Christmas Ornaments
 

by MysticWhim

"I just don't understand why you get so negative about the holidays," Starsky shook his head as he plodded up the stairs of Venice Place.  "You should try to enjoy it for once."

Hutch sighed.  "I didn't say I didn't enjoy the holiday.  I said that it bothers me that people can't treat each other nicer the other 364 days of the year.  The same people that say Merry Christmas to every stranger they see in December wouldn't give those same strangers the time of day in August."

"Anything that makes people nicer to each other is a good thing.  Don't look a gift horse in the mouth."

Hutch bent down to pick up a large box left outside his door.  "What's this?"  His eyebrows rose as he read the label.  "It's from my mother."

"Care package from home?" Starsky guessed.  A distinct hopefulness crept into his voice.  "Does your ma send ya cookies at Christmas time?"

Laughing, Hutch set the box on his coffee table.  "If it is, that would be a first."  He slid off his jacket as he walked to the closet.  Hanging his coat first, then his holster, he headed for the kitchen to grab a knife.  "I can't picture my mother baking cookies to send to her grown son."  Starsky plopped onto the couch, propping his feet on the table next to the package.  Hutch took the spot beside him, and proceeded to open the box.

"My mother does," Starsky bragged.  "Best cookies in New York."  He grinned from ear to ear.

The statement brought Hutch to pause.  "She does?" 

"Yep!"

"I've never seen any Christmas cookies from your mother," Hutch answered suspiciously.

His grin broadening, Starsky quipped, "That's 'cause I don't share 'em with you."

Glaring at his friend for a moment, Hutch decided to give his attention back to the box.  Once opened, he found a letter resting on top.  He read it aloud.

Dear Kenneth,

Merry Christmas, Son!  I know this is your favorite time of year, and I hope you aren't missing Minnesota too much.  I would have packed you some snowballs, if only I knew how to keep them frozen until their arrival.  We received eight inches of snow last night, but fortunately the street crews keep the roadways clear and drivable.

Everyone here is doing well.  Your sister and her family have settled into their new home nicely, and she is delighting in decorating the new homestead.  Business is doing well, so your father is quite pleased about that.  I have been keeping busy with the church, and my annual food drive for the local food pantry will take place next weekend.  Uncle Bill and Aunt Peggy stop by often, and send their love.

Your father and I have just returned from a trip to Arizona.  Your father's asthma has been troubling him more in recent years, and his doctor suggested trying to get away from Minnesota during the harsh winter months.  You know how difficult that bitter cold air can be on his lungs.  The trip to Arizona was indeed helpful to his breathing.  In fact, the change was so dramatic that we decided on the spot to purchase a condo there for us to winter in.  This year will be our last Christmas in Minnesota.  We plan to spend December, January and February in Arizona after this.  Perhaps longer.  We shall see.

Your sister has agreed to run the business while we are away.  She has taken on much of the responsibilities anyway, and this would not really add to her workload.  Considering your father has hoped to retire in a few years, this move will work in conjunction with his plans to phase himself out of the daily running of the business.  It should be good for all of us.

This brings me to the package I am sending you.  In it you will find the Christmas ornaments I have purchased for you throughout the years, as well as many of the ornaments that you made as a boy.  I'm sorry; I did keep a few of them that I couldn't bear to part with, including the adorable little snowman you made in kindergarten.  Our Arizona condo will not be able to support the enormous Christmas trees that we are accustomed to, and I find it will be necessary to pare down our decorations considerably.  So this year I am sorting through the decorations, and shipping you the ones that truly belong to you.  I am doing the same for your sister.  Since you have been spending more and more Christmases in Bay City, it is only right that you should have your own ornaments as part of your traditions. 

I hope you enjoy these ornaments as much as I have. 

With Love,

Mother

Hutch finished the letter and stared at it in silence.  Starsky piped up, "Christmas is your favorite time of year, huh?" he teased.  "Let's see whatcha got!"

He had been lost in thought, digesting the idea that there would be no more Minnesota Christmases.  He felt a surprising tug of nostalgia over that notion, and he turned to the box in search of some kind of healing.

A small box brought a smile to his lips.  He opened the faded cardboard container and pulled out a little cherub resting on a cloud.  Baby's First Christmas was painted in gold script across the bottom.  "My mom bought this when I was born," he declared.  "She bought us each an ornament every year.  Sometimes more than one."

