There were fourteen boxes of cookies to carry to the festival booth, and Sam felt the same satisfaction he always did as he loaded them into the old red wagon they used to haul them. Nichols Delivery had sponsored the cookie decorating booth for the past ten years; it had been his idea in the beginning, and Aunt Sharon had run with it. When she passed away, Micah became his helper. But as much as he loved his brother, he had to admit that having Lucy help was a lot more fun.
Snow started to fall gently as they walked the five minutes it took to get into town, and Sam stuck his hand out to try and catch some flakes.
“This is going to be a magical night, Micah, I can feel it.”
Micah gave a non-committal grunt and yanked the wagon over a bump in the sidewalk. The whole of Main Street had been blocked off, booths set up in storefronts, lights zigzagging between buildings. Laughter and Christmas music carried on the air as they approached. Even though the festival hadn’t started yet and the sun had barely set, the various vendors and volunteers were friends, and no one could help but feel a little thrill once the snow started falling.
When Sam and Micah found their assigned spot - in front of the hardware store - Stephanie, Lucy, and Uncle George were already waiting under the pop-up awning.
“Took you long enough!” Stephanie teased as she helped them start unpacking. “It’s freezing out here!”
“Hey, it’s not my fault Sam’s a perfectionist.” Micah plopped the cash box down on the table.
“I am not a perfectionist! I just like things to look right.” Sam passed a box of cookies to Lucy, who grinned.
“So you take the extra time to doodle on these boxes that no one will actually see?” She looked over the cardboard. “Ooh, I like this star.”
“Thank you very much, Lucy, it’s nice to feel appreciated.” Sam sent a pointed look to Micah, who just rolled his eyes and laughed.
“Well, I for one like Sam’s doodles.” Uncle George stuck his hands into the pockets of his Santa Claus costume. “They’re tradition. Wouldn’t be Christmas without ‘em.” George, who looked remarkably like the jolly gift-giver, had been tapped to portray him every year at the festival ever since Sam could remember.
“Speaking of tradition,” Sam pulled his phone from his pocket. “Staff picture time!” There was a small scramble as George put on his hat, Micah shoved the rest of the boxes under the table, and Stephanie insisted on taking the photo.
“You’re never in them, Sam, and I don’t even work with you guys. Go, get in there.” She practically shoved him in next to Lucy, and they all shuffled together.
“Say sugar cookie!” Steph called, and they all laughed through the words. Even Sam had to admit, as he looked at the picture, that with Lucy’s bright green coat, Uncle George’s Santa red, and Micah’s blue jacket, it was one of the loveliest staff pictures they’d taken in a long time.
Soon the stall was set up and George left them to get settled in the photo booth. A crowd of locals had gathered at the end of Main Street, waiting for the festival to open. While the mayor led the countdown on the temporary stage to light the giant town square tree, Micah nudged Sam and Lucy out of the booth.
“We’ve got this, you guys go have fun.”
“But-”
“No excuses, James!” Micah pointed at Lucy. “Steph and I are the dream team!”
“Yeah, we are!” Stephanie exchanged an air fist-bump with him. Lucy stifled a laugh and held up her hands.
“Fine, then, but don’t call me if you have any problems.”
“Wasn’t planning to.” Micah hollered after her as she strolled away, then elbowed Sam. “Go with her, man.”
“Yeah, I’m gonna- I’m gonna go. But not because you told me to!” Sam stammered out his words and followed Lucy, hearing Micah’s laughter behind him.
Her hair reflected the colored lights; he had to catch his breath when she blinked up at the snow.
“So where do we start?” She fixed those green eyes on him and he smiled.
“I believe you agreed to decorate another wreath.”
“Ah, yes. I was thinking tree topper, though.”
He lengthened his steps until he was beside her, and she tucked her gloved hand into his elbow.
“Tree topper?”
“Yeah, my parents’ old one broke last year, and I thought it might be a fun present to make them one.”
“That’s awesome, Lucy.”
“Thanks!” She tossed her blonde ponytail and stopped. “Wait, you didn’t mention there was a caramel popcorn booth.”
“Oh, yeah, the dentist's office puts it on. It's ironic. Do you want some?”
“Heck yeah, I want some!” She dragged him over, right as the crowd finished the countdown and the festival truly began.
-
It only took her about twenty minutes and two large scoops of glitter to make the perfect Christmas star. Her mom was going to love this. After arranging with Millie to pick up the decoration later once it was dry, Lucy found Sam, finishing up the last of the caramel popcorn and studying the nativity scene set up in front of town hall.
“That’s really pretty.” Lucy stepped up beside him, feeling a sense of peace settle over her as she looked at the scene.
