Crow and her cousins, and even a number of the smaller birds, had all helped Old Possum carry the tree into his living room, where it now sat, with its rootball in a giant planter, in front of the window and well away from the fireplace.

Once the birds had left, Possum settled in by the fire — with several bowls of popcorn and berries, a needle, and five spools of thread — and let out a contented sigh.

Truth be told, Possum was a solitary sort at heart, and as much as he loved hosting not one but two Yuletide parties each year, he also cherished the anticipatory hush of Midwinter’s Eve.

(December 2022)

Story © Jennifer Singleton / Read+Purr

This is another vignette in my ongoing series of Tiny Garden Stories: peaceful 1-minute tales, full of cozy vibes, delicious details, and generous dollops of imagination & whimsy. Click one of the first two buttons below to go to (or back to, if that’s where you fell down the rabbit hole) either the Public Garden archive page or (if you’re a Story Club member) to the Private Garden page. Or click the third button to learn more about my Tiny Garden Stories. Want each week’s featured story delivered directly to your inbox? Subscribe to my Substack.