Prologue
Rose Prairie City Council Meeting
November
Sammie
Bang! The gavel pounding on the table is sweet music to my ears.
“The votes are unanimous. Miss Samantha Williams will be the new Rose Prairie Event Coordinator.” Pride wells in my chest as Mayor Desmond addresses the underwhelming crowd—the average age being sixty-five. The large, balding man nods his head toward me in acknowledgment. “We wish you the best of luck and look forward to seeing how you transform our town square. I’m sure it will be a Christmas Spectacular to remember.” Faint clapping is sprinkled throughout the room as the mayor drones on. “Next on the agenda…”
The rest of the meeting fades into the background while my insides swirl.
I’ve done it.Look out world! Here comes Sammie Williams. Nothing can stop me now.
An overwhelming sense of accomplishment and joy threatens tears that inno wayneed to be seen by anyone else.
It’s long been a dream of mine to create a festive Christmas in a small town like Rose Prairie. City life is no place for me, always longing for a tiny town somewhere off in the middle of nowhere. Leaving Chicago behind has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
And now I get to do what I’ve always wanted.
The City Council has just announcedmeas their new event coordinator. I’m honestly still in shock. I mean, my proposal was elaborate and well thought out that it’d almost seem impossible for them tonotpick me. The proposal was made several weeks ago in front of this very council and called for a complete overhaul. Toss out the old and outdated Christmas decorations for the town square and revamp with one-of-a-kind attractions. They said, and I quote, “We need some young blood in this town” and boy did they find that with me.
Silently, I vow to do everything in my power to make Rose Prairie the go-to destination for Christmas in small town USA.
Chapter One
Sammie
Wandering through the warehouse where the city stores its holiday decorations is eerie. Buzzing overhead lights, the echoing of every step, the smell of mildew tainting the air. Not to mention the creepy oversize Santa Claus that definitely contains lead paint and has a smile pulled straight from a nightmare.
“I’m thinking this needs to go.” Pointing at the Santa from hell, I continue walking down the aisle. Quinn peels off blue painter’s tape, gingerly placing an X on Santa’s nose. She’s a student at Rosewood College in town and needed a job. It just so happened that I needed an assistant. She also might have been the only one to respond to the ad I posted in the coffee shop, but that’s neither here nor there. She’s been a great help getting things organized.
Quinn leans back, pushing up the bridge of her glasses, whistling as she glances around. “Wow. This place is something else. How old is this stuff anyway? And why haven’t they replaced them yet?” Quinn is a blond, quirky, nerdy type of girl. Her most defining feature aside from the glasses that constantly slide down the bridge of her nose, is her short stature. Myself being of average height, Quinn seems tiny compared to me. Sometimes I wonder if she was a gymnast with how tiny she is.
“All valid questions,” I sigh. Bending down and tucking my long dark hair behind my ear, I examine a giant box of what looks to be garland, the green dye faded into an off-looking blue. “From what I heard, the last mayor had a sentimental attachment to all this.” Nudging the box with my booted toe, Quinn peels off more tape to mark things to be discarded. “Her grandmother’s grandmother or whoever started the Christmas Spectacular event, so all this junk was kept around.”
“Then I’d say it’s good that you were chosen for the job. This shi- stuff is terrible.” Having worked with Quinn for several weeks, it’s clear that this girl isn’t used to censoring herself. Not that I mind, but she’s trying so hard that I have to chuckle. “It’s amazing they don’t frighten any children that show up.”
The image of Kevin McCallister screaming and running away, arms flailing comes to mind. “I’m sure they do,” I snicker. “This stuff even scares me,” I admit. “Just look at this nativity. Their poor faces are completely gone. And Joseph has no hands.” Quinn and I both laugh at the disfigured plastic figure. How just his hands are missing is beyond me, but the sight of a faceless, handless Joseph is hilarious.
After an hour of walking through the warehouse and placing Xs on almost everything, we’ve only managed to find hanging snowflakes that need some TLC and they’ll be presentable. Everything else: lights, trees, lamp post decorations, Santa and his sleigh, Frosty and friends, and the gingerbread houses are unsalvageable. It seems like a waste of time, considering my whole proposal was to get rid of everything, but at least I can tell the council that we saved what we could. I’m not trying to come in and throw away over a hundred years of tradition, but it’s time to move into the twenty-first century. It’s better to have them on my side instead of against me. They can think what they want, all I’m trying to do is make this town a showstopper.
Growing up watching all the Hallmark movies built somewhat of an obsession in me. So much so, that when I had the opportunity, I left the city for the smallest, most picturesque town I could find smack in the middle of nowhere. My cousin Mel teases that I’m only out here looking for my small-town romance, but that’s not the only reason. It’s just one of many.
Who doesn’t love a small town romance?
The real pull towards simple town life is Christmas. In my opinion, no one does Christmas better than a small town. Along with the glimmering lights, it brings out a time of peace and joy. Christmas spirit is a real thing and I will argue that until the day I die. Watching those movies and seeing the decorations transform a drab town into a fairytale has always astounded me. A simple town square can suddenly become a hub of beauty and magic.
Sure, I romanticize Christmas, but it truly is a magical time. Bundling up in coats and sweaters. Baking mouth watering cookies. Exchanging thoughtful gifts. Spending time with loved ones. But the best of all: the Christmas lights. That sense of wonder and beauty that’s given by such a simple thing. There’s no other way to put it.
It’s magic.
Magic might have to be what helps me pull off this Christmas Spectacular. I only have three weeks until everything is unveiled. Keeping with tradition, every Christmas Eve the town holds what they call the Christmas Spectacular. Hundreds of townspeople gather together in the dark of Christmas Eve to see the lights glow. The whole town gets involved; hot chocolate stands, carriage rides, the annual Chili cookoff, and the local bakery sets up a sweets shop. I moved here just before Christmas last year and fell in love with this town. But looking around, I knew I could do better. Now here I am with only weeks to prepare and barely any materials to work with. Silently, I curse the woman who stepped down from my new position a month before Christmas.
What in the world are you doing?
The first night officially on the job is spent scouring the internet to find replacement items for all the ones we threw out. What kind of town doesn’t decoratebeforeChristmas?