“My mom painted it, actually. Mr. Samuels at the hardware store carved the pieces and, as Uncle George says, she brought them to life.”
Mary and Joseph looked like real people kneeling in the snow, bent over the manger where the infant Christ slept peacefully. A lamb sat beside them and a dove perched on the edge of the manger. Both parents had a look of exhausted joy, unlike any portrayal she’d seen before, but deeply moving.
“I can see why the city puts it out, it’s stunning.” She leaned down to look closer.
“I think so too. It’s grounding, you know? Like, I can put as much joy as I want into trees or cookies, but without this, it doesn’t really matter.”
“This is joy.” Lucy glanced up at him and he nodded, taking a deep breath.
“Okay, so what’s next? Hot chocolate taste test at the bakery? Ornament scavenger hunt on the big tree? Photo with Santa?” He wadded up the empty popcorn container and offered her his arm again. She grasped it, a little shiver running down her spine, but whether or not it was from the cold, she couldn’t tell.
“Let’s go see Santa.”
“Let’s do it!”
They laughed together as they headed for the little Santa’s Village that the elementary school had set up, complete with volunteer “elves”. According to Sam, even though most of the children in town knew George, they liked to humor him and overplay the idea that they were meeting the real, live Santa Claus. In a way, for many of them, pretending that Mr. George was Santa was a Christmas tradition in and of itself.
They spent a few minutes in Santa’s Village, watching kids get their pictures taken with a grinning George. Spotting the Reindeer Games, a booth devoted to various games involving tossing one object onto another, Lucy challenged Sam to a duel.
“If you don’t win the Reindeer Games, I’m going to be very disappointed.” She poked him with the plastic ring the attendant had just given her.
“So will I,” he laughed.
In the end, Lucy beat him soundly, but gave him the giant stuffed cartoon reindeer prize.
“He belongs with you,” she said solemnly. He accepted the prize, his expression just as somber and he put the plush over his shoulders.
“I am honored and humbled to receive such a gift, Lucy, truly.”
“Well, you know, I take care of my friends.” She shrugged, and they both nodded until they erupted in laughter.
They hit the bakery’s hot chocolate taste test next, deciding that the gingerbread flavor was the winner. After a quick check-in with Micah and Stephanie, Sam led her to the town square Christmas tree.
A dance floor had been set up under a large tent, and a dozen or so people danced to the holiday tunes played by the high school jazz band. Sam propped the reindeer plush up in a chair and held out his hand.
"May I have this dance?"
Lucy shook her head and smiled. “You’re a dork, you know that?”
“I’ve heard that more than a few times in my life, yes.” He rubbed his forehead and chuckled. Lucy grabbed his free hand and tugged him onto the dance floor as the band went into Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
“So,” she said once he’d pulled her into his arms and they started swaying, “have you ever thought about leaving Frost River?”
“Why would I leave the perfect town?” He raised his eyebrows teasingly. He smelled like cinnamon, not that she planned to mention that.
“Fair enough. But there’s a lot of world out there, haven’t you ever wanted to see it?”
“Well, sure, I guess. But don’t underestimate the power of books and the internet to take you anywhere you want to go.”
“Mmm, not the same thing. I get it, though. You’ve got family here, and community… it really is pretty much perfect. Ever dated anyone here?”
She regretted the words the second they left her mouth, but there was no pulling them back now. Sam, for his part, didn’t even flinch.
“Nope. Miss Emma at the bakery tried to get her granddaughter Jenny and I together when we were in high school, but we’ve never exactly… clicked.”
“I take it she’s not a Christmas person?”
“No.” He gave a wry smile. “Among other things. But it’s fine, we’ve learned to peacefully coexist, as long as she never, ever knows that I sneak her grandma double chocolate chip cookies.”
“My lips are sealed,” Lucy said with an exaggerated wink. He laughed, and they pulled apart as the song ended so they could applaud. The teenage band excused themselves for a break, starting pre-recorded music playing in their absence. Slowly the dance floor started emptying, and Sam’s gaze caught hers.
“Lucy, I wanted to say…” He was interrupted by his cellphone chirruping a Christmas carol ringtone; he sighed and answered it. “What's up, bro?” He listened for a moment, then burst into laughter. “Yeah, we’ll be right there.” He put the phone back in his pocket and went to retrieve the reindeer plush. “Evidently Micah and Steph have been overrun with the preschool crowd and require reinforcements.”
“The dream team taken down by toddlers.” Lucy shook her head ruefully. “You hate to see it.”
“Well, let’s at least make sure they go down fighting, shall we?” Sam took her hand, which sent a lovely tingle into her heart, and they hurried back to the Nichols Delivery booth.
