Helen’s Christmas Dream (Part 1)

Today I present to you the first part of the 2022 Christmas story! For the next five weeks, I will post a part of this story, wrapping it up the Friday before Christmas. This year’s story takes place back in the Victorian era, where we meet a young girl (whom I have given the name of my beloved, late grandmother) who learns a lesson at Christmastime about what really matters. I hope you enjoy it! And now for part one–

     Helen Andrews closed her eyes to dream for just a moment before being jarred back to reality by a scream from her little sister.
     “He hit me! Oh, that hurt,” Betsy cried.
     Grabbing her six-year-old brother by the shoulder, Helen guided him to a nearby chair and told him to sit. He obeyed but his expression made it clear that he wasn’t very happy about it.
     “Now, George, why can’t you just be nice to your sister?” Helen scolded. She sat down next to Betsy, who was looking at a picture book. Picking up the novel that lay close by, she tried to read.
     Helen was the oldest of nine children, of whom George and Betsy were the youngest. The Andrews family lived on a small farm out in the country. Life was hard but the family was happy in their little farmhouse.
     Except for Helen. She was not happy. She dreamed of mansions and cities and of having a bedroom all to herself. She was weary of taking care of little brothers and sisters, of washing mounds of laundry, and of cooking for an army. She was tired of farm animals and gardening and storing up food for the winter. Being part of a large family and living on a farm in the late 1800s filled her with discontent.
     She gave a deep and troubled sigh and tried to focus on the novel in her hand. Glancing over at George, she found him staring up at the ceiling, “You can get up, George.”
     He enthusiastically hopped out of the chair and went back to the toy train on the floor as Helen returned to her daydreaming. What would her life be like if she didn’t have any siblings to take care of? No chores to do every single day? What if she had a room all to herself? What if she even had a servant to help her dress and serve her breakfast? She sighed with longing as she imagined herself in a four poster bed covered with a blue and white quilt, in a room where the walls were covered with miniature blue flowers. Over to the side sat a dresser with a beautiful and expensive pitcher and bowl. The large windows spilled the rays of the sun on to the bed where she lay…
     “Helen! Come peel potatoes for supper,” Her mother disrupted her lovely dream.
     In the kitchen she found her sisters, Eleanor and Charlotte, folding mounds of laundry. Well, at least she had gotten out of that chore for today.
     George and Betsy soon wandered into the kitchen to play by the hearth, where a roaring fire sent out its comforting warmth. Helen didn’t yet realize what a lovely picture this large family made as they worked and played together in the large farmhouse kitchen.
     A few hours later, the family was seated around the large kitchen table in front of a large ham, fried potatoes, cooked carrots, and freshly-baked bread.
     “Let’s bow our heads,” Helen’s father smiled at his children. A hard-working farmer, he always worked up quite an appetite but he was never too hungry to first thank the Lord for the food in front of them.
     While he prayed, Helen’s mind wandered back to that big bedroom in her mind’s fantasy mansion. Little did she realize that her dream was soon to become reality.

Please NOTE: You can read past years’ Christmas stories here. If you prefer to read them in a book or ebook, I have compiled them and have made them available on Amazon, which you can find at this link.