The Key

Is there anybody else out there who thinks Christmas is highly commercialized? The advertisements on the television, radio and the malls drain me out. Yes, it’s a day set aside to celebrate the birth of Christ but people have taken a new meaning to it. I am a Christian, don’t get me wrong. The media tends to focus on how we should have the perfect family, have perfect dinners and have that a smile on our faces but the world is not that perfect. Sometimes, things don’t always go perfect as we hope it would.

Enough about bitching…today is Christmas day. My first Christmas with this family that I have come to love so much. I woke up to breakfast in bed. Fred had decided to make the day special for me by starting the day on a high note. After washing up, we joined the family in the lounge area. Some pictures had been laid out on the table. I picked one up and couldn’t help chuckle. It was Fred when he was young-about eight I think. He was dressed in some cowboy boots and plaid shirt. He really looked so cute! Fred’s mom noticed my interest in the pictures so she came and sat next to me and started telling me about the pictures.

“This one was when he was starting his school.” She said giving me a picture of Fred in his school uniform.

I laughed.                                     

“He was so scared that he followed me to the gate crying.” She continued.

“Mum!” Fred said to his mother.

“Catherine, don’t mind him. Continue looking at his pictures.”

After a about two hours or so, one of the servants came and alerted us that lunch was ready. Fred and his father were in the garage. We called them up and we all went to the dining room and served ourselves. For some reason, I didn’t feel that hungry but I didn’t want to upset the parents so I served myself a small portion before having a glass of fresh fruit juice.

The family started giving our gifts after lunch. Fred had got his parents a shopping voucher in a shoe shop. His sibling received a perfume. I presented my cheap gifts to them and they happily received it. The wine that I had bought was immediately opened and we shared a toast. Fred and I received a small black box tied with a ribbon. Fred opened it slowly and inside it, there was a key. We looked at each other before turning our eyes to the others in the room.

“Dad, what is the key for?” Fred asked.

“It is for your car.” Dad answered.

“My car?” Fred asked.

“We bought you guys a car. I don’t like the way you guys hire cars just to be able to come here.”

Tears streamed down my face. I have never received something like this before. It always happens on Tv, not in real life! I quickly woke up and hugged Fred’s dad. This was too much! My perception on Christmas had completely changed! Haha!