How long is it now?

 

It was a very exciting Friday afternoon; the last school day before the Christmas holidays.  All the Mummy’s and Daddy’s  and Grandmas and Granddads had come to pick up the children. There were cards to carry, gifts to give and decorations to take home and hang on the Christmas tree.

“How long is it now?” asked Polly, tugging on her Mummy’s arm and hopping up and down on one leg.

 

“Seven sleeps till Christmas, Polly” said Mummy as she pushed the buggy towards home.

 

“Christmas will never come” said Polly.

 

The next day was Saturday and it was a very cold and frosty day. Daddy got some big, dusty boxes out of the loft and then they all put on their hats and coats and walked to the market to buy a great, big Christmas tree. Polly helped carry it home.

They covered the tree in lights, tinsel, baubles and glittery string, and then they stuck all the Christmas cards right up the staircase. There was even some tinsel left to go around Polly’s bed. Polly got to set out the nativity scene on the bookshelf.

As Daddy carried her up to bed, she asked, “How long is it now?”

Daddy yawned, “Six sleeps till Christmas.”

Polly sighed, “Christmas will never come.”

 

On Sunday, Polly was in the Christmas play at church. She had a very special costume, which lit up with real lights. Everyone gave her a big clap and Grandad thought she was the shiniest star of all. Then they lit special candles that were held in oranges and were called Christingles.  Polly and Oliver both liked eating their christingles while the man at the front talked.

When the orange was all gone, Polly leaned across to Granny and whispered, “How long is it now?”

Granny smiled, “Five sleeps till Christmas.”

Polly looked sad, “Christmas will never come.”

The next day was Monday and Polly had a very busy day.  In the morning she helped her Mummy bake all kinds of nice things in the kitchen. They put chutney in jars and Polly tied all the ribbons. They made biscuits to hang on the tree and Polly and Oliver got very messy decorating them to look like snowmen, reindeer and sparkly Christmas stars. They even made mince pies for Santa and Mummy let Polly cut out pastry stars to top them and she even painted them with eggs.

In the afternoon Oliver went to bed and Daddy took Polly out for a special treat. They went ice-skating under all the Christmas lights. Polly leaned on a special penguin to help her balance on the slippy ice, and eventually she was better than Daddy, who kept landing on his bum. That evening Mummy put Polly to bed. “How long is it now Mummy?” asked Polly, breathing in a lovely Christmas cakey smell.

“Four sleeps till Christmas, angel pie” Mummy smiled as she turned off Polly’s light.

“Christmas will never come” said Polly to the darkness.

The next day was an awful day. Polly was tired, Oliver had a cough and Mummy and Daddy were grumpy and busy all day! They polished and hoovered and scrubbed and washed all morning, saying “We must get the house ready for Christmas, we have guests!”

But they wouldn’t tell Polly who was coming.  In the afternoon things got even worse, as everyone had to go to the supermarket and for the first time Mummy filled two trolleys. They were piled high with sausages, sweeties, cake, fizzy drinks, nuts and lots of other treats, but Mummy said it wasn’t for now – it was for Christmas.

“How long is it now?” grumbled Polly in the queue at the checkout.

“Three sleeps Polly” replied Mummy and Daddy wearily.

 

The next day Polly felt bored and lonely. She was watching television with Oliver when suddenly a car horn beeped on the drive. The two children clambered onto the big chair and gazed out of the window. There was Grandma and Granddad and all the aunties and uncles and best of all …”my cousins!” yelled Polly, jumping up and down.

Then all was noise and cuddles and excitement. Polly, Oliver and their cousins made a big nest on Oliver’s floor for them all to sleep on, Mummy turned the Christmas music up loud and everyone ate soup and sausages and cake and custard. Later everyone put on their nice clothes and went out in the darkness to see the pantomime at the theatre.

Polly loved the pantomime; there was a big stage with big red curtains. It was so funny when the ghost was hiding from Buttons and when Cinderella sang and danced with the prince. Polly closed her eyes and pretended she was Cinderella on the big stage.

That night as all the cousins started to fall asleep Polly whispered to them “How long is it now?”

“Two sleeps till Christmas Polly” said the cousins, sleepily rolling over.

“Will it ever come?” Polly asked herself.

 

When Polly woke up on Christmas Eve everything seemed very quiet and very bright. She climbed over her sleeping cousins and looked out to the garden. It was beautiful, covered in bright, shining snow. Polly smiled and then everyone woke up. Everyone had a wonderful day – making a snow family as big as theirs, having a snowball fight and making snow angels. Later they went to the big hill and Polly sledged for the very first time.

When everyone was cold and tired they went home and had hot chocolate and marshmallows and everyone helped Mummy and Grandma get ready for Christmas Dinner. Polly, Oliver and the cousins made name places for the table, whilst the grown-ups peeled and chopped and baked and brined.

When everyone was in their pyjamas Daddy got out his flute and played Christmas carols and Mummy and the Aunties sang and Granddad cried because he was so happy. Then it was time to leave a mince pie and carrot out for Santa and the reindeer and go upstairs to hang up the stockings.

“How long is it now?” asked Polly as she hung her stocking on the door knob.

“It’s Christmas Eve” replied Mummy, “only one sleep left. Tomorrow is Christmas.”

Polly smiled.

And the next day? All was magical. The stockings were opened in bed, and everyone ate their oranges and some chocolate coins before going downstairs to see what was under the Christmas tree…

Piles of presents wrapped in shiny red and green and gold paper.  Whisky for Granddad, perfume for Grandma, smelly bubble bath for Aunties, music for Uncles, a new jumper for Daddy, a beautiful necklace for Mummy, games for the cousins, a space rocket for Oliver and for Polly…?

A new shiny bike, which she rode in her dressy gown and welly boots round the snow-covered garden, until it was time for lunch.