RECEIVED- A CHRISTMAS CARD

RECEIVED

"Granny, MERRY CHRISTMAS," my grand daughter came running, hugged me and planted a wet kiss on my wrinkled cheek.

"Merry X-Mas, Tinku," I held the 8-year old in my arms and kissed her head before she got rid of my hug and went to her mom, wishing her, "Happy Christmas, mommy."

The astounding view from the balcony of our house, mesmerised my eyes. I was brought back from my astonishment by a tiny piece of snow that fell on my forehead. I have never seen the Christmas view in the last 10 years. I was always inside my room knitting sweaters which I am very much fond of. But, this year, my daughter and grand daughter stays with me for Christmas and I'm very happy about it. I avoid Christmas gatherings or anything special on Christmas occasion.

The wind chime hung above the door of our neighbour's house gave a chuckle when a little guy with a red X-mas hat on his head opened the door and came out, freaking on seeing the snow filled roads.

Tinku came to me, "Granny, where is my sweater?" she popped her brown eyes at me gripping my blue-grey, knee-length dress with her tiny, little hands.

I send sweaters knitted by me to her every Christmas. But, this year, I'm going to give her one myself.    "Here, your cotton candy sweater," I gave her a pink sweater this year, as she loves cotton candies and as a girl, obviously the colour pink.

"I love it, Granny," she said, trying to pull it down her head. It looked super cute on her as she matched it with a white beanie.

"Oh! You look sweet," my daughter squealed at Tinku, "Mom-that's really nice," she smiled at me.

I lived in Washington 10 years ago, before I moved to England with my husband. Unfortunately, he passed away the year we came here. I was alone at home from then. Some neighbours would come to have chitchats with me in the evenings, an usual timepass.
My daughter brought me the last few of my stuffs from Washington. I was sitting in my bedroom, folding my clothes and arranging them in my cupboard, while I was hit by the thought of baking a cake for Tinku and my daughter.

  I planned to bake a chocolate flavoured one and I assembled every ingredient, a day before. As I was ready with the star shaped cast with the mixture in it, Tinku opened the oven for me, "Let me put it into the oven, Granny," she said, grabbing the cast from me and placed it into the oven herself.

"It'll be ready within 45 minutes," she turned to me after setting the appropriate temperature and timer. All I did is to warm her with a little smile.

"Mom, I got Christmas cards," Tinku screamed with excitement, as my daughter walked to her, smiling. There were six cards, three whites and three browns among which one looked patched and familiar.

"One from daddy, two from my cousins and three from my friends," Tinku exaggerated.

"Oh-all had been sent to our address and I asked Dada to redirect the posts to granny's," my daughter said, sitting near Tinku on the couch.

"Daddy is sorry for not coming with us to England," Tinku said, reading the letter from my son-in-law.

"Oh-he should be," my daughter said, as she was a little angry on her hubby because of him not spending the Christmas with us. He wasn't able to come due to some complications in his firm.

"The cake's ready," I said, taking it out of the oven and let it cool. We, three finished eating it off within minutes.

"Granny, the lunch is so yum," a compliment from my little grand daughter, filled me with happiness.

"Yeah, mom. It's really tasty," my daughter said, cleaning up everything from her plate. Only the spices were left over the corner.She was wiping off Tinku's mouth with her hand.

My daughter is now a proud mother and that makes me proud of myself for the way I brought her up. My daughter is very fond of writing. She writes stuffs for magazines and some short stories. She used to give me birthday cards with beautiful, heart warming writings in it. And now, Tinku has got the traits of her mother. She sent me a New year card last year, handwritten by herself. But, the words doesn't feel like coming out of an eight year old kid. It was like from someone who is well versed. I still have it.

"Okay-let's go out and have some fun," my daughter insisted, putting on her woollen jacket.

"You go, girls," I spoke but she didn't allow me to stay home alone this Christmas. So, I went out with them after pulling over my favourite grey sweater.

We went to a park where a lot of people were gathered and were celebrating the Festival of Joy. A tall and stout Christmas tree stood at the centre of the park and gifts were placed around it. It looked stunning with lights, stars and bells on it. At the peak stood a big golden star that topped the elegance of the tree.

We had our dinner at a restaurant, actually a five star hotel it was, decorated with hundreds of lights and other X-mas stuffs. And the cuisine was quite good too. The starter and dessert was mouth watering. I haven't been out for so long, like in a restaurant. It felt new to me.

We sang carols while coming back to our home. Tinku's favourite is the JINGLE BELLS!!! and mine is the same too. She was singing the same all the way to our home. I sat on the couch in the living room and switched on the TV to watch cartoon. Yeah, I still watch them.

It was almost 11 and the most favourite Christmas of my life was about to end.

"Mom, I got another Christmas Card," Tinku squealed with excitement, running to my daughter.

"But, it's not sent to me, it's-Granny's," Tinku rushed to me with the brown envelope.

I got it from her and saw that my name was mentioned at the receiver's place. I opened the envelope slowly with an intention not to tear. Then, that sparkling red card pricked my eyes.

"Oh-he got my letter?" I thought, astonishing. Without further delay, my hands revealed the interior of the card to my eyes.

Dear Diana,

I received your letter asking me to send to you a Christmas Card and here it is. But, I know that it's too late. You have also questioned me about sending a Christmas card to your friend but not to you. And I'm really sorry for that. It doesn't mean that I don't love you. I know that you longed a long for my card and love, and now here they are. I also saw the golden Christmas bell you crafted for me and it is now hanging on my Christmas tree, glowing along with lights. You have asked me about the place where I live and about my living. I live in a place which is very peaceful and white, and yeah very cold. And I'm very happy here and hope that my card adds an extra happiness to your life. I know that you would have grown to hate me a lot. Of course, 50 years is a long time. A cute, little kid then, is an old wrinkled but stiff Granny now. I have heard that you cook well and can bake a cake, a yummy one. You are surrounded by people who love you and care for you soulfully. The card may look dusty as it travelled a long way over these 5 decades to reach this amazingly beautiful old lady. I know that you love the JINGLE BELLS song as I do too. So, I have sent you a tiny, shiny music box that holds that song along with this card. I sent my card in the same envelope that you sent me the letter years ago, because I know that it's very special to you. I wish that you stay happy and healthy as long as you have your breathe. And I love you so much.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR, GRANNY !!!!

NOEL !!!

Yours merrily,
Mr.Claus

The card brought me tears but happiness along. The handwritten card was very much familiar. I knew. Yeah it was from SANTA, MY SANTA. The words, the voice and the GRANNY were very closely familiar.

I turned to see the Christmas tree at my home. Yeah, there glowed my golden Christmas bell that I haven't been noticing for the whole day. I knew the tiny hand that wrote this.

I looked at Tinku who was giving me an adorable smile, looking at my tears, she asked me,

"Who is it, GRANNY?".