The Key to Holiday JOY part 1

Holiday Christmas carolers gathered on a stage built at the end of a pier in the center of the town's lake.

It had become a town tradition. Hannah had been singing in the choir since she was a young girl. She had seen the elders pass away and the infants grow into youngsters.  Her mother was the only reason she couldn't stop the "caroling" tradition. She did it, her mother did it and now it was Hanna's turn to keep the tradition alive. "Oh joy" is what she said to herself every time she thought about it.

The chill of the winter breeze felt like knives to her face.  It was too cold, she didn't feel up to going to the Christmas party that followed the caroling.  If it hadn't been for the gift exchange, she would think of an excuse not to go.

The carolers were singing their last Christmas carol, Hannah could hardly wait for it to be over.  She was freezing, bored, and a bit melancholy.

She wished she could change the lyrics of the carol "do you hear what I hear" to....

"said Hannah to the choir man... do you feel what I feel" 

I'm bored, I'm bored throw me overboard 

I rather be in the sea... I rather be in the sea."  

The church hall was decorated with the same decorations they used every year, red artificial poinsettias as

center pieces and green table cloths.  Oh yes, and there was also that all too familiar smell of basement mildew and  pine, lingering in the air.

Mr. Peter Burns was the legendary master of ceremony.  Poor man refused to give up his position even though he was 93.  Last year his entire denture piece flew out as he tried to say "feliz Navidad"

Hannah grabbed the gift bag with her name on it and headed outside towards her car. She gave the bag a slight shake, " I can almost guess what's in here, she said under her breath. "I've gotten enough scarf & hat sets to start my own store"

On the drive to pick-up her twins, she thought about how her life hadn't turned out the way she had hoped.  She hadn't planned on being divorced at this point in her life. Her twins, daughter and son were only three years old when her husband left her for another woman; that was only two years ago.  She was still not comfortable being a single mother.

The snow picked up, and the road became more and more slippery, she knew her mom would make her spend the night instead of allowing her to take the 30 minute drive back home.  The twins would love the idea, they adored their grandparents.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a phone call from her daughter.  Hannah looked down to answer her phone but within seconds she lost control of the wheel....