Sunday, December 11, 2016

The Twelve Mice of Christmas

Happy Sunday and Happy Holidays!

I've been busily working and writing lately, because I wanted to have an entry to share for Susanna Hill's 6th Annual Holiday Writing Contest. The guidelines this year are to write a 300-word (or less) children's holiday story based on the structure or concept of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The story can be "poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate."

So...my attempt is below! (296 words) Thanks for stopping by and reading.


THE 12 MICE OF CHRISTMAS
by Jennifer Garthe

 

Within the snowy woodland,
12 mice were gently creeping.
Inside a cabin in the woods
Their friend Old Bear was sleeping.               


This time each year they loaded up
With gear for celebrating,
To bring the feel of Christmas
While their friend was hibernating.


The first mouse of Christmas
Placed a wreath with bow and berry
Upon the door to welcome guests
And make the house look merry.


The second mouse of Christmas
Set a stocking by the fire,
Followed by the third mouse
Bringing garland to admire.


While Bear snored on, the next four mice
Brought in the Christmas tree.
They placed it in a corner
Just where Bear would wake and see.


The eighth mouse of Christmas
Brought in strings of twinkle lights.
Soon the tree and garland glowed
With glints of frosted whites.

 
Mice 9 and 10 came in with
Shiny tinsel for the tree,
And ornaments of red and gold
That sparkled brilliantly.


The 11th mouse of Christmas
Brought sweet cocoa to the house.
He’d serve warm mugs to Bear
And then to each and every mouse.


The 12th mouse of Christmas
Brought their favorite treat of all:
His shiny wooden fiddle
To delight ears big and small.


The house was warm and ready.
The tree was glittery.
The mouse took up his fiddle
And began a melody.


The music stopped Bear’s snoring
And the mice knew he could hear it.
He slowly woke and saw
His house aglow with Christmas spirit!

 
They brought Old Bear his cocoa
And some slippers for his feet.
They listened to the music
In the room so snug and sweet.

 
“Thank you, friends,” he said
With mug in hand and raised to tell:
“Cheers to a happy Christmas
And to friends who love us well.”



Happy Holidays to you and yours -- and best wishes to those who submitted entries to the contest!

~Jen

UPDATE (12/19/2016): My entry won an honorable mention in the contest! While the story didn't qualify for the list of finalists, I'm happy to have gone through the process and to now have a manuscript that I can polish. Excited to stretch my writing muscles more in the coming months!

18 comments:

  1. Wonderful story. Such a sweet friendship.

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  2. Nice to wake to a fully decorated house and cocoa.

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  3. Those are some nice mice. Great story. Good luck and happy holidays!

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  4. What a sweet story. Loads of Christmas spirit.

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  5. What a lovely way to wake Bear up for Christmas!

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  6. Lucky Bear! I want to wake to cocoa and slippers -- so cozy. Lovely story, Jen!

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  7. What a lovely and beautifully told story, Jennifer! I'm impressed! :) Cozy and warm, friendship and Christmas spirit, music and cocoa - what more could you want? Thanks so much for joining in the fun, and Happy Holidays!

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    1. Thank you, Susanna, and thank you for all of your hard work in organizing this contest. Happy holidays to you, too!

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  8. Jen...this is totally lovely. Beautiful soirit throughout...and great rhyme...well done!!

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    1. Thank you for the encouraging words, Vivian!

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