The pressure of making a New Year’s resolution was looming. Lila stared out her apartment window, watching the flickering city lights. Her phone was buzzing on the table—texts were lining up about making New Year’s plans, resolutions, and how to approach the coming year’s issues. She sighed and picked at a loose thread on her…
On the Blackbird’s Watch. From my perch in the branches, I watched them gather. The drums sounded steady and deep, drawing them into a circle around the fire. Hands clapped, feet moved, their steps falling into rhythm. They moved together, quiet at first, then stronger. Voices rose, blending with the beat. They weren’t separate tonight.…
Eight Friends Share Hopes for Change The table was set, and in the center stood a perfect pyramid of eight glasses full of bubbling spirits glowing in soft light. Eight friends gathered around, each anticipating a shared intention for the year ahead. This year, they decided to welcome the New Year with celebration and purpose—a…
Max was no ordinary gray-haired cat. His sleek coat made him look like a silky shadow that danced. And dance he did. Max was born to boogie. The living room glowed with twinkling lights, and the disco ball cast sparkles across the floor. Max perched on the armchair at the edge of the room. While…
Bing’s Holiday Journey Bing, was an unusual gnome. He loved to travel to the North Pole during the holidays and hang out and help Santa with all the elves. On a snowy eve, he was untangling a knot in a string of Christmas lights when the special jingle bell rang. Curious and startled, he nearly…
Miriam tightened her grip on the shopping bag filled with sweet potatoes, her breath visible in the crisp December air. Daniel walked beside her, balancing a box with the shiny new menorah they’d picked out together just days before. The box still had a little bow on it from the shopkeeper. “I can’t believe we…
A Watchful Kwanzaa: The Mbeki Family’s Celebration Nestled in the city’s heart, the Mbeki family home glowed warmly against the crisp December air. Through the frosty windows, the flicker of the kinara and the sounds of laughter spilled into the night. The Mbekis—Ayo, Nkechi, their children Omari and Zola, and Ayo’s mother, Nana Ebele—embraced Kwanzaa…
Sarah moves like a whirlwind of pink against the endless blue sky. Sunbeams feel playful and warm. Her dress vibrates with color, like flowers in bloom. She welcomes the days growing longer. A single orange daisy, bold and beautiful, rests in her hair. It bobs as she moves with the melody playing in her head…
Petunia, the piglet sighed. Her trot lacked spring, and her usual enthusiastic oinks were weary groans. The other piggies noticed and pondered how to best support their sidekick. Together, the drift got the idea for a relaxing spa day to ease Petunia’s spirit and help her get more bounce in her step! They secretly set…
Birthday anticipation crackled in the air, sharper than usual for a seasoned mouse adventurer. The handsome gray murid demanded a culinary coup on his birthday, and tonight, something intoxicating caught hold of his sense of smell. It was finally quiet. Silence had settled after the usual noisy evening chaos. It was time, and everyone was…