Categories > Celebrities > Fall Out Boy > The Twelve Days Of Christmas
The First Day Of Christmas
6 reviewsThe 12 days of Christmas begin on 25th December and finish on 5th January. Enjoy an original but moving account of Ella's 12 days of Christmas
5Ambiance
The First Day Of Christmas - December 25th
There was no use in trying to get in the spirit of it because no matter how much she tried, it just seemed to get harder to disguise the complete dis-interest she had over this time of year.
Christmas was the time to evidence your kindness, to present sacrifices of your love in monetary and sentimental value, to allow the festive spirit in and push the negativities out through the advent door.
Nestling her nostrils over a fresh cup of coffee she watched water drip off the top of windowsill as dew gave way to low, bright morning sun. Snow had arrived a week previously and the thick grey clouds that had brought the initial levels of snow, had now departed for greener pastures and for a change, everyone was fairly happy with the by products of their visit. Crisp, white, fluffy particles of snow that had brought misery to the traffic in the city but pure delight to the children and children like adults everywhere.
She had smiled at the variation of snowmen and the variety of objects that had been used for facial features. She also questioned the quirky idea that snowmen needed scarves and why parents would have to explain to distraught children where 'Snowman' had gone and watch their sad faces grieve for their melted friends. She'd only in fact made a snowman once, clearly detesting the sweat she had to work up and the great loss of satisfaction as she watched 'Albert' die a painful burning death as he melted in her back lawn.
Her house had no decorations, neither did it have anything to resemble the seasonal occasion. Her house remained detached from the utter madness that had taken over her neighbours in the 'Who can run the highest electricity bills by putting as many senseless and completely irrational lights and toys outside our houses' contest. In reality, the madness spread worldwide in this global episode of exuberant charity and lavish acts of kindness.
"Oh Mr Steinman, why do you do it?" She muttered sipping her coffee and shaking her head as his frustrated hands attempted to fix a shy bulb. His frustration got the better of him as a loud yell roared into the quietness of her house.
She swallowed her coffee quickly, to capacitate her mouth, ready for the huge laugh she had in store at his expense half choked on her coffee as she sniggered at him hopping in his driveway and shouting obscenities.
The distinctive sound of his Chevrolet was replacing her current thinking bubble and her eyes eagerly awaited the wonderful faded green colour that would only make her day a little better. It sped into her driveway and she laughed gently as she saw him step out, slamming the door closed.
"Damn piece of junk!" He scowled and looked back at it as he trudged up towards her front door.
Opening the door just enough for him to see her in her cotton PJ's and bed head, she greeted him with a knowing smile.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, knowing why he was there.
"Er...." He started, the stammer accentuated by the drift of warm air that followed from his lips. His nose was slightly red, he seemed a little short of breath but she thought it may have just been that it was just so cold and it was always harder to get breath in your lungs.
"Come in Rudolph!" She smiled warmly, he stepped past her and she slipped the door closed quietly. She had already spotted the beautiful gift bag in his hands.
"Look, I know you how you feel about the whole day and everything but I couldn't not see you and couldn't not give you a gift..." He said, discharging his gift bag to her hands, his hands wrapped around hers and she felt how cold they were.
"Please just take this, and ......and know that I'll be thinking of you the entire day." He added.
As she opened her mouth to speak, he kissed her quickly and smiled.
"I love you." He said, he opened her door and closed it behind him. Only being able to stare, she ordered her brain to engage immediately with the rest of her body members and rushed to the door, opening it, to see only his Chevrolet reversing out the drive.
"Ugh!....Boy!" She shook her head disapproving of his sheer adorableness.
Nothing in this day could be different, everything had to remain as close to her sense of normality as possible, that way, the day would end quicker. And that way her senses could be revived and replace the numbness she always felt on this day.
The shower was no longer, the breakfast no more deluxe and the news in the paper was absolutely no different.
"Can't there be civility around Christmas? I mean for one day..." She moaned, sipping on her 2nd cup of coffee of the morning. Her eyes clocked the purple gift bag on the table. She had kignored it for the last 2 hours and it had sat there so beautifully.
She pulled it across the light pine wood and stopped it underneath her nose, peering in.
"I can't." She said to herself and pushed it back to it's position.
