Good Night Tom (a short chrstmas tale)

Good Night Tom

“Good night Tom” his mother said with as much happiness as she could,
“Christmas tomorrow you don’t want Santa to know you’re awake or he won’t leave you anything”
Thomas snuggled down into his soft warm bed and smiled at his mum before asking,
“Is Santa coming here this year mum?”
“He is son. Me and dad gave him as much money as we could so hopefully he’ll bring you something you like”
“I’m sure he will mum”
His mum smiled and lent forward gently kissing him on the head,
“Good night Tom. I’ll go and put Santa’s mince pie on the kitchen table”
“Don’t forget the milk as well mum”
“I won’t don’t worry”
Thomas closes his eyes as his mum closes his bedroom door. She leaves the landing light on and makes her way quietly back downstairs. The small house is decorated with tinsel and there’s a small tree in the corner. Beneath the tree are brightly wrapped gifts of various sizes,
“How’s it looking?” Tom’s mother asked his father, who was busily arranging the gifts beneath the tree,
“Not bad” he replied,
“There are not many again this year though is there?” she said sadly,
“No but you know Tom, he’ll be happy no matter what he gets”
“I suppose. Don’t you wish we could give him more?”
“Of course I do. I want him to have the same as all the kids.”
Toms father stands and puts his arms around his wife,
“At least he has two loving parents. There are not many kids that can say that nowadays is there?”
The two hold each other beneath the tree as the small lights upon it flicker on and off. The many baubles and pieces of tinsel are oddly placed thanks to Tom being allowed to decorate it this year.
He was now six and old enough to do it himself. Except for the angel, the angel had been placed there by his father in what had become somewhat of a tradition. Tom and his mother had set the tree up that day whilst his father was at work. Tom had then had a great time decorating the tree under his mother’s watchful eye. All day it had taken him. Every bauble placed with care, every length of tinsel placed in exactly the right place. Each tiny bulb of the fairy lights placed just in the right spot so as to illuminate the baubles and other ornaments of the tree. Then finally his dad came home around six. He went up into the loft and brought down an old box wrapped in Christmas paper. Tom knew the angel was inside as his dad slowly opened it. Tom sat and watched as his dad took it from the box very carefully. Handling it like the precious old object that Tom knew it was. The feathers of the angels wings were real birds feathers, the dress she wore was made of real silk and lace, her smile warmed Tom all the way through. It had been tradition that each person kissed the angels cheek before it was placed upon the tree. Delicately Tom’s dad kissed the cheek and held it for Toms mum. Toms mum kissed the angels cheek and his dad moves it to Tom. Tom leans forward and kisses the cheek very carefully. The cold porcelain almost feels soft and skin like beneath his lips. Tom moves away and his father very slowly and carefully places it upon the top of the small tree. Beneath her a ring of fairy lights await to illuminate her,
“Are you ready for switch on?” Tom’s father had asked,
Tom and his mother sat on the sofa in front of the tree and nodded,
“Three, two, one, Switch on!”
Tom’s father flicked the switch of the plug socket and the lights had all came on. Some flicker gently whilst others stay on constantly. The small ring beneath the angel lit her up as though she was a real angel sat on a cloud in heaven looking upon us all. Tom felt proud that he had done the tree this year. Even his mum admitted it looked beautiful.
The two held each other beneath the oddly decorated tree. The angel sat atop looking over them. The cheap fabric, fake feathers and poorly painted face lit by the glow of the tiny fairy lights,
“I just wish we could give him the Christmas he believes in. With all the magic and the joy” Toms mother whispers,
“I know you do. I wish for that every year. But we have to make do with what we have. Come on let’s set up the kitchen and go to bed.”
Out in the kitchen Tom’s father takes a bite from a mince pie and leaves it on a plate. His mother pours a little milk into a glass and swirls it around and pours it back into the bottle. She puts the glass next to the mince pie and them both head up to bed.
Tom wakes. Its Christmas morning already. Half the night he tried to stay awake and hear Santa’s sleigh bells. He runs into his parent’s room but finds the bed empty. Down the stairs he can see a warming glow of the front room light. He rushes downstairs and finds his parents sitting on the sofa. From the kitchen he can smell the Christmas dinner cooking and he heads in to see if Santa has taken the mince pie and milk that were left for him,
“Mum, mum” he shouts excitedly,
“Look he’s bitten the mince pie and drank the milk! Why does he only have a bite of the mince pie though? If I were him I’d eat it all!”
“well Tom if he ate all the mince pie in every house he goes to he’d end up to fat to fit down the chimney.” His mum replies,
“And then you wouldn’t get any presents at all.” His dad adds.
Tom sees the presents under the tree and dives sits beside them inspecting each one. In the last year he’d started reading good enough to know who each gift was for and so he decides to be the official gift hander outer.
“First this is for you mum” he says handing her a small oblong shaped gift. She unwraps it carefully and sees it’s a jewellery box. She opens it up and inside is a beautiful silver necklace. The pendant of which is a heart with I love you etched on its face. A tear wells in her eyes and she looks to Tom’s father, who is smiling broadly,
“Do you like it?” he asks,
“I love it” she takes it from the box and hangs it around her neck. Tom forages under the tree,
“Here’s one for you dad” he hands the big soft gift to his father who quickly opens it. Inside is a thick woollen, plain black jumper. He holds it up against his chest,
“I thought you could wear it at work” Tom’s mother says,
“I will. It’ll keep me lovely and warm in the winter. Thank you my love” He says as he folds it and places it carefully on the arm of his chair. Tom forages beneath the tree looking for another gift to hand out,
“There’s only ones for me left” he says sadly,
“That’s ok Tom, me and your father asked him to give most to you cause of how good you’ve been this year.”
Tom begins to open his gifts up. Very slowly picking which to open and then carefully taking the paper off each one. Each of his six gifts are soon lined up in front of him on the floor. Three new cars, one new pair of his favourite cartoon characters pyjamas, a new school bag and his main gift. A brand new radio controlled monster truck. He could barely contain his excitement as he tore the box open and got it out. Santa had even put batteries in the box for him as well. For the rest of the day he had fun using the huge radio controlled beast to crush and smash his other smaller cars. Down in the living room his parents watch all manner of Christmas shows on TV. The dinner is eaten and drinks are all drunk. Soon it’s bed time and both parents see their son to bed,
“Did you have a nice Christmas day Tom?” his mother asks sitting on his bedside,
“Yes mum. I love my new monster truck. It’s good at smashing things.”
“Good I’m glad. We’ll go and see Nana tomorrow. Maybe Santa left you something with her too.”
As his mum leans forward to kiss his forehead Tom throws his arms around her and whispers in her ear,
“I love you mummy. Thank you for everything”
A tear fills his mum’s eye as she holds him as tight as she can. This little man she loves so much. He never moans or grumbles. He never tantrums, His heart is so gentle and pure. One day she’ll give her son the Christmas he deserves. With all the magic and the joy. Until then she’ll give him her love and an unspoken promise that she will always be there for him,
“Good night Tom”

that's actually a little sad. but i enjoyed writing it. i hope you enjoyed reading it.

Yes I enjoyed reading it very much ....Like you say ....A little sad , but a very good story......well done