Abby Klein - A Very Crazy Christmas

by ABBY KLEIN
illustrated by JOHN McKINLEY
To Harry, Shirley, Michael, Susan, Amy, Rich,
Sue, Niki, Ashley, Joel, Josh, and Dani.
Being with you makes every Christmas special!
I love you all!
A.K. I have a problem.
A really, really big problem.
My twin cousins, Kelly and Kasey,
are coming for Christmas,
and whenever theyre around,
things get a little crazy! Let me tell you about it. I just love the holidays! We spend Christmas with grandparents and cousins, just like Freddys family. Our family has some special holiday traditions, too. We go to Whites Tree Farm and cut down our own Christmas tree. When we bring it home, it makes the whole house smell like Christmas.

We make homemade gingerbread cookies and decorate them. We usually end up eating most of them on Christmas Eve, but we always save a few to leave for Santa! We sprinkle granola on the front lawn for Santas reindeer. They must get hungry doing all that flying! I hope you have as much fun reading A Very Crazy Christmas as I had writing it. HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND HAPPY READING!

Have a great holiday, everyone! said our teacher, Mrs. Wushy, as we ran out the door. I raced out of school, jumped on the bus, and plopped down in my seat.

My best friend Robbie sat down next to me. This is going to be the best Christmas ever! I said to Robbie. Why? Max butted in. Are you going to dance in The Nutcracker ballet? Then Max stood up and announced to the whole bus, Guess what, everybody? Freddy is going to wear a tutu and dance in The Nutcracker! The whole bus started laughing, and my face got hot. I sank down in my seat. Really? said Chloe.

Im going to wear a tutu and dance in The Nutcracker. What color is your tutu, Freddy? Yeah, what color is your tutu, Freddy? Max said, imitating Chloe. I sank lower in my seat. I wish I could disappear, I whispered to Robbie. Just then my other best friend, Jessie, looked right at Max and said, What color is your tutu, Max? For a minute Max couldnt say anything. Then he stammered, I-I-I dont have a tutu. Yes, you do, said Jessie.

Its pink and has sparkles on it. The whole bus burst out laughing. Maxs cheeks got red, and he quickly sat down in his seat. Thanks, Jessie, I said. Jessie was so brave. She was the only one brave enough to stand up to Max, the biggest bully in the whole first grade.

No problem, said Jessie, giggling. Whats so funny? I asked. Nothing, said Jessie. Im just thinking of Max in a sparkly pink tutu. I bet he looks just like a little princess when he wears it. Robbie, Jessie, and I started laughing so hard I thought we were going to fall out of our seats.

So, Freddy, said Robbie. You still havent told us why this is going to be the best Christmas ever. I smiled a big, wide smile. Kelly and Kasey are coming to visit, I said. Who? asked Jessie. My twin cousins, Kelly and Kasey.

Papa Dave and Grammy Rose are coming, and theyre bringing the twins with them. Why are they coming with your grandparents? Robbie asked. Well, their whole family was supposed to come, but my baby cousin Kenny got the chicken pox, so my aunt and uncle have to stay home with him, I said. At least they still get to come, said Robbie. Are they older or younger than you? asked Jessie. Theyre older than me, but not as old as Suzie, I said.

You sound so excited, said Jessie. I cant wait! Things always get a little crazy when those two are around. My Christmas is going to be extra special, too, said Jessie. My abuela, my grandma, says that this year Im old enough to carry my own candle for Las Posadas. Las Po-what? I said. Las Posadas, said Jessie. Its a Mexican Christmas celebration.

Everybody lights candles and then walks through the streets. Its kind of like a parade. Cool, I said. That sounds really beautiful. It is, said Jessie. Its always my favorite part of Christmas.

How about you? I asked Robbie. Do you get to do anything special this year? Yes! My mom says I can light the kinara this year. The what? I asked. The kinara. Ive never heard of that, said Jessie. Well, my family doesnt celebrate Christmas, said Robbie.

We celebrate Kwanzaa. The kinara is a candleholder that holds seven candles. We light one each night to celebrate the harvest. That sounds like the menorah that my family lights for Hanukkah, said Max. I didnt even know he was listening to us. It is a lot like a menorah, said Robbie.

Do you want to know what my favorite part of Hanukkah is? asked Max. Not really, I whispered to Robbie. Its when my mom makes potato pancakes. That sounds disgusting, said Chloe, wrinkling up her nose. Who makes pancakes out of potatoes? For your information, little prissy princess, said Max, they are delicious! That does sound good, said Jessie. It sounds like a giant hash brown.

Thats exactly what theyre like, and they taste really good with applesauce, Max said, licking his lips. You know, Chloe, said Jessie, you really shouldnt say something sounds disgusting if youve never tried it. Yeah, said Max. Hmph, Chloe said as she tossed her strawberry-blonde curls and turned away. My favorite Christmas food is gingerbread cookies, I said, patting my stomach. I like putting all the colored sprinkles on them, I said. Yeah. Yeah.

Thats my favorite part, too! said Max. Wow! Something we have in common, I whispered to Robbie. I smiled at Max. I think he might have actually smiled back at me. Just then the bus pulled up in front of my house. I jumped out of my seat.

Good-bye, everybody, I called. Happy holidays! Good-bye, Freddy, said Robbie. Hope you have a great Christmas! Oh, I will! This is going to be a very crazy Christmas!

That night at dinner I was so excited I was bouncing in my seat. Freddy, please calm down, said my mom. You are going to fall out of your chair. I cant sit still, Mom.

I am so excited about Christmas! This is going to be the best Christmas ever! I started to sway and sing, Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way. Its going to be the worst Christmas ever if you keep singing, said my sister, Suzie, covering her ears. Suzie, thats not very nice to say to your brother, said my dad. Well, he sounds like a sick goat in the manger, Suzie said, laughing. I didnt care what she said tonight. I was in too good a mood.