In winter, day time never felt like a full day, the sun couldn't get high enough in the sky line to produce that fullness of the day. Instead, it seemed like late morning and then it seemed to get dark. It was getting dark already. Switching off her headlights she turned the engine off and stepped out the car. Throwing her shawl over shoulder and tweaking her hat to cover ears too. There were no footprints, no-one had been here today. She was only glad about that too. No-one else should be here on Christmas day, round about this time she expected them to be settling down to a huge dinner and talking over wine, brandy sauce and nostalgia.
Nostalgia was all she had, each step seemed to commit to the memories of what she'd lost and she crouched down. This was often where they would kneel down and vocally express how much they missed their dead loved ones. However, the placing of the letter and a swipe of snow from the head stone was suffice.
Maria Lois Annerson
1966 - 2003
There was no epitaph, there would never been enough words and even if there were, they would never have been enough, with that in mind she had chose to leave it with just her beautiful name and the wonderful years in which she was alive.
2002 was the last year she had acknowledged Christmas.
December 25th 2003
She ran down the stairs so hard, she nearly fell down them and she giggled hard as she reached the bottom and clutched her chest. Although she was 16, it still felt alright to be a child for the entire day. To yell with excitement and squeal with happiness as she unwrapped the presents. To steal a slice of turkey as her Mom wasn't looking and to stick her fingers in the double cream as it sat in the fridge, chilling. To stay in her pyjamas for the majority of the day, pig out on destructive food and wander around the house on a natural high as you enjoyed the buzz of receiving all those great gifts.
"Mom?!!" She yelled, the smell of coffee wasn't vaporising the kitchen as she walked in, she frowned, flicking on the coffee blender switch.
"Hey Mom!!" She yelled again, walking through to the living area. The Christmas lights were on, which was unusual as her Mom always turned them off. Maybe she had been up already and switched them on, maybe she had gone to the shop. It made her feel sad that her Mom wasn't there to greet her on this morning. To be sure, she pushed open her Mom's bedroom door and as even more confused to be met with an unmade bed and drawn curtains.
"Mom!" she called. The bathroom light was on, she moved quickly to the door and as she pushed open the door, called out her name in an anguish. Rushing to her side she gripped her Mom's slumped body and tried not vomit as the smell of her Mom's vomit rose in her nose. She shook her hard, as she did, feeling the cold contact of her skin. Pushing her down on the floor completely, she leaned over and felt for her pulse with shaking fingers.
"No Mom!" She cried. Repeatedly sobbing she just picked her Mom up in her arms and held her tight.
Maria Annerson had been suicidal for 2 years and already had one attempted suicide safely under her mentally institutionalised belt. It had been gradually tightened ever since Bill, Ella's father had left. With the notch too tight, she snuffed out her own life on Christmas Eve of 2003. Ella would never know what was worst about the situation, that her Mom had been in such a bad place within herself, she felt the only option was to take her life, or that Ella had herself been in such bad place that she couldn't do anything to help her. Placing on her strongest emotional body armour, Ella arranged the burial and the legal affairs, helped by her Aunty Julie and her Nana.
Christmas had changed.
Soon enough it was 8pm, she sighed with relief, she could go to bed now and then this day would be over. She gathered the blanket further around her and pulled her knees up on the sofa. The 5th cup of coffee carried much less charisma. Truthfully, she was bored with the taste and bored because she didn't know what else to drink. A text message lit her phone up, she gradually wriggled an arm free and gripped her phone.
Just to remind you I'm thinking of you....Hope you liked the gift. Xxx Trick
"The gift!" She whispered to herself, climbing off the sofa she shuffled into the kitchen and saw the purple bag still faithfully sitting on the table.
Ella pulled out the tissue paper and smiled as she got the wrapped gift.
"Yeah, Tricky I know your Mom wrapped this.,.." she smiled, giggling to herself. Opening the paper carefully, respecting the care that had gone into it, she gasped slightly as she saw the thick black book.
Ella Annerson was inscribed on the front in a silver thread. Her favourite colour, silver. Opening the book, she ran her fingers over the blank staves, adoring the thick quality of the blank music book.
She flipped opened the little card and instantly giggled at his scrawly handwriting.
Ella, the gift is something to help you get down your thoughts. Only when you're ready. Trick xxx
She stood the card up and picked up the music book again. Her eyes took in the detail and she remembered the ambition she once had.