Next he pulled out another box.  This ornament was a little boy attempting to wrap a Christmas present.  There was a baby sister standing beside him, hands on his leg, looking up at her brother adoringly as he worked.  The boy's determination was evident in the little tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth.  Both children were blonde with big blue eyes.  Hutch held the ornament up for Starsky to see, explaining, "My mother thought this looked like my sister and me."

Starsky joined in, pulling small boxes from the larger one, exploring their contents.  "What's this one?"   He held up a little Eskimo boy with mittens over his eyes and penguins scurrying away in an obvious game of hide and seek. 

Hutch gave an embarrassed laugh.  "That year I got lost at the shopping mall.  Scared the living daylights out of my mother.  When she saw the Eskimo boy playing hide and seek with the penguins, she bought it to remember my little disappearance."

A small singing angel holding a song book brought another smile to Hutch.  "This one she bought after my first solo in the school Christmas pageant."

Starsky held up an ornament of a police officer in uniform.  "I know what this one is," he declared.

"Mom bought that at the Academy gift shop the year we graduated," Hutch said in a faraway voice.  "She used to hang that right near the top of the tree, just under the angel.  She said the angel tree topper gave her the feeling that a guardian angel was watching over me at work."

The two men continued to pull out the ornaments, as Hutch explained the meaning behind each one.  The ornaments were lined up on the coffee table, their boxes carefully stacked to the side.

"Hutch?  What's this?" Starsky asked, carefully lifting a wooden shoe-box sized container from the box.

Hutch's face registered shock.  "It can't be...!" he exclaimed as he gently took the item from his friend.  He slid off the top of the box to reveal what appeared to be a beautiful antique doll.  As Hutch reverently removed it from the box, Starsky could see that it was an angel for the top of the tree.  The face and hands were hand painted porcelain, and the gown was golden silk.  The wings were made of beautiful lace.  The artistry was remarkable.

"That looks like an antique," Starsky said with awe. 

"Yes," Hutch whispered.  "My great grandfather brought this to America from the old country.  It has been on the top of the tree for generations."  He cradled the angel in his hands, letting the memories flood over him.  "There must be a mistake.  This shouldn't have been sent with the ornaments."

"Did ya see this?"  Starsky lifted the lid of the box so that Hutch could see it.  There was a note taped to the inside. 

Dear Kenneth,

Your grandfather always wanted you to have this. 

Merry Christmas, Son!

Love,

Mother

A huge smile lit up Hutch's face.  He gently laid the angel back into its box, softly replacing the lid.  Starsky observed his friend, whose face glowed with innocence and wonder.  He looked childlike, and joyful.

They continued to unload the box, playfully celebrating each item with its story.  Soon the carton was empty, and there were over fifty ornaments displayed on the table.  They cleaned up the packing materials, putting away the boxes until after the holiday.  By the time they were through, it had grown quite late.  They decided to go out to grab a bite to eat before calling it a day.  Hutch said he would try to get out on the weekend to find a decent tree to display his new treasures.

The following day at work was long and tiresome.  There had been a rash of armed robberies in the area, in which two men had been killed so far.  The two detectives had been assigned to interviewing victims and witnesses.  When the workday came to an end, both men were tired and depressed.  Hutch suggested that they go out for a beer, but Starsky declined in order to get some Christmas shopping done.  Instead, he suggested that he drop Hutch off at the Pits on his way to the mall, and he would meet him back there after he finished his errands.  Since he felt too weary to shop, Hutch agreed.

Starsky returned after shopping, in a much better mood than when he left.  A good meal, a couple beers, and Huggy's good company had done much to improve Hutch's mood as well.  Starsky had one beer before suggesting they call it a night.  He gave Hutch a ride home.

Hutch walked into his apartment alone to find a large surprise awaiting him.  A lovely Christmas tree was set up in front of his window, completely covered in lights and tinsel.  At first glance, he thought there were no ornaments on the tree, but as he stepped closer he noticed there were two lonesome decorations hanging near eye level. 

Grinning, he approached the tree to examine the pair of ornaments.  They were not from his mother's box.

One ornament had a little blonde boy with blue eyes staring up at a Christmas tree in awe.

The second ornament was an elf.  He had dark curly hair and blue eyes.  The elf was sitting cross-legged, elbows on his knees, chin resting on his hands, with a big mischievous grin on his face.  The familiar expression brought a chuckle to Hutch.

Looking at the table full of ornaments, Hutch was tempted to start loading them on the tree.  Instead, he thought better of it.  Tomorrow would be soon enough.  He would run out to the store to pick up some hot chocolate and marshmallows, or perhaps some eggnog, then call a certain curly haired elf to give him a hand.