Summary: Describe a scene of Christmas activity at the Ponderosa. It could be a party, reading a story, getting a tree, baking treats, helping the poor, etc. Tell us what you think one or more of the Cartwrights will be doing to get ready for Christmas.
Rating: G, Word Count: 2498
A Christmas Story
It was so tempting but Adam knew he shouldn’t do it. A nap seemed like such a pleasant thing to do, but he couldn’t and forced himself to take inventory. Yes, he was exhausted. With Savannah nearing her delivery time, she couldn’t do much. Helping her with the stairs, in and out of bed, to dress, and to do other things took so much time. In addition, she couldn’t help with the children, so he had full time caregiver responsibilities with Owen and Eva including getting them to bed each night reading stories that nearly put him to sleep before they nodded off. Besides being so tired, he was hurt. The horses had backed up when startled by a rabbit of all things making the wagon lurch into him as he was loading pine boughs into it. His leg hurt where the wagon had hit it, but most of all his head hurt. He didn’t know what his head had hit when he fell but something hard enough to stun him. To be honest, it had knocked him out. That led to the next problem, which was that he was cold and wet. It had started snowing while he lay on the ground. He’d been working and the snow melted on him and chilled him. The wind picked up with the snowstorm too. It was getting dark. With the snow and the lack of sunlight, he was having a difficult time determining which way to go with the wagon. If he was honest with himself, he would have admitted that the blow to his head was a factor in that confusion too. Shivering almost uncontrollably by that point, he still managed a laugh although a rather derisive one. He had volunteered for this duty to get out of the house and now all he wanted to was to get back there, but he was afraid he wasn’t going to make it.
About two hours later, Hoss and Joe found the wagon. There was no sign of Adam but they found blood on the wagon seat. There wasn’t much but enough to indicate that their brother was hurt. In the snowstorm, it was impossible to know where he was. They followed the tracks back to where he had cut the pine boughs and found nothing. Although everything in their hearts told them to keep searching, they had no idea where to look. Hoss climbed onto the wagon seat and drove the team home as Joe led Chubb. When they got back, Hoss drove the wagon into the stable and Joe rode in, dismounted, and pulled the doors closed against the storm’s fury.
“We were lucky to get back.”
“Not so lucky. There’s only two of us got back.”
“Hoss, there was nothing we could do.”
Ben came into the stable at that point, and seeing only his two younger sons, his whole body sagged with despair. “You couldn’t find him?”
“Pa, we looked everywhere. There was no sign of him.”
“What did you say?”
“There was no sign of him.”
“No, I thought someone said ‘help me’ just now.”
All three listened carefully and then threw the pine boughs, snow, and ice out of the back of the wagon uncovering a cold, injured Adam underneath them.
“I fell backwards off the seat and decided to burrow under these to stay warm. I’ve been trying to call for help since I heard Hoss, but you couldn’t hear me. I could use a blanket and a hot cup of coffee.”
“Merry Christmas, son! Merry Christmas to all!”
Christmas Cheer
I cain’t never remember a time when Christmas at the Ponderosa wasn’t always joyful and fun. Me, Adam and Joe would string popcorn and make cookies with Hop Sing, and then we’d have dinner with our neighbors and of course, open our gifts on Christmas Day. But my favorite part was searchin’ for and decoratin’ the perfect tree.
However, when Adam went to college some of the glow went out of our lives. That first year we was missin’ Adam and Mama somethin’ fierce. It was hard but we got through it, especially after Adam sent some really neat gifts for us. We got through the last Christmases pretty good too ‘cause me and Little Joe teamed up to make ‘em extra special for Pa.
This year, I reckon it’s ‘cause Adam was s’posed to be home last summer but he decided to stay one more year fer some extra schoolin’ an’ to have time with his grandpa who wasn’t doin’ so good. He said he’d be home in the Spring.
Pa’s left a few days ago on some business promising he’d be back by Christmas Eve. I’ve decided me and Joe are gonna get that tree an’ decorate it and I’ll see if Hop Sing’ll make some of Pa’s favorite cookies for when he gets back.
