The Christmas House

As the old woman walked across the room to answer the front door, she removed her apron and brushed flour remnants off her dark blue dress featuring a proper white embroidered collar. She stopped in front of a full-length mirror in the foyer, and primped her hair as she checked her make up. Satisfied with her appearance she proceeded to the door as a smile came to her face.

As the door slowly swung inward, the guests still outside on the front stoop yelled, "Merry Christmas Martha!" As they entered the foyer, they hugged and kissed Martha as if they had not visited her for quite sometime.

The guests included an attractive woman in her early forties, a tall gentleman in his mid-fifties and a young girl that was fourteen. They each carried a tray of cakes and cookies. The stunning woman took off her coat and handed it to Martha as she walked toward the dining room table and commented, "In all the years we have been coming here, this place hasn’t changed one bit, Martha."

"Yes, I have tried to keep it up, but I’m not getting any younger," Martha said as she collected the garments from the well-dressed man and the young girl, presumed to be the couple’s daughter.

The young girl ran into the dining room and shouted, "Well, I’m not getting any older, so there!"

They all laughed as the girl snatched a cookie from the dining room table and ran off into the family room area.

"What a beautiful tree Martha!" she shouted from the family room.

The doorbell rang again and Martha hurried to answer it. Again the guests that arrived shouted, "Merry Christmas Martha!" as she opened the door and invited them inside.

As they hugged and kissed, the doorbell rang again- and again- and again. Thirty, forty, fifty times over a brief 30-minute period. With each guest that arrived came an additional tray of sweets. The selection of food on the dining room table was overwhelming. The variety of guests that now filled the house was vast as well. Old people, middle aged, several young children- some people even brought their dogs. The house was abundant with joy and merriment. So much so that it was strange. It just wasn’t normal. It was as if a stage play was in full production and all of the actors were told to laugh and smile on cue. Over 120 people filled the house and without exception every one of them was smiling, laughing or singing.

After an hour or so, the guests finally stopped arriving and the food and drink begun to flow, as the party was an obvious success. Having appropriately cared for the needs of her guests, Martha took advantage of an opportunity of leisure and joined the very first family that arrived earlier this evening at the dining room table.