It was my family's first Christmas since moving to Brighton, which most likely means it'll also be the last. We were heading to a Snowflake Celebration over at the bandshell. "Oh, I love Christmas!" Molly exclaimed. "It's the most enhappifying time of the year! And it's our first Christmas in Brighton! Ahh! Could this possibly get any better?!" "Oh, it can and it will." Scratch replied. "Tomorrow is the cookie bake off! They start with gingerbread, then work their way to snickerdoodles. The sassiest of all cookies!" "So, you're just in it for the food like normal. Got it." I commented. "I could care less about the holidays to be honest." "Welcome everyone to the annual Snowflake Celebration. And may I add that as your mayor, I personally made sure that our tree is a full two inches taller than Perfektborg's." The mayor announced, turning the tree lights on, only for the tree to set on fire. "This is the greatest thing that's happened today." I smiled. "What? No! It can't be!" Molly gasped, heading up onstage. "This ole girl's not done! She just needs a little Christmas magic! What if we buy more decorations?" "I spent all the money on that stupid two inch taller tree." The mayor confessed. "I'm sorry, everyone, but the Snowflake Celebration, like our town's happiness, is canceled." Everyone else headed home, feeling depressed. "No, no, no, this can't be." Molly frowned. "I feel the season of joy turning into despair." "Welcome to a day in my life." I said. "Will there still be cookies?" Scratch whimpered. "I mean, probably. Somewhere." Molly replied. "Oh, okay, then I'm good." Scratch said, lightening his mood. "Well, I'm not. And neither is Brighton." Molly explained. "We've gotta find a way to fix this!" Just then, Molly and I noticed some glowing lights in town, which was in the direction of Davenport's Department Store. "Davenport's?" I asked. "And I've found it. In record time, too!" Molly exclaimed, grabbing me and Scratch. "Let's go!"

Molly, Scratch, and I headed to Davenport's to try to convince Andrea's father to fund the canceled Snowflake Celebration. "Mr Davenport, will you donate your time, money, and resources to save the Snowflake Celebration and enhappify your fellow Brightonians?" Molly asked. "Interesting question." Mr Davenport said. "And here's one for you. Will this make me trend?" "Like father, like daughter." I mumbled. "Oh, yes, sir!" Molly chuckled. "On both coasts and everywhere in between!" "Okay! Then you know what, I'm gonna give you a hard no on this charity thing." Mr Davenport refused. "I've got a brand to protect. Davenport's Department Store does not hand out free joy. Especially this time of year. Like my father used to say, "Christmas is a time to make money, not merry!"" "But... but it's a Brighton tradition!" Molly begged as Mr Davenport opened the door, just as his daughter was waiting outside, holding a gift box. "You should listen to her, Daddy." Andrea added. "Whoa! I never thought I'd ever hear that sentence coming out of your mouth, Davenport." I confessed. "Sorry. My filter stopped working for a second." "Andrea? You agree with me?" Molly asked. "I was gonna be this year's Snowflake Queen." Andrea explained. "Like Mom was at my age. But without the Celebration, that can't happen." "Aww, Button, you can pick any crown you want from our Halloween surplus!" Mr Davenport reassured her. "We'll just stage a photo and put it on your socials! It'll be fun!" As soon as he slammed the door on all of us, Andrea tossed the gift she was going to give her father. Andrea was not having it. "Your father is officially worse than you are, Davenport." I commented. "I'll take it." Andrea said.

Back at home, Molly was pretty upset about the refusal of Mr Davenport's assistance. "Oh, I can't believe he turned us down!" Molly complained. "This injustice will not stand!" "Is "injustice" really the..." Scratch began. "Do not question my righteous anger!" Molly snapped. "There's gotta be a way to change Mr Davenport's mind." "How exactly are you going to do that?" I asked. "Have Scratch break into his house?" "That's it! A Christmas Carol!" Molly exclaimed, noticing the movie on the tv. "We'll scare Mr Davenport into the sponsorship with a Scrooge-like intervention." "Guess it'll be good for a laugh." Scratch said. "Alright, I'm in."

Molly, Scratch, Darryl, and Dad headed out for her plan while Mom and I were told to stay home. "Amber, could you help me get things set up for when Scratch comes back with Mr Davenport?" Mom asked. "Fine." I sighed. "Amber? Honey, what's wrong?" Mom asked. "You know you can talk to me." "Say hello to your average Brighton family!" Scratch exclaimed, coming down the chimney with Mr Davenport. Mom tried to put mini Christmas ornaments on a bonsai tree, but the tree flopped over on the end table. "I suppose we'll have to rely on the Snowflake Celebration for all our Christmas cheer this year." Mom recalled her script. "Can I tell you something? I don't really know how to explain this." I sighed, going off script and improvising. "Please don't be mad." "Why would I be mad?" Mom wondered, about to whisper to me. "That's not your line." "I know you and Dad don't want me to say this, but this doesn't feel like our forever home, Mom. We're bound to be moving again soon." I confessed. "Sorry, it's been on my mind for a while. I thought it was time to tell you the truth. Maybe this Snowflake Celebration would've made things different, but I guess I was wrong." "I know the holidays have always been hard for you, Amber, but you've grown so much since we got here." Mom said. "Wow, she's good." I heard Scratch compliment me. "Spirit, I had no idea things were this bad in Brighton." Mr Davenport said. "Scuffed floors. Mismatched furniture. Tacky throw pillows? Who barfed those out?" "Excuse me?!" Mom snapped. "You come into my house and say that to me?!" "Uh, maybe we should talk about this outside." Scratch said, opening the window. "Where it's more safer for you." "Let me go!" Mom shouted as Scratch threw Mr Davenport out the window. "I'll deck his halls!" "Easy there, Mom." I reassured her.

Later that night, I did a little reading before going to bed. I took Mom's words to heart. Was she right? Have I really changed since moving to Brighton? A few minutes later, Molly came up to the attic, looking down in the dumps. "Moll? What's wrong?" I asked. "I told this to Scratch and I'll tell you as well, "Don't wake me in the morning. I'm sleeping in."" Molly sighed, curling up in her bed. "Christmas is canceled." "What happened with Mr Davenport?" I wondered. "We almost had him convinced, but then he put the pieces together." Molly frowned. "Scratch just brought him back home." "I'm really sorry, Molly." I apologized. "I wish I knew how to help, but sometimes, some things stay the same." "At least you'll be happy now, Amber." Molly sighed. "You won't have to celebrate another miserable Christmas." "I can't be happy if you're not, sis." I said after Molly fell asleep.

The next day, Scratch woke up both me and Molly for Christmas morning. "Hey, girls. Wake up." Scratch whispered calmly. "It's Christmas." "I don't care." Molly groaned, going back to sleep. "Leave me alone to die, Scratch." I yawned. "Correction, sleep." "Oh, okay. Well, you know, I just thought you'd like to know that Mr Davenport had a little change of heart after all." Scratch explained. "What?" I wondered. "He did?" Molly gasped. "Snowflake Celebration's back on!" Scratch exclaimed. "But, we've got a little work to do first."

After getting ready, we helped decorate the town the best we could. It took a few hours to decorate, but the end result was definitely worth it. Andrea even got to the Snowflake Queen. You know what? Maybe Christmas isn't so bad.