She gripped her cell and text back:
Kid, I love you. Thank you. Ox
She dragged her blanket, the book and her cell and made her way to bed. Closing her eyes, she thought only of how quickly she wanted the next day to come.
There was no use in trying to get in the spirit of it because no matter how much she tried, it just seemed to get harder to disguise the complete dis-interest she had over this time of year.
Christmas was the time to evidence your kindness, to present sacrifices of your love in monetary and sentimental value, to allow the festive spirit in and push the negativities out through the advent door.
Nestling her nostrils over a fresh cup of coffee she watched water drip off the top of windowsill as dew gave way to low, bright morning sun. Snow had arrived a week previously and the thick grey clouds that had brought the initial levels of snow, had now departed for greener pastures and for a change, everyone was fairly happy with the by products of their visit. Crisp, white, fluffy particles of snow that had brought misery to the traffic in the city but pure delight to the children and children like adults everywhere.
She had smiled at the variation of snowmen and the variety of objects that had been used for facial features. She also questioned the quirky idea that snowmen needed scarves and why parents would have to explain to distraught children where 'Snowman' had gone and watch their sad faces grieve for their melted friends. She'd only in fact made a snowman once, clearly detesting the sweat she had to work up and the great loss of satisfaction as she watched 'Albert' die a painful burning death as he melted in her back lawn.
Her house had no decorations, neither did it have anything to resemble the seasonal occasion. Her house remained detached from the utter madness that had taken over her neighbours in the 'Who can run the highest electricity bills by putting as many senseless and completely irrational lights and toys outside our houses' contest. In reality, the madness spread worldwide in this global episode of exuberant charity and lavish acts of kindness.
"Oh Mr Steinman, why do you do it?" She muttered sipping her coffee and shaking her head as his frustrated hands attempted to fix a shy bulb. His frustration got the better of him as a loud yell roared into the quietness of her house.
She swallowed her coffee quickly, to capacitate her mouth, ready for the huge laugh she had in store at his expense half choked on her coffee as she sniggered at him hopping in his driveway and shouting obscenities.
The distinctive sound of his Chevrolet was replacing her current thinking bubble and her eyes eagerly awaited the wonderful faded green colour that would only make her day a little better. It sped into her driveway and she laughed gently as she saw him step out, slamming the door closed.
"Damn piece of junk!" He scowled and looked back at it as he trudged up towards her front door.
Opening the door just enough for him to see her in her cotton PJ's and bed head, she greeted him with a knowing smile.
"What are you doing here?" She asked, knowing why he was there.
"Er...." He started, the stammer accentuated by the drift of warm air that followed from his lips. His nose was slightly red, he seemed a little short of breath but she thought it may have just been that it was just so cold and it was always harder to get breath in your lungs.
"Come in Rudolph!" She smiled warmly, he stepped past her and she slipped the door closed quietly. She had already spotted the beautiful gift bag in his hands.
"Look, I know you how you feel about the whole day and everything but I couldn't not see you and couldn't not give you a gift..." He said, discharging his gift bag to her hands, his hands wrapped around hers and she felt how cold they were.
"Please just take this, and ......and know that I'll be thinking of you the entire day." He added.
As she opened her mouth to speak, he kissed her quickly and smiled.
"I love you." He said, he opened her door and closed it behind him. Only being able to stare, she ordered her brain to engage immediately with the rest of her body members and rushed to the door, opening it, to see only his Chevrolet reversing out the drive.
"Ugh!....Boy!" She shook her head disapproving of his sheer adorableness.
Nothing in this day could be different, everything had to remain as close to her sense of normality as possible, that way, the day would end quicker. And that way her senses could be revived and replace the numbness she always felt on this day.
The shower was no longer, the breakfast no more deluxe and the news in the paper was absolutely no different.
"Can't there be civility around Christmas? I mean for one day..." She moaned, sipping on her 2nd cup of coffee of the morning. Her eyes clocked the purple gift bag on the table. She had kignored it for the last 2 hours and it had sat there so beautifully.
She pulled it across the light pine wood and stopped it underneath her nose, peering in.
"I can't." She said to herself and pushed it back to it's position.
