Christmas Miracle

    It's finally that time of year. Shops and malls are bustling with gift-thirsty people. Every once in a while you see another happy car with a big fat tree on its back. The streets start to get busy and white... well, maybe not white. But for all children like me, it all comes down to one thing - gifts. 

    I wake up full of joy, for it is the last day of school before Christmas break. It is a half day, meaning that I will get home even earlier. I know that we won't exactly be doing any schoolwork, just video games and movies, every kid's dream. I have neatly arranged gifts for my teachers. 

    When I returned from school, I was shocked to see countless letters and emails from some of my teachers, thanking me for their gift. Now it was time to wait until tomorrow, December 24. Time always seems to move more slowly when you are waiting for something exciting. Sadly, it speeds up when something exciting happens. 

    Finally, it was time to put up the tree. The one we bought this year was tall, but slim. It was not like the ones we used to have in years past, mainly because we bought it very late. In America, buying a Christmas tree after Thanksgiving is no good. We went to countless stores to search for one, but all were completely empty. 

    Much to my surprise, the waiting time was finally over. It was time to get the lights out for our tree. But there was a slight problem, they did not work. This got my whole family worried. There was no time to go buy new ones from the store, let alone order some online, so we had to act fast. We found some really old ones in our attic, but they weren't nearly enough. The only solution left was to go get the lights that were decorating our house. They were bigger and beefier lights than the normal ones on a Christmas tree, but they would do the job just fine. 

Next it was time for the ornaments. Finding these was not a problem, as they are everywhere in our house. Most in our basement, but some can be in our attic. It is now our family tradition to buy at least one new ornament every year. This time we bought three. Then of course, I put the last of the ornaments, the angel on top.

Once the tree was ready, the waiting game began. My dad worked for many hours in the kitchen, cooking delicious traditional food like sweet bread, soup, and barbecue. Once all of that was finished, it was time for the present opening. After I took a shower, the filming began. We had my old camera on a tripod, and my dad, mom, and aunt all filming from different angles. 

First, my mom and aunt opened their gifts. Then my dad. Even my little pet hamster, who got a tube he could crawl in. I opened them last. Sadly, unlike previous years, I already know what I will get, for I am the one who asks for them. Nevertheless, I first opened the tripod gimbal for wildlife, which is very sturdy and allows me to properly place my heavy lens on it without using a ball head. Next it was time for my huge tripod, which is army grade. It is so big, that it is taller than me when it extends. Lastly, I opened my lens. This year was wildlife-themed, so I got the Sony 200-600mm lens. It is a beast of a lens. The image quality it delivers is exceptional, and blows my old Sigma telephoto out of the water. Also, the Sony lens is internally zoomed, meaning that a big barrel does not come out like a tank. It makes zooming easier and faster as well. 

                                                         Here is a photo of the size difference of the                                                             Sony compared to that of the Sigma.

    After we sang some carols, it was time to go to bed and see what adventures tomorrow would bring us. Unfortunately, the events were not very happy. I had been feeling a little sick over the past week. I tested myself for Covid just in case, but the result was negative. Since my mom was feeling bad as well, she tested positive for Covid. This meant trouble. Luckily, my one-week Christmas vacation had finally started, so I did not go to school anymore. After about three days, I tested again for Covid, and the result still came back negative. That meant I had fought off the virus once and for all. My mom, however, was not feeling very well. At last, she had fought off the virus as well. Now we are safe for six months or so, as long as we still have the antibodies to kill it.

    So why a Christmas miracle, you may ask. Well, we had a fabulous Christmas, filled with joy and love. But most importantly, we stood strong against Covid, and persevered through the hardest times.