An Unexpected Christmas: Stories of Holidays Wrapped in Miracles, Mishaps, and Mischief

An Unexpected Christmas

Stories of Holidays Wrapped in Miracles,

Mishaps, and Mischief

Veronica Berry

Carl D Colbert

Rose P Evelyn-Hall

Donna Kelly

Daphne Tarango

Luis B Tarango

Kim Wilbanks

Edited by Amberlyn Dwinnell

Published by Comfort Station Publications at Smashwords

Copyright 2018 Daphne E. Tarango

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

Graphic design Copyright 2018 Sarah L Farnsworth.

Disclaimer: Some names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals. We have tried to recreate events, locales and conversations from our memories of them. In order to maintain anonymity, in some instances, we have changed the names of individuals and other identifying characteristics, such as physical properties, occupations and places of residence.

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Dedication

For Coleen (1952-2018)

and

Tara (1976-2018)

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

First Christmas

The Real Reason

Just Another Christmas

Granddaddy and the Christmas Dove

Ornaments

Inviting Them Home

The Poinsettia Promise

A Regifted Christmas

Blue Sneakers Santa Claus

A Spoiled Surprise

Mrs. Coleen

A Christmas Gift

A Christmas Racket

Christmas in North Pole

Florida Freeze

Parranda Christmas

Missing Jesus

Thank You

About Daphne

Connect with Daphne

About the Co-Authors

Acknowledgments

I am indebted to the many people who encourage, motivate, and support me in my writing efforts.

To my co-authors: Thank you for embracing my vision and jumping on the opportunity to share your most memorable Christmas moments. Thank you for your feedback and support in all aspects of this project.

To our editor: Thank you for sharing your expertise with us. We appreciate your patience, flexibility, and gentle critique of our work. Thank you for elevating our words to their ultimate potential.

To Sarah Farnsworth: Thank you for the lovely cover design. You captured our vision for the book from the initial draft. May God continue to bless your talents.

To my husband: Thank you for encouraging this effort from the moment I mentioned it. Thank you also for contributing your own story to our collection.

To my children: Thank you for making our life an adventure and adding to the inspiration for a lot of my ideas. I love sharing the holidays with you.

Introduction

Remember the Christmas when things went as planned? No one had an argument? A Christmas ornament didn’t break? Or maybe all the dishes turned out perfectly?

I don’t.

Every Christmas, something unexpected happens. Sometimes, it’s a little thing. Other times, it’s a big thing. The kind of thing that sticks in your memory and becomes part of the collection of stories that begin with, Remember the Christmas when?

The Christmas with Mrs. Dorothy is one of my unexpected Christmases

***

My husband and I were out of work—I voluntarily as a stay-at-home mom, he involuntarily laid off. We scrimped throughout the year. Christmas was no different. We decided to forego getting ourselves presents and focus on the three kids. On Christmas morning, we had a brief time of opening gifts—mainly undergarments.

As we binged on Christmas movies, our six-year-old ran up to us.

Mom, it’s a woman, he announced.

What’s a woman?

At the door.

A woman at the door?

I don’t know her. It was Christmas Day, so we weren’t expecting anyone. I looked through the window before approaching the door. The woman had already walked to her car at the end of our driveway and was standing behind it—trunk open.

I recognized the woman—Mrs. Dorothy, from church. Her silver hair perfectly in place. Other senior ladies at church had gray hair; Mrs. Dorothy had silver hair. And she wore it well.

I walked outside. Hi, Mrs. Dorothy.

Her hand rested on top of the trunk. I hope you don’t mind, she said in her dainty voice, but I wanted to stop by and bring you some things.

Things?

Yes, these are for your family. From her trunk, she pulled out two black trash bags. Just a few things for Christmas, she said in a nonchalant way.

For us?

Yes, for you. Every year, our Sunday School class selects a family for Christmas, and we bring Christmas to them. This year, we chose your family.

My eyes started to fill with tears. She gave me a big hug and said, Merry Christmas, Daphne.

All I could muster was a broken, Thank you.

This bag, she turned and pulled out another one, is for you and Ike.

My eyes—and my mouth—opened wide as I accepted it.

Oh, and I almost forgot, she continued, pulling several envelopes from her dress jacket. Here is an envelope for each of your children that you can use when their birthdays come around. She slipped them between my fingers. There’s a gift card in each of the envelopes.

My nose tickled.

She raised her eyebrows and emphasized, It’s from you to them.

I nodded, signaling I would follow her directions.

She pulled another envelope from within her jacket. And this one is just for you and Ike. She gazed at me with clear eyes—eyes that spoke deep understanding.

I gave her a kiss on the cheek and started to invite her in.

Gotta get back to the house, she sang. Merry Christmas.

Thank you so much, Mrs. Dorothy.

God bless, she replied as she finger-waved and got in her car.

Berto was still looking out the window.

I hobbled inside, trying not to drop anything.

What did that lady want?

Yeah, who was she? asked our oldest J.J.

I set the bags on the sofa and stood there in a daze. Someone from church.

What’s in the bags?

Christmas presents.

Lizzie jumped up and down and did a happy dance.

What’s going on? asked my husband, coming into the main room. What is all this?

I snapped out of my daze. It’s … My lips curled into a smile. Christmas.

***

That Christmas with Mrs. Dorothy is among my unexpected Christmases.

But there are others.

In these pages, we’ve compiled stories of Christmases that have left an indelible mark on our memories. Some stories are humorous. Others, quirky. Some, introspective. All of them have one thing in common. They were all unexpected.

Read them silently. Read them aloud. Read them alone. Read them with loved ones.

We hope you enjoy An Unexpected Christmas: Stories of Holidays Wrapped in Miracles, Mishaps, and Mischief.

First Christmas

Daphne Tarango

I sensed her outstretched neck over my shoulder, but I didn’t acknowledge her. Her curious eyes shot past me toward the computer monitor. She hopped in front of me.

What are you doing, Mom?

I played along and jumped out of my desk chair, feigning surprise. Little girl! I tickled her mid-section.

Thcared ya, didn’t I? She smiled wide, revealing the gap