‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house...

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Well, except for one young chipmunk.

“Seul...Seul!”

“Huh? What...?”

Little Seulgi rubbed her eyes as she turned to face the girl in the bed next to her. If Joohyun hadn’t been hugging Seungwan in her sleep, Seulgi was sure the girl would’ve been jumping with excitement.

But instead, she simply looked buzzed with anticipation. Which would’ve amused Seulgi normally, but it was bed time and Auntie Taeyeon said they had to go to bed if they wanted Santa to bring them gifts. 

Seulgi loved Seungwan, but she also loved gifts so she needs the chipmunk to go to sleep pronto.

“Seulgi, do you think Santa will give me the cooking toy set I asked for this year?” Seungwan whispered eagerly.

“He will if you go to sleep, Wan...” the bear-like child replies as her eyes shut and words trail.

“You guys are so loud...if Santa doesn’t bring me my puppy, I’m blaming you both,” Sooyoung grumbled next to them as she pulled Yerim in closer, the youngest letting out a soft snore into her turtle plushie.

And with that warning from the tall five-year old, the two best friends giggled and shut their eyes. 

With great excitement for the next morning, young Seungwan slept with a smile on her face.

She hopes Santa liked the cookies she baked for him.

•

“Wake up! Wake up! WAKE! UP!”

Little purple fleece covered feet jumped up and down on the bed, waking up the four small occupants. Groans sounded as the little feet made contact with their arms and stomachs, effectively (and painfully) pulling them from their dreams of sugar plums and fairies.

“It’s Christmas! Everybody wake UP!”

“We heard you the first time, Yerim...” Sooyoung complained as she pulled the covers over her head.

“You can’t go back to sleep! Santa came! Which means presents! And candy! And hot chocolate! Lots and lots of chocolate!” Yerim said with another jump.

Sooyoung growled under the covers, her hand reaching out from underneath to grab the offending legs to keep them from stomping on her again only for them to jump out of her grasp and land on her stomach. Again.

Joohyun simply giggles into Seungwan’s hair. 

“Wake up, Wannie,” the seven year old whispers, poking her sister’s cheek, “Don’t you want to see what Santa brought you?”

That was enough to snap Seungwan out of her sleep as she shoots up and races out of bed to the living room with Yerim quickly following her. The moment they step foot into the living room, they were met with a mountain of gifts under the shining tree as Christmas music played.

“Good morning~ Merry Christmas, kiddos!” Auntie Taeyeon sang, walking in with a tray of warm cookies and mugs of hot cocoa, Ginger and Zero trailing behind her.

“Merry Christmas, Auntie Taeyeon!” 

“Yeri Christmas, Auntie Taeyeon!”

The little quintet chimed once they all arrived. Sooyoung was still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes as Seulgi and Seungwan jumped in their place with wide smiles, barely able to contain their happiness at the sight of the colorful bounty in front of them.

“So I was thinking we should eat breakfast, watch a movie, maybe go out to the park to see the snow...” Taeyeon started, watching the kids’ squirm with excitement, “OR...we could open presents?”

With what sounded like a battle cry from Sooyoung, the kids raced towards the mountain of gifts, diving right in.

Sooyoung squealed as she opened her first gift — a little white plushie of a dog with a green bow on its head. “Santa brought me the puppy I wanted!” The five year old hugs the stuffed toy close. “I’ll name you Haetnim!”

“I got a remote control car!” Seulgi cheered, placing her special stuffed bear in the car and happily watching Zero chase after the little yellow vehicle.

“Ooh! A unicorn! It’s so fluffy I’m gonna die!” Yerim says as she jumps onto the belly of the giant unicorn, giggling into its soft fur before attempting to drag it to her room.

Joohyun, ever the calm and quiet eldest child, couldn’t help but cry out in joy at the sight of her gift — a microphone. “Now I can practice being an announcer!” 

At the sight of her sisters and their gifts, young Seungwan quickly ripped open the wrapping paper in her hands to reveal...a hanja book.

Did Santa make a mistake?

Worried, she goes through the rest of her gifts: a little piano, a mini guitar, a microphone, a blue backpack, and a stuffed chipmunk plushie.

