Rabbit had gone outside in the late afternoon to watch the sun as it sank below the tree line and turned the southwesterly clouds a watercolor pink. But now, in the full-dark of the longest night, under the watchful eye of a waxing moon, she carried a basket of candles to Old Possum’s house, where everyone was gathering for their annual tree-decorating party.

Mama Chipmunk had arrived with a huge armful of evergreen boughs, which she arranged on the mantel, while Rabbit set one of her newly made cypress-scented candles in each shadowy windowsill, lighting them as she went.

As usual, the robins and wrens took charge of winding Possum’s popcorn-and-berry garlands around and around the tree, snatching a bite of popcorn here, a single berry there. Next came the antique glass ornaments and then, the final flourish: Possum’s grandmother’s delicately carved wooden star, which Crow gently set atop the tree.

Once the tree was complete, it was time for carols and Yule punch and thick slices of Raccoon’s multi-layered chocolate cake with mint frosting.

(Late December 2023)

Story © Jennifer Singleton / Read+Purr

This is another vignette in my ongoing series of Tiny Garden Stories: peaceful 1-minute tales that let you read like a kid again. 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 members-only “Private Garden” page. Or click the third button to learn more about my Tiny Garden Stories. If you’re new to Tiny Garden Story-land and would like 10 days’ worth of stories from our first year, visit ReadPurrNewsletter.com.