Saturday, December 6, 2008

Stellilalagoogoos and the Christmas Flower

Stellilalagoogoos and the Christmas Flower

 

Once upon a time there was a little fairy named Stelli-LaLa-GooGoos. She was about this tall (show about 2 inches) and she lived in a magical forest in a little house with her mother. Throughout the forest there were beautiful flowers of all different colors. The fairies in the forest loved to drink the juice from the flowers. 

 

Everyday, Stellilalagoogoos went out exploring in the forest. She took her best straw with her to drink flower juice. One day she was out exploring and she saw, in one of the most remote part of the woods, an amazing, glittery, white flower with a broad stripe of red at the edge of each petal. It had a deep green stem and shimmery green leaves. It sparkled like diamonds in the sunlight.

 

Certainly this was the most beautiful flower Stellilalagoogoos had ever seen. So, she decided to have a drink. She got her straw (hold up a fist) and she stuck it down into the middle of the flower (slam your fist against the open palm of your other hand). And then she started to suck up some juice (put your lips to the top of the fist and make sucking noises).

 

At first it tasted like warm gingerbread then, fresh whip cream. Next it began to taste like rich hot chocolate with whip cream and hot buttered toast strips. This taste then faded into warm sugar cookies. Finally the juice began to get sweetly minty like a wonderful candy cane. All this rich warm sweet juice made Stellilalagoogoos very sleepy. She fell quietly asleep on the petals of this glittery yummy flower.

 

Stellilalagoogoos slept long and deeply with images of sugarplums dancing in her head. When she awoke she felt warm and full. She looked over the edge of the flower’s petals and what she saw took her breath away. There beneath the flower were beautifully wrapped packages with bows and tags on them.

 

Quickly, Stellilalagoogoos flew down to the packages to see what was written on the tags. Each package had a tag told for whom the package was intended. Stellilalagoogoos flitted around from package to package searching for one with her name on it. She found one for her mother. She found one for her friend Jackimorgan. She found one for her neighbor Hughberkbunk. She even found one for Sabannieblanch, the ornery old lady who lived in the furthest tree in town. In fact, she found a present there for every person in the fairy village, except her.

 

There was no present for Stellilalagoogoos. Stellilalagoogoos was very sad. It didn’t seem fair that everyone got a present but her. Still she wondered what was in the packages and there was no one nearby to open theirs. Nobody in town even knew there were presents waiting. Stellilalagoogoos decided she would just have to deliver the presents.

 

First she took Jackimorgan his. He was so excited to get a package. He ripped the paper off and found a train set. “Oh just the thing I wanted most in the world!” he said. He gave Stellilalagoogoos a giant hug and thanked her over and over with a smile on his face that lit up the whole room. It made Stellilalagoogoos feel warm inside to see her friend so happy.

 

One by one, Stellilalagoogoos delivered the presents to each person in the fairy village. Each person got the thing they wanted most in the world. Her neighbor Hughberkbunk got speedy ice skates, and her best friend Nikkibuff got real makeup.

 

Stellilalagoogoos had been a bit nervous to take the ornery old lady Sabannieblanch her package. But as soon as Sabannieblanch saw the package her whole face changed from a sour expression to surprise and wonder. Her present had been a doll she had wanted ever since she was a tiny little fairy girl. She cried when she saw it and gave Stellilalagoogoos a big hug and a kiss on her forehead. She told Stellilalagoogoos to come over to visit anytime.

 

With each delivery, Stellilalagoogoos found her heart feeling warmer and warmer, happier and happier. It was so much fun to see what was in each person’s package and she loved making them so happy.

 

The last package Stellilalagoogoos delivered was to her mother. When Stellilalagoogoos handed the small, golden wrapped package, her mother got a big smile on her face. “I see you have found the Christmas flower today,” said her mother.

 

“Christmas flower?” asked Stellilalagoogoos. “Is that what that red and white flower is called?”

 

“Oh yes,” replied her mother. “And you are very lucky to have found it. It only blooms one day a year and often no one finds it. When someone does and drinks from its nectar, everyone in the town gets the best gifts.”

 

“Well almost everyone,” said Stellilalagoogoos, remembering that she did not get a package. “There wasn’t a gift for me.”

