It's Christmas Eve

 

"Hey Midge!" called Booker-T as he crawled through the doggie door at Midge's house and ran to the living room. "Where are you?"

"Hi Booker-T," greeted Snappy. "What are you doing?"

"Hi Snappy," smiled Booker-T. "Wow, I like your tree. It looks a little like the one in my house."

"It's pretty," said Snappy.

"Hi Booker-T," said Midge as she walked out of the bedroom. "Do you like the pretty tree?"

"Yes," said Booker-T. "There is one at my house too. Why do the humans put a tree in the house?"

"I think this is what they call a Christmas tree," said Midge. "And I think they throw the tree away when Christmas is done."

"Why?" asked Booker-T. "It is so pretty. I like the tree and I like playing with the pretty colored balls on the tree."

"You play with the balls?" asked Midge.

"I knocked two of them on the floor and was kicking it around the room," laughed Booker-T. "But one of them broke."

"Oh no," said Midge. "Did your owner get mad at you?"

"I don't think she was happy," said Booker-T.

"Hi you guys," said Jake as he walked into the living room. "What are you doing? I thought you were coming to my house."

"We are," said Booker-T. "But how can we come to your house when you are here?"

"Ha ha ha," said Jake. "I am here because you are not there."

"Oh," said Midge. "We are sorry. Booker-T was looking at the pretty tree."

"I have one at my house too," said Jake. "They are really pretty and I like the lights when my owner turns them on at night. And the lights blink. That is so cool."

"Our lights blink too," said Midge. "They do look pretty."

"Why do they toss the tree away after Christmas?" asked Booker-T.

"I think the tree dies because it don't have roots on it," said Jake.

"Our tree is in a big pot," said Jake. "I think the tree has roots so my owner can plant it in the yard after Christmas. I think her brother is going to come do it for her."

"That is cool," said Midge lifting the blanket under the tree. "See our tree. There are no roots on it and it's just standing in water."

"My tree is like Midge's," said Booker-T. "Does your tree have the balls and the lights on it too?"

"Yes," said Jake. "She put all that stuff on it two days ago. She said that this human she calls Santa Claus is coming to everyone's house tonight."

"Midge and I are going to stay awake so we can see him," said Snappy.

"My owner told her niece that no one can see him," said Jake. "I think he must be invisible."

"If he is invisible," said Booker-T. "How did that human in the story see him?"

"I don't know," said Jake. "Maybe in the story he wasn't invisible."

"I was wanting to see him," sighed Midge.

"My owner told her niece that he don't come to the house until everyone is sleeping."

"Why?" asked Booker-T.

"Because I don't think he wants anyone to see him," said Jake.

"Is he a secret?" asked Snappy.

"How can he be a secret if he is in the story?" asked Booker-T.

"I don't know," said Midge. "Do you think he is real?"

"Every Christmas morning, there are presents under the tree for everyone," said Booker-T.

"They don't know how they got under the tree?" asked Snappy.

"No," said Jake. "When everyone wakes up in the morning and walks into the room where the tree is, there are the presents under the tree."

"Wow," said Midge. "Like magic. Santa Claus must be magic."

"I think he is," said Jake.

"I like magic," smiled Midge. "Maybe Snappy and I can see him tonight."

"Are you going to try and see him?" asked Booker-T.

"Yes," said Midge. "Do you want to come sleep in my house with us?"

"I don't think my owner would like it if I was outside in the night," said Booker-T. "I don't want her to get mad at me."

"That's okay," said Midge. "Snappy and I will watch for him. I can't take a picture of him because I don't have a camera because I am not human."

"You can tell Jake and I what you see," said Booker-T. "If you can stay awake."

"We will try," said Snappy.

"What do you want for Christmas Midge?" asked Jake.

"I want some treats and a new ball to play with," said Midge. "And a new red bow for my ear. What do you want Jake?"

"I want some treats too," said Jake. "And maybe a new big chew bone and I need a new bed."

"What happened to your bed?" asked Booker-T.

"It is old now," said Jake. "And not very comfortable now."

"What do you want Booker-T?" asked Midge.

"I want some nice catnip and a stuffed bunny to sleep with," smiled Booker-T.

"You sleep with a stuffed bunny?" asked Snappy.

"Yes," said Booker-T. "My owner gave me one when I first came to live there."

"Why?" asked Midge.

"She wanted to make me feel safe, I think," said Booker-T.

"That's cute," said Jake. "What do you want Snappy?"

"I want some new flowers for my tank," said Snappy. "And some nice little treats."

"Maybe we will all get our Christmas wishes tonight," smiled Midge.

"I hope everyone gets their wish," said Snappy.

"Me too," smiled Jake.

"I like Christmas time," said Booker-T.

"We all wish our readers a wonderful Merry Christmas," said Jake and Midge.