She had heard about Christmas and about Christmas trees and Santa Claus and presents and snow from her friends Debbie Deer and Francis Fox but she had never, ever seen a Christmas for herself. But now finally she would, she would see Christmas, and she was so very excited she could hardly wait any longer!
Becky Bear jumped out of bed and quickly dressed and headed for the kitchen where her Mother has been cooking and baking for several days now preparing for Christmas.
"Mama," asked Becky, "Does the cookies and candies and pies you are making make it Christmas?"
"No, they are just a part of the fun and nice things about Christmas," replied Mama Bear, "But they don't make it Christmas. Christmas is much more then cookies and candy and pies and special turkey dinners."
Becky wanted to ask more but about then they heard a loud knocking at the front door. Becky ran to see who was there and to her surprise it was Papa Bear and he had a great, big tree he was trying to bring into the house.
"If you will hold the door open I will bring in the Christmas tree and we can get to decorating it," said Papa Bear. "It will look very nice, I think."
While Becky held the door, Papa Bear brought in the tree, and went to work putting it in the special stand he had made just for the Christmas tree.
"Papa, does the Christmas tree make it Christmas?" asked Becky.
"No, little Becky, the Christmas tree does not make it Christmas," replies Papa Bear, who was working hard to make the trunk of the tree fit into the stand. "Christmas trees are nice and they look very pretty when they are all decorated but they don't make it Christmas. It would be Christmas even if we didn't have a Christmas tree."
Becky wanted to ask more but just then Mama Bear came in and sent her to the kitchen for her breakfast. While she was eating she asked Mama Bear about Santa Claus and about Christmas presents.
"Mama, does Santa Claus make it Christmas?"
"No, Becky, Santa Claus is great fun but he does not make it Christmas," she replies.
"Then it must be the Christmas presents that make it Christmas" said Becky. She really wanted to know what MADE it Christmas.
"Nooooo," said Mama Bear with a smile, as she took more cookies out of the oven, "Christmas presents are nice but they don't make it Christmas either. Now finish you breakfast so we can start decorating the Christmas tree."
So Becky Bear hurried and finished eating and joined Mama Bear and Papa Bear in the front room where they were sorting through boxes of Christmas tree decorations. Together the Bear family began putting strings of lights and pretty, shiny glass balls all over the tree Papa Bear had put in the corner near the fireplace. And they hung tinsel and popcorn garlands that they had make on it, too. It looked so very, very pretty!
"Look," said Papa Bear, as he glanced out the window. "It's snowing!"
Becky Bear rushed to the window and sure enough it WAS snowing. Big, fat, soft snowflakes were falling all around and the ground was almost covered.
"Papa, does the snow make it Christmas?" asked Becky.
"No, the snow is nice and it makes everything look pretty at Christmas time but it is not what makes Christmas, little Becky. Christmas comes even in places where it almost never snows."
"I just don't understand," said Becky. "If it isn't the cookies and candy and pies, and if it isn't Santa Claus, and if it isn't the Christmas presents, and if it isn't the Christmas Tree, and if it isn't the snow, then what DOES make it Christmas?"
Mama Bear smiled and hugged Becky. She said, "Your heart, little Becky, and your love for everyone. Your love for us and for your friends and your family is what really makes it Christmas. All the other things, like the food and Santa Claus and the presents and the Christmas trees and the snow, they are all nice and are part of the Christmas tradition but only your heart and your love make it Christmas. Just like we love you and you make our Christmas, here in our hearts!"
So finally Becky Bear knew what made Christmas. It was there all the time,
in her heart, and not just on Christmas day either but everyday and
she was very glad. But she also loved the cookies and the candies and Santa
and the presents and the Christmas tree and, most of all, the snow.
She really, really loved the snow! And as she watched the snow falling from
her window she smiled a great big very first Christmas smile.
She was a very happy and loved five year old bear.