 

“Oh yes, there was a gift for you,” said her mother. “It may not have been wrapped in a box or had a tag but you got the best gift of all.”

 

Stellilalagoogoos was confused. But her mother did not explain. Instead she opened her package. Inside was a beautiful golden locket. It had a picture of Stellilalagoogoos on one side and a picture of her mother on the other. “Just what I have always wanted,” said her mother. “Now even when you are not at home I can always hold you close to my heart.”

 

Stellilalagoogoos’ mother gave her the biggest tightest hug of all. Just then, Stellilalagoogoos realized what her present was. She got to spend a whole day making everyone in town happy. She got to play Santa for everyone she knew. “You know Mama,” said Stellilalagoogoos, “I think you are right. I think I did get the best gift of all. Today has taught me that the best gift of all is the gift of giving.”

10 comments:

Amanda said...

You're little Stellilalagoogoos stories are so great! I think you should try and get these published. Make a little anthology of them, it'd be fun!

Peggy said...

What a beautiful story! I especially loved all the wonderful flavors of the flower nectar. Thank you. I will definitely be sharing this with my girls.

Catherine Noorda said...

yay! another!

i'll read it to coop first thing in the morning.

thanks!

Randi A. said...

Cute story!
Apparently you have others? I'll have to go blog searching for them.
:)

Anonymous said...

Stephanie,
I'm just a single female BYU student who has followed your blog for six months now. I was up late tonight, sitting in my apartment, doing some of that soul-searching and wondering-where-my-life-is-going-to-go that is just part of life as a 21-year-old (and I am sure it doesn't end there!). As I thought about my situation, I was reminded of you and the times you have mentioned similar nights in Provo. I find great comfort in knowing that you had some of the same concerns and thoughts I do, and that as long as I have faith in Heavenly Father and His plan, that I can find the right path for me and someday have a life as rich and fulfilling as yours. To be half the positive influence and light to others as you are would be a great success.

Megan Dougherty said...

I told Maddy this story this morning and she loved it. You have such a creative imagination. If you do ever publish these stories please let me know. I know Maddy would love these books.

Anonymous said...

Dear Stephanie,
I'm a 14 year old girl that has a question about the church. It's something I don't think you would be able to just post about on your blog. If you would, could you please e-mail me at butterfingerbookworm@hotmail.com and I will respond with the question. I don't know what your e-mail is. Thanks for your help and thanks for answering people's questions. No hurry I understand it's a busy time.
Kaitlyn

chanel said...

i read this to my girls tonight and it was so fun. my 5 year old said "I know what her gift is!" at the end. such a great message at this time of year!

We are a part of a happy family said...

The kids loved the story. I'm not sure what they loved more: the actual story or the character names. Thanks for a fun bedtime story. I guess story telling is a Harris trait, S loves to tell the kids a made up story each night. You two should coordinate one sometime.

Melica and Aaron said...

Stephanie,

As many others who read your blog, I have been a silent follower of yours for months now. I accidently came across your blog a few months after your precious camille went to be with our Heavenly Father. I sat and cried for over an hour as I read your blog and then for a good week or so after that I could not get you out of my mind. I kept wondering why I had come across your blog. It wasn't more than a month later, that a close friend of mine lost her her sweet boy, who wasn't quite 2, to an accidental drowning in a pool. I knew then why I had found your blog - It handn't been accidental. I immediately sent her your blog (which I had continuted to read) and told her a little bit about you. I don't know to this day if she has read your blog, but I know that she is connected with other moms of angels.

I know that I have grown so much from reading about your story. I think it has helped me to understand what my friend is going through just a little more than I would have - not having had to face the same trial in my life. Your are an amazing woman. I admire your stregth and your example. Thank you for sharing your story and your life with all of us. I hold my children tighter, I endure their screaming longer, I watch them closer, I play with them more...I thank you for helping me to be more aware of the many blessings I have in my life.

Now, for why I actually posted here...I also wanted to thank you for your story about Stellilalagoogoos. I found it yesterday, just in time for our Family Home Evening. We had been making cookies and treats all weekend so that we could make Christmas tins to deliver to our friends on Monday. It was the PERFECT "lesson" to share before we went out "giving" to our friends and enjoying the smiles that it brought to their faces.

Thank you, thank you! -Your sister in the Gospel