“Joe, this mopin’ around just ain’t gonna work Let’s go get a Christmas tree and get it all decorated ‘fore Pa gets home. Whaddya say Little Joe?”
“Hot diggity. Let’s go Hoss. Where we gonna look? I saw one last summer over by the lake. Can we get that one? Huh Hoss? Pa’ll be so glad to see it won’t he Hoss?”
“He sure will little brother. You tell Hop Sing what we’re gonna do and I’ll get the tools together. I know what tree ya mean so we’ll go there first.”
Joe scampered off to tell Hop Sing and when he finally made it outside he showed me a bag of cookies. We each ate one right there in the yard then took off toward the lake.
After lunch we got all the ornaments on the tree. Little Joe was real careful with some of them glass balls that belonged to his mama. I put the candles on but we weren’t gonna light them till Pa was home. Hop Sing brought out popcorn and hot cider for us, an’ he helped me an’ Joe get all the greenery up everywhere. Joe an’ me even made some popcorn strings. ‘Course little brother an’ I probably ate as much as we strung, but it was mighty good.
Tonight, me an’ Joe been sittin’ by the fire admirin’ our purty tree an’ waitin’ ta hear Pa’s footsteps on the front porch. Pa was late gettin’ home so Hop Sing told us to eat then get ready for bed. Being Christmas Eve it was hard fer us ta do that but Hop Sing said tomorrow was a brand new day and that Pa wouldn’t miss Christmas.
The next morning I awoke with a start since Little Joe was tuggin’ on my sleeve. It was still dark an’ he was already dressed. II did the same an’ we crept down the hall. Pa’s door was closed which meant he was home. When we was halfway down the stairs Joe froze makin’ me bump into him. I was about to push him on when he pointed to the settee an’ jumped off the landin’. What I saw was the best present I ever got in my life as I jumped the last of the stairs too.
“ADAM!!!”
Finding ChristmasJamie Hunter turned up his collar and jammed his gloved hands into his coat pockets falling into step with Hoss and Joe. This excursion to cut a Christmas tree and the preparations he would take part in were brand new to the boy. The Cartwright brothers had opened their hearts and were including him on their mission: finding a twelve foot pine that would fill the space by the stairway at the ranch house.Jamie had showed up in the area the previous summer during a drought. Luck or Providence had brought the rain he promised. Having no family, Ben Cartwright had invited him to stay on.
Christmas had always been a bit of an afterthought for Jamie’s father, never a tree or much in the way of presents. Christmas day usually came and went much as any other. Somehow when you are constantly on the move, things just seemed to work that way.
The threesome trudged up a mild slope through patchy snow into a grove of pines. The brothers gave each other furtive glances and then reached down to scoop up some snow. They pelted Jamie with the white powder.
“Hey! Cut that out!”
Joe giggled. “Consider yourself initiated!”
“Yeah.” Hoss then pushed the slight boy over into a pile of snow. His guffaw seemed to fill the woods as he reached out to offer Jamie a hand up. “All in good fun, Jamie. All in good fun!”
“Fun for you two, maybe!” The boy scowled while he brushed himself off.
“This is nothing. If you only knew how many times Adam and Hoss sent me head first into a snow drift!”
“Yeah!” Hoss laughed hard until he sighed. “One more for old time’s sake?” Hoss grabbed the shoulder of Joe’s coat.
Joe’s arm came up quickly and he jumped away. “Not on your life, big brother!”
Jamie chuckled realizing he had probably gotten off easy, at least, so far.
“Ok, so we have this contest each year. Whoever picks out the right sized tree gets their choice of dessert from Hop Sing.”
“Yeah, no taller ‘an this. Ya go over, ya lose.” Hoss extended the saw over his head. “Got it?”
Always up for a game, Jamie responded, “Sure.”
Joe winked at Hoss who nodded back hoping their plan would work.
When all was said and done, Hoss’ selection was over, Joe’s was significantly under, and Jamie’s was within six inches of the end of the saw blade.
