Pet themes 2009
Animal Gifts
Anna looked around her flat with a sigh. Nobody would know that it was Christmas. No candles, no angel figurines, no nativity scene and no Christmas tree either. And why should there be? Anna was home alone. At least this year – her best friend, with whom she always celebrated Christmas, had decided to travel to the Alps this year. Anna could have gone with her but she didn’t want to leave her pets alone – not on Christmas Eve!
But she still didn’t feel like decorating. It just wasn’t worth it for one person. Her pets will still get presents, of course – Anna has already been shopping for her dog Carlos, cats Marco and Pixie, hamster Freddy and guinea pigs Snuffle and Sammy. Six small, beautifully wrapped packages waited in the lounge room, ready to be investigated by curious noses. Just thinking about them made her feel better.
Anna took the last tea bag from the packet and poured boiling water into her cup. She turned the radio on and tapped her feet to the catchy Christmas music. Maybe it would be a good Christmas this year. And maybe she should have bought a Christmas tree, after all. But it was too late for that now.
“Last Christmas” played on the radio, masking the rustling noises coming from the lounge room. “Let me through,” growled crossbreed Carlos, dragging the evergreen tree into the room with his teeth. Carlos had to swallow his pride and ask the Benny the beaver from the creek on his walk route for help to get the tree. Carlos managed to convince Benny of the seriousness of the situation, and Benny cleanly gnawed off a small Christmas tree in the neighbouring wood. Marco and Pixie helped too. They wove little stars out of stalks of straw that they found in a nearby field with their skilful paws. Freddy made little snowflakes out of his soft bedding cotton, which the guinea pigs nimbly attached to the tree. Just a few apples that Carlos stole (just this once!) from the tree around the corner and Anna’s Christmas tree was finished! But what would she say about it? It was time to find out.
Carlos barked loudly until Anna finally came into the lounge room to see what was up. Her eyes widened at the sight of the festively decorated room. She couldn’t believe it – where did this beautiful Christmas tree come from? Who had thought of her? She blinked, as if to get rid of the illusion. But it was still there! Her four-legged friends sat under the tree like Christmas angels and looked at her expectantly with shiny eyes. Anna wondered how she could have possibly thought that she would be spending this Christmas Eve alone!
