Henry

This is a short story I wrote for my writing class. It is loosely based on an actual Christmas from my childhood although the scene has been slightly enhanced.

The little girl’s joy can only be described as simple and complete. Her long chocolate brown hair is braided into two pig tails. She is wearing bright red pajamas with candy canes on the front. On her feet is a pair of fuzzy pink slippers. Around her neck is a blue scarf the color of the sky on a summer day. The scarf was a gift she just opened and discarded the pretty wrapping paper and bow in a pile in by her side. She sits next a mountain of vibrantly wrapped presents in green, red and gold all decorated with matching ribbons and bows under a brightly lit Christmas tree.

The lights from the tree reflect off of the antique painted glass ornaments and send chards of light all around the room. The fire in the fireplace adds to the warm glow and joyful feeling in the room. The pungent pine fragrance from the Christmas tree and the smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven wafts through the air while the sound of Christmas carols softly fills the room and competes with the static scratching sound of the needle on the phonograph, tearing paper, laughter and squeals of delight.

“Deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la.”

The little girl starts to sing along as she bobs her head from side to side “Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la la la la”.

Her older brother is sitting on the floor on the opposite side of the Christmas trees frantically opening his presents as fast as he can. There is a flurry of flying paper and bows around him and a pile of paper fragments, broken ribbon and discarded bows littering the floor all around him. His pajama top has been exchanged for a Superman hooded sweatshirt and his slippers have been thrown across the room to be replaced with new Converse Chuck Taylor high tops; bright red of course.

Her mother and father sit side by side on the old brown sofa, holding hands, sipping coffee and watching their children enjoy Christmas morning as only children can. A shiny gold watch gleams in the light on her father’s wrist and around her mother’s neck is a string of white freshwater pearls.


On her lap sits a big fluffy yellow dog. Henry, as the embroidered patch on his chest proclaims. His golden yellow fur is as soft as a new born kitten and every once in a while she stops opening presents long enough to give the dog another squeeze or rub his soft black floppy ears against her cheek. The dog looks content sitting on her lap with his fire engine red tongue sticking out as if he is teasing you. His big fat belly is accentuated by a black fuzzy belly button and his arms and legs flop around making him perfect for cuddling.


As she pauses to squeeze him again she exclaims, “I just knew Santa wouldn’t forget to bring Henry to me!”

Her father looks at her mother and smiles wearily. He is happy to let her keep thinking that it was all Santa even though he spent the better part of Christmas Eve driving 200 miles round trip to Martinsburg to get Henry from her Aunt who managed to find him in a department store that got a last minute shipment on the 23rd. Henry was very hard to find this year. He would do anything to make sure that his little girl has the best Christmas ever and he knows how disappointed she would have been if Henry hadn’t been under the tree this morning.

“I’m glad Santa brought Henry too. You love Henry very much don’t you?”

“Henry is the best dog I’ve ever had and this is the best Christmas ever.” With that she jumped up and still carrying Henry in her arms, she leapt onto the couch and hugged both her parents. “I’m hungry. Can we have breakfast now?”