Jamie crossed his arms over his chest. “I get the feeling you two let me win.”
Joe gave him an innocent look. “Who us?”
“Must be smarter than he looks.” Again Hoss’ laughter filled the area.
The boy shrugged. “So who usually wins the contest?”
“Adam. I’d o’ sworn he rode out a few days ahead and marked the ‘xact sized tree.”
“Yeah, except for the year I did just that!” Joe giggled.
Hoss guffawed. Yeah, older brother was right put out ‘bout that.”
Jamie gave them a serious look. “Well, next time, we play it straight, ok?”
The words were out of Jamie’s mouth before he realized it. Joe shot a big grin in Hoss’ direction and saw his brother push his tongue into the side of his cheek. Jamie opened his mouth about to clarify that he wasn’t making any assumptions, but then thought better of it.
Tempering his expression, Joe offered casually, “You got it. Challenge accepted!”
The threesome carried the pine to the wagon in amiable silence pondering and secretly hoping that this was the first of many more family experiences they would share.
Joe ran into the house and slammed the door. “Pa! Pa!” he shouted.
“Joseph, how many times have I told you not to slam the door. I’m in the office,” Ben said.
Joe ran in the office. “Pa, do you remember last year when we helped the Carter’s with Christmas?”
“Yes, I do.”
“There’s a new family in that moved to town. Their son is my age and I’m friends with him. Can we help them?”
Joe begged.
“Joe, what’s their name?” Ben asked.
“Oh, it’s Lund. His name is Bobby. He said they weren’t going to have a Christmas because they just moved here and all their money went to food and to rebuild the house.”
“Oh, I know the family. Hoss, Adam and I met them in town yesterday. They told us about moving here and buying the old Murphy place. Yes, we can help them. I’m happy to hear that you became friends with Bobby unlike what you did last year with Kenny Carter and not playing with him,” Ben said looking at his eight-year-old son.
“I learned my lesson last year. That’s why I want to help this family. They need a good Christmas like the Carter’s did last year.”
Ben smiled. “All right, we’ll do that. When your brothers come in we’ll talk about it.”
“Thanks, Pa!” Joe said and ran off.
Ben shook his head and laughed.
Ben thought about last year. Jeff Carter and his family had moved to Virginia City and had nothing but what they brought. Hoss and Adam had overheard Jeff talking with Mr. Baker about moving into town and how he couldn’t afford the item he wanted. Adam and Hoss told Ben about it. Joe wanted nothing to do with it. He didn’t want to be at someone else’s house on Christmas when he could be home opening presents. As they repaired the house and gave them gifts of food and toys for the children, Joe realized that it wasn’t just about the presents and himself but helping others. Ben was proud of Joe.
At dinner that night, Joe told his brothers about the new family and wanting to help.
“I think that’s a great idea.” Hoss said.
“Very good. You learned your lesson from last year.” Adam replied.
Joe looked at him in disgust.
“We’ll go into town tomorrow and gather what we need,” Ben said.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The next day, the Cartwrights went to the mercantile to gather what they needed for the Lunds.
“All right. I think that’s it.” Ben paid for the items.
Christmas morning found the Cartwrights going to the Lunds. Ben knocked on the door and Larry Lund opened the door.
“Ben, Merry Christmas. Please come in.”
“Merry Christmas. We have some presents for the family. Santa left them at our house and told me to give them to
your family.” Ben and his boys walked in carrying a sack full of goodies.
“Santa really came to your house?” five-year-old Cindy asked in surprise. “He certainly did.”
They handed out flour, sugar, a doll for Cindy and the train set for Bobby. Squeals of excitement came from the children. Cindy held her doll carefully and Bobby played with his train.
Mrs. Lund teared up. “Thank you, Mr. Cartwright. This means a lot.”
“It’s Christmas. The children needed something.”
“They weren’t expecting anything. How can we repay you?” Mr. Lund asked.
“No need to. Joseph wanted to do something for your family.”
“Thank you for making our children’s Christmas a happy one.”
“We’d best be off.”
The Cartwrights headed home.
