The First Christmas
Gemma Evans
My favorite Christmas memory was the first and last that I got to spend with my husband Kevin. Kevin and I had had a whirlwind romance. We became pregnant with my youngest son shortly after we began dating. Konnor’s first Christmas was our first Christmas as a family. Kevin and I each had a child from previous relationships and those first few months after the baby was born had a few rough spots.
I went all out that year, the house looked like the north pole and we had enough food to feed an army. Christmas Eve, we set a buffet up in the dining room and played games, watched Christmas movies, the whole Hallmark experience. The only thing missing was Kevin’s beloved snow.
I remember my husband beaming his big, goofy grin at me as he watched me cook and played with Konnor and the other kids. Konnor was fascinated with the bows and wrapping paper. My stepdaughter Elizabeth squealed with laughter as Kevin stuck a bow on Konnor. My oldest son, Owen stuck a Santa hat on Konnor which he promptly tore off his head.
I remember tears filling my eyes as I whipped up the mayo and egg yokes for the deviled eggs Kevin and Owen would fight over later. Never had I experienced a Christmas that felt like Christmas. With the cooking finally done we formed a line and filled our plates. Taking our places in the living room we settled in to watch movies.
We lived paycheck to paycheck and didn’t have cable but somehow Kevin managed to get me my favorite movie, A Christmas Story. I curled up next to him on the couch. Kevin put his arm around me and I snuggled against his chest.
He gave me his crooked half-grin and kissed my forehead. “The only thing that would make this better would be a blizzard that keeps us homebound for three or four days.”
“You’re insane and you better bite your tongue!” I said with a mouthful of food.
That same crooked smile and a bearhug. “Best Christmas ever,” Kevin whispered. “And it’s all because of you.”
My husband would pass away in his sleep a few weeks later. But for one perfect night, I had a Christmas that was every bit as magical and perfect as a Hallmark movie and I will treasure that Christmas for the rest of my life.
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About Gemma Evans
Gemma Evans lives in Terre Haute, Indiana with her husband and children. Gemma found a love for reading that turned into writing her own stories at a young age. When she’s not at her day job or writing, Gemma can be found attempting to keep the big and little humans alive and tending to the furry and scaled members of her family. A good book never far from her side.
Keep an eye out for Gemma’s upcoming novel, The Hollywood Wife.
