The magic of a childhood Christmas

[Stephen Hunter King]

Stephen didn't start on his star for his mind was lost in trying to decide what his vampire bunny would do with the tree, and briefly pulled away from it to realise how great it was that his dad was with him and his sister at home. He knew daddy was a police officer and that at some point would return to work but for now he wanted to stay at home and take care of them. He chose not to share this with Sam who didn't seem happy about his own dad's working.
"It sure looks like it is," Stephen said, imagining how pretty it would look if it was really enchanted into a star full of little stars. One of the older girls put a gingerbread man by the door on the other side from the bunny. The man seemed to have some sort of bag with him.
"My vampire bunny has a nest under the tree but he also attacks the postman every day," Stephen decided and turned the bunny to face the man.
"Really? Then he needs a vampire bunny hunter to keep him safe," the girl said, deciding to play along and quickly took another gingerbread man to decorate.

Just then Jacob stepped into the tent and breathed a sigh of relief upon spotting his son at the table.
"Stephen, have you been in here all along?" the man asked calmly as he walked over and squatted down beside the boy.
"Yes, daddy...Oh! I'm sorry, I was supposed to stay around the tree?" Stephen began all excited until his smile faded as he remembered.
"It's okay, at least you were here instead of running around outside," Jacob stated warmly and patted the boy's beanie covered head. He could see from his boy's genuinely sorry and slightly worried expression that he hadn't deliberately disobeyed.
"We're decorating gingerbread," Stephen explained again very excited. "Look, I made a vampire bunny," he pointed at the creature.
"Wow, it looks fierce," Jacob complimented. "I hope it's feeling the Christmas spirit and won't bite anybody?"
"Yes, except for the postman. It's like our neighbour's cat."
"Of course it is," Jacob stated with an amused but warm smile as he observed the scene in front of the house.
"Daddy, this is Sam," Stephen introduced, pointing at the boy. "We're making a night sky over the house. Would you hang our stars when they're done?" he asked and grabbed his own still bare star, never taking his eyes off of his father.
Jacob glanced at Sam, nodded at him and smiled as a greeting, and then looked into Stephen's bright and hope-filled eyes. He seemed to really want something magic for this event but unfortunately it could not have any. Perhaps they should have visited Diagon Alley after this neighbourhood party. Jacob looked up and there indeed was nothing physical to hang anything on so a little wand work was what the boy had in mind.
"Oh, I'm sorry, boys. I left my star-hanging tools at home. Maybe another time," he said, trusting that this whole thing would be forgotten soon enough and they would not actually end up asking something like this again. In truth, he always carried his wand with him when not in his house or garden. Absolutely always. But even the slightest bit of unnecessary magic would be breaking the wizarding law, not to mention making cookies float.