(In 2012, when Lily was a toddler, while Pooka still graced this earth, and before Luke was born, I wrote a Christmas story.)
Every night after the Epstein family has gone to bed, the pets hold a meeting. Sometimes they talk about which cat is eating more than his fair share of food. Sometimes they talk about how Hudson barks too much after Lily has gone to sleep.
But one special night, they talked about Christmas. They decided to have an animal Nativity scene. “I want to be Mary,” Pooka said. Everybody agreed that Pooka would play the role of Baby Jesus’s mother.
“I want to be a camel,” said Harvey. Everybody agreed that Harvey would play the role of a camel. “I want to be a racoon,” said Monk. After much discussion, the animals allowed Monk to play the role of a racoon, although the Bible says nothing about a racoon being at the manger where Jesus was born. George decided to be Eeyore, even though Eeyore didn’t exactly figure into the Christmas story.
“I want to be the Baby Jesus,” said Hudson. Now this was a problem. How could the Baby Jesus be bigger than all the other Nativity characters put together: Mary, the camel, the racoon, and everybody else? The pets decided to ask Lily next morning if Hudson could play the Baby Jesus, because Lily is so smart.
“Why, yes, I don’t see why not,” said Lily after breakfast. “After all, Hudson is a good boy. So was the Baby Jesus. It doesn’t matter what size he is.”
All the animals were pleased. And on Christmas Eve, they acted out their Nativity scene in the front yard of the Epstein house for all the neighbors to see. Pooka played Mary, Harvey was a camel, and Monk pretended to be a racoon. Since Monk had opened up such a sizable window for Nativity role playing, George decided not to be Eeyore, but pretended to be a dinosaur, instead.
And in the middle of them all, Hudson played the part of the biggest, hairiest, and happiest Baby Jesus ever. All the Epstein animals, and the Epstein family, had the best Christmas imaginable, thanks to Lily and her good decision!
Thank goodness Lily knew just what to do to have the best Christmas ever!
Every night after the Epstein family has gone to bed, the pets hold a meeting. Sometimes they talk about which cat is eating more than his fair share of food. Sometimes they talk about how Hudson barks too much after Lily has gone to sleep.
But one special night, they talked about Christmas. They decided to have an animal Nativity scene. “I want to be Mary,” Pooka said. Everybody agreed that Pooka would play the role of Baby Jesus’s mother.
“I want to be a camel,” said Harvey. Everybody agreed that Harvey would play the role of a camel. “I want to be a racoon,” said Monk. After much discussion, the animals allowed Monk to play the role of a racoon, although the Bible says nothing about a racoon being at the manger where Jesus was born. George decided to be Eeyore, even though Eeyore didn’t exactly figure into the Christmas story.
“I want to be the Baby Jesus,” said Hudson. Now this was a problem. How could the Baby Jesus be bigger than all the other Nativity characters put together: Mary, the camel, the racoon, and everybody else? The pets decided to ask Lily next morning if Hudson could play the Baby Jesus, because Lily is so smart.
“Why, yes, I don’t see why not,” said Lily after breakfast. “After all, Hudson is a good boy. So was the Baby Jesus. It doesn’t matter what size he is.”
All the animals were pleased. And on Christmas Eve, they acted out their Nativity scene in the front yard of the Epstein house for all the neighbors to see. Pooka played Mary, Harvey was a camel, and Monk pretended to be a racoon. Since Monk had opened up such a sizable window for Nativity role playing, George decided not to be Eeyore, but pretended to be a dinosaur, instead.
And in the middle of them all, Hudson played the part of the biggest, hairiest, and happiest Baby Jesus ever. All the Epstein animals, and the Epstein family, had the best Christmas imaginable, thanks to Lily and her good decision!
Thank goodness Lily knew just what to do to have the best Christmas ever!