Merry Christmas Mary!

There was once an old woman named Mary. She was 84 years ago and that loneliness was her only companion, because she was a widow and her children had migrated to other cities in search of work. Mary alone was visited by Carmen, a social worker who helped with chores and offered him all the love that her children no longer gave her. They were always very busy and usually at Christmas parties were more important commitments to visit an old lady.

One Christmas Eve, Mary was sitting next to a round table with petticoats covering her legs, warming with an electric brazier which was just below the table. It had a pleasant winter day. Lowest lethargy sun streamed through the window illuminating the room dimly. Despite being a sunny day, it was freezing.

The Christmas holidays had arrived. Through the window, Mary watched as people walked through the city. The streets were decorated with colorful lights , forming the typical Christmas figures : bells , holly , fir Christmas , Santa Claus faces , sleds ... People walked the streets wrapping up their coats , scarves and hats covering their heads , chatting on the streets and doing the typical purchases of these dates . Mary, rapt , watching from his window all the fuss people while gently stirring a big bowl of thick chocolate , accompanied by some donuts coated in sugar. She knew that he was giving excessive treat for your health , but the pleasure of that bowl of chocolate replaced the void in his heart. With the first sip of chocolate, Mary closed her eyes reveling in the feeling of wellbeing that invaded his body. When Mary opened her eyes and looked out the window she noticed something different in the environment.

The streets were paved with stone, they strolled through wood and iron chariots driven by horses and mules. The houses were made of mud, stone and plaster and were plastered with lime. People were dressed in old clothes. Children played in the street with snow, made ​​snowballs and threw them at each other. Mary was impressed. She rose from the table and went out.

In the distance she saw some girls playing in the street, and one of them shouted:

- Mary, come play with us!

Mary recognized to those girls. Puzzled, he looked his body. Everything about her had changed. Now he looked like a girl of 9 years.She had stepped back in time! That girl was calling her older sister, Charity. Great confusion and overflowing joy invaded her infant body. Without thinking, she ran to her sister and started playing with the snow. There were Hope, Eleanor, Piety and Elisabeth (his little sister, with 4 years, trying unsuccessfully to keep up with all those girls twice her age).

Mary, fatigued by the game, he sat on a gate. After a few minutes, the large wooden door opened and she heard a voice saying:

- Mary, honey, call your sisters. I have prepared a snack: a big bowl of chocolate and muffins. Come and rest a while.

Mary, stunned, recognized that voice in her heart. It was mom! she turned and saw her. Tears moistened her face. She had preserved in her memory the image of her mother as she was watching at the time. A weak-looking woman, dressed in black with a large white apron tied around his waist, greasy and chocolate drops. The gray hair tied back and that smile so tender.

Mary called her sisters. She took Elizabeth into her arms, he could not stop kissing and cuddling her. Elizabeth knew reciprocate with emotional hugs and sweet kisses. She returned to enjoy those snacks that mom prepared.

Her mother reminded them that it was Christmas Eve and that night estrenarían their new wool coats that she had made ​​and new shoes, and be ready to walk through the streets of the village asking some Christmas money.

This Christmas Eve, Mary went to dinner with her parents and sisters. On the table was a large plate with potatoes and lamb, a jug of red wine and a loaf of bread. Everyone enjoyed dinner and waited anxiously the arrival of dessert. Those tasty shortbread so lovingly prepared by mom.

After dinner, came his Queñes friends, singing carols and playing tambourines and entered the house to pick up Mary and Charity. Both took shelter in their new coats and shoes, grabbed their tambourines and excited, took to the streets in search of donations from their neighbors.

That night, people were very generous and collected all kinds of sweets and nougat. In each house were offered a sweet exchange for listening to a good carol. After spending all night singing, Mary and her friends were distributed and collected, tired, each went to her house.

Mary, accompanied by Charity, came into their own, and together they went to her room, returning to share the bed.

Mary closed her eyes. Sleep overtook her at the time. A feeling of being invaded her body.

"That would be nice to relive those moments when we are happy. Such moments of childhood are captured in our memories waiting to be rescued one day, to remind us that Christmas magic will live forever in our hearts"

Mary did not reawakened. She fell asleep forever in that chair by the window. Her childhood was the most precious treasure of her life, her mind tried to fight for years to remember those happy moments with her family and always remember the little people who made hers forever. Her long life ended as she always dreamed about being young, being happy, remembering those years when nothing was afraid, she was happy and dreamed.