In winter, day time never felt like a full day, the sun couldn't get high enough in the sky line to produce that fullness of the day. Instead, it seemed like late morning and then it seemed to get dark. It was getting dark already. Switching off her headlights she turned the engine off and stepped out the car. Throwing her shawl over shoulder and tweaking her hat to cover ears too. There were no footprints, no-one had been here today. She was only glad about that too. No-one else should be here on Christmas day, round about this time she expected them to be settling down to a huge dinner and talking over wine, brandy sauce and nostalgia.
Nostalgia was all she had, each step seemed to commit to the memories of what she'd lost and she crouched down. This was often where they would kneel down and vocally express how much they missed their dead loved ones. However, the placing of the letter and a swipe of snow from the head stone was suffice.
Maria Lois Annerson
1966 - 2003
There was no epitaph, there would never been enough words and even if there were, they would never have been enough, with that in mind she had chose to leave it with just her beautiful name and the wonderful years in which she was alive.
2002 was the last year she had acknowledged Christmas.
December 25th 2003
She ran down the stairs so hard, she nearly fell down them and she giggled hard as she reached the bottom and clutched her chest. Although she was 16, it still felt alright to be a child for the entire day. To yell with excitement and squeal with happiness as she unwrapped the presents. To steal a slice of turkey as her Mom wasn't looking and to stick her fingers in the double cream as it sat in the fridge, chilling. To stay in her pyjamas for the majority of the day, pig out on destructive food and wander around the house on a natural high as you enjoyed the buzz of receiving all those great gifts.
"Mom?!!" She yelled, the smell of coffee wasn't vaporising the kitchen as she walked in, she frowned, flicking on the coffee blender switch.
"Hey Mom!!" She yelled again, walking through to the living area. The Christmas lights were on, which was unusual as her Mom always turned them off. Maybe she had been up already and switched them on, maybe she had gone to the shop. It made her feel sad that her Mom wasn't there to greet her on this morning. To be sure, she pushed open her Mom's bedroom door and as even more confused to be met with an unmade bed and drawn curtains.
"Mom!" she called. The bathroom light was on, she moved quickly to the door and as she pushed open the door, called out her name in an anguish. Rushing to her side she gripped her Mom's slumped body and tried not vomit as the smell of her Mom's vomit rose in her nose. She shook her hard, as she did, feeling the cold contact of her skin. Pushing her down on the floor completely, she leaned over and felt for her pulse with shaking fingers.
"No Mom!" She cried. Repeatedly sobbing she just picked her Mom up in her arms and held her tight.
Maria Annerson had been suicidal for 2 years and already had one attempted suicide safely under her mentally institutionalised belt. It had been gradually tightened ever since Bill, Ella's father had left. With the notch too tight, she snuffed out her own life on Christmas Eve of 2003. Ella would never know what was worst about the situation, that her Mom had been in such a bad place within herself, she felt the only option was to take her life, or that Ella had herself been in such bad place that she couldn't do anything to help her. Placing on her strongest emotional body armour, Ella arranged the burial and the legal affairs, helped by her Aunty Julie and her Nana.
Christmas had changed.
Soon enough it was 8pm, she sighed with relief, she could go to bed now and then this day would be over. She gathered the blanket further around her and pulled her knees up on the sofa. The 5th cup of coffee carried much less charisma. Truthfully, she was bored with the taste and bored because she didn't know what else to drink. A text message lit her phone up, she gradually wriggled an arm free and gripped her phone.
Just to remind you I'm thinking of you....Hope you liked the gift. Xxx Trick
"The gift!" She whispered to herself, climbing off the sofa she shuffled into the kitchen and saw the purple bag still faithfully sitting on the table.
Ella pulled out the tissue paper and smiled as she got the wrapped gift.
"Yeah, Tricky I know your Mom wrapped this.,.." she smiled, giggling to herself. Opening the paper carefully, respecting the care that had gone into it, she gasped slightly as she saw the thick black book.
Ella Annerson was inscribed on the front in a silver thread. Her favourite colour, silver. Opening the book, she ran her fingers over the blank staves, adoring the thick quality of the blank music book.
She flipped opened the little card and instantly giggled at his scrawly handwriting.
Ella, the gift is something to help you get down your thoughts. Only when you're ready. Trick xxx
She stood the card up and picked up the music book again. Her eyes took in the detail and she remembered the ambition she once had.
She gripped her cell and text back:
Kid, I love you. Thank you. Ox
She dragged her blanket, the book and her cell and made her way to bed. Closing her eyes, she thought only of how quickly she wanted the next day to come.
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