Elijah gripped his mug of hot chocolate, watching Richard and Skyler sit excitedly listening to Alan read the Christmas story from the bible.
This was their's first Christmas, well real Christmas.
A Christmas with a real tree and not a shrub, a Christmas with new presents wrapped in real wrapping paper and not newspaper.
Alan finished the story, and then the family started singing Silent Night.
Elijah just sat back and listened to the many voices swirling together in almost perfect harmony.
When the song was finished, they all shuffled into the kitchen.
And placed there now empty mugs in the sink.
"Now remember, no coming down the staircase tomorrow until you hear music, alright?"
The kids nodded Alan and Racheal stood in the kitchen's doorway and said good night to their kids as they left the kitchen and up to their own bedrooms.
Elijah got ready for bed.
He was way more excited for Christmas then he had let on and was already planning ways around his insomnia so Christmas could arrive faster when Oliver asked him a question from the other side of the room.
"Is this your first Christmas?"
"No."
Elijah drifted back into his thoughts for a moment and remembered all the Christmas he had spent with his own family.
Use to Elijah's habits of not elaborating Oliver just laid down in his own bed, and started to drift off into sleep.
Elijah climbed into bed and surprising quickly followed after Oliver into the dreamscape.
THE NEXT MORNING
Elijah was awoken by the sound of 'White Christmas' being played downstairs.
Elijah rolled over and checked the time on his nightstand.
7:25 he also noticed that Oliver's bed was empty, which probably meant that Christmas had already started, and 'White Christmas' wasn't the first song played.
He was interrupted by the door to the room being thrown open and Richard and Skyer entering, they climbed onto his bed as he sat up.
"Elijah! Elijah! IT'S CHRISTMAS!"
They almost yelled together.
"So, why are you up here?"
They smiled before racing out the door, Skyler stopped just short of the door and turned back to Elijah.
"Aren't you coming?"
"Yeah, just give me a moment."
Skyler nodded before rushing after her brother.
Elijah sighed Christmas was probably almost finished, all the presents opened, and all the candy is eaten, so he really didn't see the point of getting up just yet.
Plus Richard and Skyler would show him all their presents later.
So with that, Elijah laid back down and tried to fall asleep again.
Keyword trying, after a few minutes, Elijah realized he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so slowly, he got up and made his way downstairs and to the living room.
"Merry Christmas."
Alan greeted as he entered the living room, all the other kids were already sitting around the room and happily eating their candy, but all the presents were still intact under the tree.
"We wait to open the present until everyone is up."
Racheal explained as she handed him a packed red and white stocking, with to Elijah's surprise his name embroidered across the top.
Elijah took a seat next to Skyler and the fireplace.
Skyler was already surrounded by candy and small toys from her own stocking.
Elijah felt a bit guilty for keeping the others from their Christmas presents, he distracted himself by pulling the items out of his stocking.
It was mostly candy, but at the bottom of the stocking was the traditional orange, along with a few toys and items here and there.
Some of which was a Rubix cube, hand puzzels, a riddle book, and a small notebook.
He put most of the stuff back into the stocking, besides some of the candy that he slipped Skyler and Richard, who was sitting to them on the couch next to the fireplace.
"Alright, time for presents."
Alan said from next to the Christmas tree.
He pulled one presents out at a time, and passed it around the room until it got to its owner.
Elijah spent most of the time watching the others open their presents, rather than opening his own gifts.
Which unsurprisingly consisted of mostly books, with a few building sets, like legos or snap circuit
electric set, and other educational stuff.
But there was one present that stood out to him and would remain with him for the rest of his life, A model of the real SS Paladian, a starship of the space marines.
In an hour all the presents were open Alan stood up.
"Alright, kids, that's it, time to clean up."
They all climbed to their feet and started to sort through the used wrapping paper and throwing away the trash, and just generally making the living room look like a living room again.
"Come on kids, after were done cleaning up, we'll go to the grandparents' house."
The kids cheered and lunched to their feet.
With their help, the room was somewhat clean in no time.
"Alright, get ready to leave, then come help me in the kitchen."
Racheal ordered as she disappeared into the said kitchen.
Elijah followed the others into the front entryway and helped Skyler, and Sucy put on their coats, and tie their shoes before turning to his own.
As soon as his jacket was on, he headed back to the kitchen.
"Grab something protean for breakfast."
Elijah grabbed a slice of cheese and eat it as Racheal handed him plates and dishes full of food.
"I thought grandma was cooking Christmas dinner."
Oliver asked his mother with a smile.
"She is, but since I am bring seven hungry kids to her house, I figured I'd help a bit."
The kids and Alan helped carried out Racheal's food and then pilled into the van.
They had already placed their presents for the grandparents under their own Christmas tree last week, so they didn't need to worry about that.
They sang along with the radio as they drove to their grandparents' new yellow house in the city.
As soon as the van was parked in the driveway, Comrad and Mindy appeared from inside the house and rushed to meet their daughter and her family.
"Merry Christmas!"
Mindy greeted as she hugged and kissed every one of them.
"Merry Christmas, Grandma!"
They happily replied.
Mindy then rushed them into the house, all the while saying they would catch a cold if they stayed outside any longer.
The grandparents' tree was bigger and more beautiful than Anderson's and might have even more presents.
Comrad took his seat next to the tree, and after receiving his cup of coffee from his wife, he started to pace out the presents.
It took most of the day, but everyone was happy and relaxed.
Christmas supper passed happily and was a merry event, and it was nine at night when they loaded up again and set off for home.
Elijah happily sat in the back row and watched the darkness pass them, all the while silently thankful for the great Christmas.
THE END
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