The Gift

It was the most personal gift I had ever given. I needed to present it finely.

So I went to the Amazon Rainforest and veiled it with a Misty Rainbow. I then travelled to Ancient Florence and hammered around it Leaves of Gold. Then I went to Heaven and swirling my hand, clustered Silver Stars for sticking and Empyrean Diamond Dust for sprinkling. After that, I borrowed a Fiery Scarlet Feather from a Phoenix and dipped it in all of the lights of Christmas in New York City and Paris.

It was the most beautiful gift I had ever wrapped.

With all of my spirit, I handed him the Sparkling Crystalline unparalleled package.

"Thanks, but I already have one," he said, handing it back.

There was nothing to be done. I couldn't return it and it was useless to me, already plucked from my chest, now bleeding through the box. I tried putting it back, but it never felt the same.

Years later, I gave it again, or a close replica. It was wrapped in rainbow paper, with a gold bow, glittering diamonds and a red feather. Luckily he was so impressed by the veneer he didn't have the heart to open it.

So there it sat, my grand bluff, an empty box.

The Ornament

It was one ornament. Nothing sentimental- a quite commercial one. Common. A character from the classic Rudolph cartoon who sang when you pressed his hand. It probably came from some last minute shopping trip at a CVS. Nothing to pass down or anything of the sort.

She had carefully not opened certain boxes. The sentiment of her Christmas tree at home, with its childhood accumulations, was so different than this version of her very own Christmas. The one they once created together. Built their own new memories.

Now, with certain boxes sealed and one fine single gal's indulgence- a 7 foot high Hot Pink Tree with Charcoal Branches- she began her own traditions. Rainbow Lights instead of the traditional Berry Red and Icicle White; simple cat-proof Glittered Ornaments in a panoply of colors- Tangerine, Coffee, Peacock, Lipstick, Olive, Platinum, Crown.

Out of curiosity, perhaps to test the battery only, she pressed the hand. The ornament danced and sang. Her new kitten came over, as her old cat once did.

And just like that, the icicles that fell from her eyes.

We had magic, didn't we?