Joulutarina

JouluTarina By Moya Serena Brennan

Every winter in Rovaniemi, Finland, snow begins to fall. With it, falls the spirits of a snowman and snowwoman. Snow piles up in front of the grandest evergreen tree to create the snow lovers’ bodies and the spirits get planted into them to give them life. When they first were created, they were given two beautiful Irish names; Tierney and Luan. Each year, they fell in love with each other more and more. The animals of the forest come together to decorate the snow lovers with clothes and give them eyes, ears, a nose and a mouth. The badgers would unbox knitted jumpers with wooden buttons, scarves and hats that were made especially for them to keep them bundled up. When the clothes with such a soft cosy feel to the touch, were placed on the snow lovers, it gives them the ability to feel emotions. The rabbits would donate their finest carrots for their noses so they could smell the pine trees and Christmas baking and be reminded of all the Christmases before. The hedgehogs would use their noses to search for nuts that had fallen from the trees and been buried under the snow. These would be placed on the snow lover’s faces as their mouths, always in a smile, to gift them the ability to speak their thoughts. The brown bears with their precise hearing, would go to the rivers, which had the beautiful sound of running water and collect unusually curved stones for their ears. The robins would use their sharp eyes to spot the perfect black stones and then polish them so that they reflect the world. These would give the snow lovers the ability to see, but before placing the eyes on Tierney and Luan’s faces, the animals decorate the evergreen tree to transform it into the most dazzling Christmas tree. This way, when the snow lovers open their eyes, the first thing they would see would be the most beautiful tree.

This winter, Tierney and Luan joyfully watched the animals bring gifts and letters to put under the Christmas tree, ice skate around the frozen lake while snowflakes fell so delicately and dance around to Christmas songs. They were always entertained just watching the animal’s activity each winter, although, this year something felt different, there was something missing. For the first time, they realised they did not have a meaning of life. They started to feel useless being stuck in the same place and did not feel they had a purpose in life while the other animals did everything for them and could move around so freely. But then they thought back to all the winters before and how they were uniquely and magically created from the falling snow and how they would keep each other company, and each other’s company was the best company. They would listen intently to each other and have meaningful conversations. Sometimes talking through their worries, laughing together while telling stories and sharing knowledge they have on various subjects. In this moment, they realised that simply loving each other is enough, so they carried on contently with their new purpose in life.

On the day that winter passed and the last decoration was taken down from the tree, the animals all came to say good bye to the snow lovers, until next winter. Later that night, when the moon stood bright, Tierney and Luan found themselves alone. They told each other how much they loved one another and as their hearts warmed up, they began to melt into each other’s happiness. They closed their eyes and embraced one another. ‘’See you next winter’’ ‘’See you then dote’’

Their spirits flew up into the sky to patiently wait for next winter’s snow.

To be continued...

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