But no cooking toy set.

With a dejected frown, Seungwan sat back as her sisters continued to open their gifts, oblivious to Seungwan’s disappointment. 

Taeyeon however, was observing Seungwan the whole time. 

She knew how much Seungwan wanted the cooking toy set. It was all the six year old could talk about last month. But Taeyeon didn’t realize it wasn’t available in Korea, only in America. By the time she went to order it, it was sold out.

The woman was at a loss. She didn’t want to ruin the child’s Christmas. Opening to call Seungwan, the doorbell cuts her off.

“Uh girls, I’ll be right back. Someone’s at the door,” she muttered to deaf ears who were all too occupied with their new toys.

“What’s wrong, Wannie?” Joohyun asked, kneeling in front of her sister. The eldest child knew something was wrong when she didn’t hear a single peep coming from her younger sister. And Seungwan was normally one of the loudest ones.

“Unnie, was I a bad girl this year?” Seungwan asked sadly, tears welling in her eyes.

Joohyun frowned. 

Wannie, a bad girl? Seungwan, who made her bed every morning, set the table for dinner without complaint, and flossed between meals? Seungwan, who always won awards in school and helped Sooyoung and Yerim with their homework?

Joohyun was confused. How could her kind sister think she was bad?

“Of course not, Wan-ah! You’re one of the nicest kids on Santa’s list.”

“But...he didn’t bring me the cooking toy I wanted...I really really wanted it, unnie. More than everything else on my list...” the six year old sniffled.

“Well, maybe the elves forgot to make it. Or there were too many presents to fit in his sleigh and he had to leave some behind! But you’re not bad, Wan. You’re one of the nicest, bestest kids I know!”

Joohyun pulls her sister into her arms, covering them both with her new chick blankie that Santa brought her. Maybe the softness will make Wannie feel better, she reasoned.

“Seungwan? There’s a package for you,” Auntie Taeyeon said.

The little kid wipes her tears away with her blue sleeves as she gets up and walks toward Taeyeon, shoulders slumped and head down.

“I think Santa forgot to put this under the tree last night. He asked the mailman to drop it off for you,” Taeyeon said.

Seungwan only stared at it sullenly. It was probably a math book, she thought.

“Well what are you waiting for? Go ahead and open it, kiddo,” her aunt nudged encouragingly.

With a small sigh, Seungwan tore back the blue wrapping slowly, quickening in pace when she realized what it was.

It was the cooking set she wanted! 

Complete with a mixer, spatula, cookie tray, cake tins and more! There was even a little chef’s hat and apron!

The young girl holds it against her chest, jumping up and down excitedly, running off to show her sisters.

“I got it! I got it! Santa brought me what I wanted! Guys look! I got it!”

Shouts of “lemme see” and “woah cool” were heard.

Taeyeon simply smiles and chuckles at the sight. Her little nieces really do keep her on her toes. She turns around to read the card she hid in her hands.

Told you I’d find it! Hope Seungwan loves it. Be sure to record her reaction for me! Tell the cuties I love them and I’ll see them soon. All my love!

XOXO, Fany

P.S. be sure Yerim doesn’t drink too much hot cocoa! You know how she gets ;) 

Taeyeon shakes her head fondly. “I can always count on you, Fany,” she whispers.

“C’mon Aunt Taeyeon! It’s time for breakfast! Wannie’s cooking for us with her new set!” Seulgi called.

The woman only laughs, allowing the kids to drag her into the kitchen.

It was another merry Christmas, just as Taeyeon hoped.

•

Later that night, as Taeyeon tucked the girls into bed, with a soft kiss on each head, she bid them sweet dreams.

With one last look before she closed the door behind her, she took in the sight of her nieces.

Joohyun, snuggled warm in her yellow chick blanket with her bunny in her arms.

Seulgi, with her special brown bear and toy car remote still in her hands.

Sooyoung, with Haetnim held close to her heart.

Yerim, who chose to drag her giant unicorn into bed and could barely be seen under its fluffy head.

And Seungwan, who hugged her new toy mixer as she dreamt of gingerbread houses and cookies with a content smile on her face.

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night,” Taeyeon whispers.

The End.