, but be very careful. We don’t want Santa to get a wet lap again this year,” Mom went with Harry’s decision, but thought about the trip down to Grandma’s House on Thanksgiving where they were all very thankful that Harry had Pull-Ups on for the trip.
It took Dad a while to get up, dressed, and ready to go, but Harry really didn’t mind. It gave him the chance to watch his favorite Saturday Morning Cartoons. Harry also spent more time watching over the mystery baby gift. He tried to figure out a way to open it and find out what was inside.
Harry got to take the next chocolate out of day seven on the Countdown calendar. Before getting his coat on to go, Mom insisted that Harry go potty before they left for Santa.
Santa visits included a trip to a toy store to buy a gift for Toys-For-Tots, visit with Santa, and either lunch or dinner depending on the day. The stop at the toy store put Harry in charge. He was the one responsible for picking out the perfect gift for a kid his age. The guidance was that it had to be the perfect gift for a kid who may only get one gift for Christmas. This year, Harry picked a 400 piece Lego set. It looked hard, but a really fun toy to play with. Before getting in line for Santa, Mommy brought Harry to the bathroom again. She didn’t want a repeat of last year.
While waiting in line, Harry could barely stand still. He would watch the animated Christmas displays and go back and forth between Mom and Dad’s hands. It took 20 minutes to get to the front of the line. During that time Harry was deep in thought as to whether he was on the Naughty or Nice list. One other thought continually drifted into his head, the mystery gift under the tree. He contemplated how he could open it up and see what was inside. He also wondered what Santa would say about him opening the present. It didn’t have his name on it, it didn’t have any ones name on it. Would he end up on the Naughty list if he opened the present?
Harry didn’t know what it was that attracted him to the present, but he kept going back to it under the tree. It wasn’t very big, and it was wrapped in wrapping paper obviously for a baby. Harry had shaken it, smelled it, examined every corner of it, and even measured it. He rearranged the presents and put the baby gift in a special spot under the tree. He had asked his mom who it was for, but she only said it was for a special little kid. Harry would check on the package before leaving the house, and as soon as he came back. He would check it before going to bed and again in the morning. He knew it couldn’t be for him, he was seven years old and even though mommy called him her little baby boy, not even she would give him a baby gift. Would she?
As they stood there, next in line, Harry found himself with a problem. He was finally getting to see Santa, but . . . but . . . he had to pee. He thought he could hold it, but after last Christmas, should he risk it? Harry started moving from one foot to the other in order to hold it in.
“Looks like someone needs to go Potty before visiting Santa,” the kind elf at the front of the line said.
“What! Harry, you need to tell us when you need to go potty. We don’t want another episode like last year, do we?” Mom exclaimed looking at Harry and then up to the elf. “Miss, where can I find the bathrooms?”
“But Mommy,” Harry interrupted.
“They are just over there Mam. When you are done, come back to me and I will get you in next.”
“Thank You Miss, Harry here doesn’t always remember to go when he is supposed to.”
“Mommy!”
Harry and Mommy got out of line leaving Daddy behind, as they headed to the bathrooms. Quickly they were back and Harry found himself sitting on Santa’s lap. Mommy and Daddy were over with one of the Elves taking pictures.
“So Harry,” Santa said as they posed for pictures. “What do you want for Christmas?”
Harry told Santa a few toys he really wanted and gave him the letter he had written. Before getting off his lap however, he had to ask a few more questions. First was the big one, Harry needed to know if he was on the naughty or nice list? Santa told Harry that he was sure he had seen Harry on the Nice List, but Harry needed to make sure he continued to be nice. Harry wasn’t sure he wanted to ask this next question, but he needed to know.
“Santa,” Harry hesitantly questioned? “If I open a present before Christmas, will I end up on the naughty list?”
“Good little boys don’t open up their presents before Christmas.”
“But this present isn’t for me, and I will rewrap it once I see what is inside.”
“You want to open someone else’s present Harry? That is certainly a very Naughty thing to do. Who’s present do you want to open?”
“I don’t know who’s present it is Santa, it doesn’t have a name on it. It is wrapped in baby wrapping paper, so it is for a baby. I am not a baby so it is not for me. It was the first present under the tree this year, I just want to know what is inside.”
“It is naughty to open someone else’s present and you will end up on the naughty list if you do. If it is the first gift of Christmas, it is a magical gift made especially for one person. If you open it, you could cause the magic to leave the gift early and not work for the person getting the gift. Don’t be a naughty boy Harry, be a good boy and leave the gift alone. I will be keeping an eye on you. Now here’s a Candy Cane. Thank you for visiting. Be a good boy for Santa.”
Next they delivered the gift to Toys-for-Tots and then headed home. On the way home Harry told Mommy and Daddy how Santa said he was on the Nice List and if he continued to be good, he would stay on the nice list. Harry also proudly let Mommy and Daddy know that he didn’t wet his pants on Santa’s lap this time like he did last year when he was a little 6 year old. He informed then that he was a big 7 year old now who doesn’t do stuff like that anymore.
“See Mom,” Harry said with pride. “I didn’t need to wear Little Kid Pull-ups to visit Santa. I am a big boy now.”
When they got home, Harry looked in on the presents. He still wanted to know what was in the baby gift, but he didn’t want to risk ending up on the Naughty list. He wasn’t going to try to open it, but he still sat and stared at it wondering what was inside.