Home For Christmas by Tracey Alvarez

Author:Tracey Alvarez [Alvarez, Tracey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Icon Publishing Limited

Chapter 15

If there was one thing the women in Kezia’s family did well, it was tradition—especially tradition around the holidays. Christmas in Kezia’s family, back when she was a little girl living in a seaside suburb in Wellington, was steeped in Italian tradition. At least, her mother’s version of Italian tradition since it was now blended with their Kiwi lifestyle.

Her parents, four older brothers, and Kezia all went to midnight mass on Christmas Eve. They had a Christmas tree decorated in the green/white/red of the Italian flag with precious spun-glass ornaments they’d brought with them from Italy. There was struffoli napoletani, good red wine in Mama’s good crystal glasses for Christmas Day, but also roast lamb and pavlova. Often they’d spend an afternoon at the beach under beach umbrellas while her brothers teamed up with other local kids to play soccer.

And the tradition she’d started with Zoe, as an impatient toddler who couldn’t understand waiting for Christmas morning to arrive, was to open a ‘family’ gift on Christmas Eve. Tonight Kezia was blessed to have two daughters and a loving husband to share this tradition with.

“Amore mio, go and bring the box in our closet out,” she asked Ben.

Ben dutifully fetched the large cardboard box wrapped in sparkly paper and set it on the coffee table before Zoe and Jade. Zoe bounced on the edge of the couch, immediately losing the affected poise of a tween and returning to a younger age when she’d anticipated the magic of Santa heading Down Under. Jade pressed her knuckles to her mouth and giggled, shooting glances at her dad.

“Don’t look at me, kiddo,” Ben said. “I have no idea what your mama’s hidden in this box.”

The girls, who’d spent two Christmases as part of the Harland clan now, probably suspected there would be some delizioso homemade snacks, something for them to do together as a family, and something for them to wear. Last year they’d played a cutthroat game of Lord of the Rings Monopoly while wearing Hawaiian shirts in eye-piercing and hilarious prints. The year before it was charades with matching Team Harland T-shirts, including a doggy-sized one for Sparky.

This year…well.

Kezia smiled at her girls—her beautiful blessings that filled her heart to overflowing—and said, “What are you waiting for? Rip into it.”

Zoe and Jade launched themselves at the box, tearing off the paper and popping open the top. Jade reached in first and pulled out a bundle of white fleece. She shook it open to reveal a kid-sized onesie, the hood of which had a sparkly horn attached as well as a lilac mane and, attached to the butt, a sparkly lilac tail.

Jade laughed and handed it over to Zoe. “This must be for you!”

“Thank you, Mama,” Zoe said. She pulled out another onesie, this time a brown one with floppy ears and a tail. “Jade! Now you’ll look like Sparky.”

Jade giggled and took it from Zoe, hugging it close to her chest. Then she dropped it on the couch beside her

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