Season of Giving

Mars bent forward leaning all his weight on his hind legs using his front paws to swipe unsuccessfully at his head. He didn’t like it when people tried to put human clothes on him especially hats and especially on days like this when there were others in the house. The youngest one saw him struggling and took it off for him. She was always his favorite. Mars leapt into the child’s arms and licked her hands and rosy cheeks and was reciprocated with giggles as his tail wagged uncontrollably back and forth.

“Crystal!” the mother’s voice yelled, “I told you not to play with Mars when you have your nice dress on. Now you have dog hair all over it!”

“Sorry, mommy,” Crystal answered, “He doesn’t like the hat so I took it off.”

Crystal’s mother continued to scold her as Mars pranced out of the bedroom noticing the peculiar abundance of lights in the house. Not only were all the lights on, but there were candles of different shapes and sizes all lit. Odd shadows danced on the walls as the small flames flickered and danced. There were lights outside climbing up the sides of the house blinking in festive rhythm. For some reason that Mars could not explain, there was also a tree inside. And it too was covered in more lights.

The small pup tiptoed and maneuvered his way around the crowd of strangers to the tree and took in the smell of pines. Boxes wrapped in paper and bags that smelled of fruitcake were strewn about the bottom. He used a box to prop himself closer to the lower boughs of the indoor pine tree. He couldn’t explain exactly there is a tree inside but then again he really didn’t care. Mars sniffed around for just the perfect spot and he finally found it. He stared intently at the very branch and lifted his hind leg.

“Mars!” the booming voice of the father shouted. He picked the dog up and carried him into his bed in the bedroom hallway. Dejected, he lied down with eyes wide open and listened for his favorite one to approach. His eyelids were all but closed when he heard Crystal’s voice.

“Daddy,” she implored, “It’s the season of giving.”

“Honey, I don’t have time for this,” her father responded, “Mars’ causing a lot of trouble; I had to put him on a time out.” His attention turned to one of their guests as his voice trailed off. Crystal’s footsteps approached Mars’ bed. She knelt by him and rubbed the top of his head gently. The doorbell rang and Mars bolted out of bed and barked at the front door.

Crystal ran after him and picked him up as her father answered the door. Her mother gave her a stern look and an even sterner one to Mars. Having had that look thrown in her direction was a regular occurrence in that house, Christmas party or not. Once she felt the stare of her mother’s eye she put Mars back on the floor and meticulously dusted off all the dog hair on her ruffled velvet dress.

Their newly arrived guests were the Thompsons whose oldest daughter was Crystal’s best friend from school. The two giggled and exchanged pleasantries before running to Crystal’s bedroom where, through the night, she had amassed a pile of smuggled cookies. They skipped to the bedroom and left Mars alone sitting on the cold tile of the foyer.

“What’s all this ‘season of giving’ business?” he thought to himself. He looked at all the strangers laughing and talking and possibly getting inebriated. He tilted his head in curiosity as he watched a couple dance, their glasses miraculously fused with to their hands. To Mars, the season of giving seemed like a hassle for a bunch of people he didn’t know.

Mars’ glistening pink nostrils began to flare out as if his entire snout were palpitating. His tongue slapped against the cold tip of the nose and he sniffed harder and faster. Suddenly the smell became more apparent and lent itself a direction to its source. Mars sniffed more intently, his focus so hardened he was leaning towards the kitchen door and nearly fell against the wall.

He leapt up to his feet and let his palpitating nostrils lead him towards the savory smells. It led him deep into the kitchen, dodging more and more walking feet. One set of large feet forced into a pair of shoes that are too small for them terminating a pair of swollen ankles stopped in front of him on the way to the source. Mars looked up to see a painted face smiling frighteningly down at him. Whoever this was, she was swooping in one of her large pasty hands, presumably to pet the young pup. But Mars doesn’t care much for strangers and ducked down slowly away from her hands, inching away.

“Aw, the poor thing is shy,” the painted voice cackled. Mars also hated being called shy and scoffed as he walked away and got back to his scent trail.

It led him towards the oven. The warmth seemed to welcome him. The smell further enticed him. He slowly put one paw in front of the other and was cut off by Crystal’s mother who seemed not to notice Mars’ presence in the kitchen. He could hear the sizzling and bubbling of the fat underneath the turkey’s crispy golden brown skin. The aroma of the savory herbs filled the air. The sweet scent of various spices perfumed the air. Pies sitting innocently on the windowsill cooled quietly, their innards gelling into a sweet thick filling.

Mother took the large turkey to the dining room and placed it at the head of the dining table out of Mars’ sight. He stretched his neck upward as far as he could hoping to see the turkey again, but to no avail. Leaning back, the young dog got on his hind legs and hopped towards the table, and still could not see the titillating roasted bird. Rather than wasting any more energy on a lost cause, the little pup slithered underneath the table and sat quietly.

Sitting on top of the upright piano, the cat yawned pausing only to stare hungrily at the turkey on top of the dining table. The strange lady with the large ankles and pasty hands approached the cat and gave the cat some unseen treat. The cat ate it up hungrily and licked its chops meticulously. Almost teasingly so, the feline stared at Mars with loathsome self-righteousness in her eyes as if she were winking at the lonely pup sitting quietly underneath the dining table.

His claws softly click-clacked on the hardwood floor as he crawled out from his hiding place, weaving around the wooden chairs. The smell of the fireplace began to swell and warm the entire house. It drew him close to the hearth and he encircled a spot before lying down on it. His behind was being toasted nicely by the roaring fire. Mars then let out a quiet sigh as his big brown eyes darted back and forth at the strangers in the house in their funny sweaters. His stomach grumbled a low grumble that only his puppy ears could hear but he closed his eyes.

“If I can’t eat,” he thought to himself, “At least I can sleep.” But before he could settle he could her footsteps hurriedly scurrying towards him. Immediately, he thought it was someone come to throw him back into the bedroom hallway. But it was Crystal, his favorite one. She held something in her hands. It was a small handful of turkey meat. She waved it in front of his mouth and he gobbled it down with much gusto. He licked along the sides of his mouth and all over her hands, thanking her for the tiny feast. “So this,” Mars thought, “is the season of giving!”