A CHRISTMAS STORY

BY DEL MARTIN

"There, that does it!"

The handmade gold star glittered from the top of the tree. Charlie clattered down from the chair. Sue snapped the switch.

The two girls stood back, arm in arm, to admire thei first Christmas tree.

"It's beautiful," Sue murmured.

Charlie gave her a quick squeeze. She reached for a tiny package on the mantle and placed it on a lower limb of the tree.

"It may be small in size, but not in sentiment.' "How sweet of you, honey! What is it? When can I

open it?"

With Sue this year Christmas would be like the ones she remembered as a child, Charlie thought. It had been years since she'd been at all excited about the holidays. They had been to her something to endure rather than enjoy. But Sue's enthusiasm and childlike anticipation were effervescent, and Charlie was actually becoming a reformed Scrooge.

"I don't know. When do you think we should open our presents?" Charlie grinned.

"We always open them on Christmas morning at home, before breakfast," Sue said.

"Well, I guess we should have our own Christmas here the night before."

"But I'm expected at my folks' on Christmas Eve, "Sue exclaimed. "My sister and her husband are going to Berkeley for Christmas dinner, so the only time we can all get together is Christmas Eve."

Charlie's high spirits curdled into a hard lump in the pit of her stomach. She sighed, "I had thought we'd have Christmas Eve to ouselves and then go to

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