An Artificial Christmas

By James O. Youngcliff

If You're Looking for a Typical Christmas Story,
Well, You've Found One – Not!

 

Miguelito couldn't stand having another Christmas without a tree again. So his parents traditionally celebrated instead by exchanging one gift at their Christmas Eve meal and a church visit the following day. Not cool since coming to America, when schoolmates discover a wealth of presents under their trees from Santa.

Born sickly into a poor family, who struggled to learn new ways and the language, Miguelito became desperate to share in the holiday customs and, for once, enjoy Christmas with Santa's help. So, when he found an artificial tree in the trash and brought it home one day, he started a bizarre, creepy, and supernatural Christmas to never forget!

 

Will Miguelito learn the true meaning of Christmas or continue to hang his dreams on a pretty tree? Discover the twists and turns fate has in store for the youngster in An Artificial Christmas.

 

An Artificial Christmas is a small snapshot of an immigrant family's son's struggles to fit in a new country. Coming from a poor and disadvantaged family during the most beautiful time of the year, Christmas. Our main character comes to crossroads, where he faces the persistent challenges of coming of age in a strange land, only wishing for a better life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James O. Youngcliff
• Release date: Sep 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201515188

James O. Youngcliff

James O. Youngcliff is a children’s fiction writer who has published several exciting “telling stories” for adolescents with his BluBerrie Series. In addition, he’s written several fantasy novels for the advanced young adult reader. His works, however, never fail to impart wisdom for those willing to take the time to go down the “road less traveled.” So, prepare yourself for the strange, surreal, and twisted. “This book came close to home, and I hope today’s young readers will find the Christmas holidays more meaningful now, as I did looking back writing this story,” the author states. Originally from New York City, Youngcliff lives in Dade City, Florida now. He oil paints, draws, and exhibits for art galleries throughout his home state when not writing. Currently, he is working on a few fantasy ideas for teens. Tentatively scheduled to publish next year or sooner. Check for other titles now available.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Life had never been easy for Miguelito Arijona and his family in the United States. Or so he thought as he remained awake, lying on the floor of his room, staring at the ceiling, gasping for air and eager for his next breath.

A classmate had told him counting sheep helped. So, he tried it, but it didn’t work. Besides, it only reminded him of the humiliating moments in class when he had first entered the school system.

Then, his teacher had forced him to read aloud from a baby book. It brought laughter from the class, and his asthma had started up, making it impossible for him to continue reading. Finally, the assistant principal came and took him to the nurse’s office and called his father at work because his mother spoke very little English.

In America, everyone learns to read, write, and speak English, his teacher said to him in front of the class, allowing her students to continue making fun of his reading. But, if this was how many Americans treated Spanish-speaking students, they weren’t too nice. Since his family had arrived from Cuba, he’d never felt welcomed or at home.

But Miguelito, determined to make the best of the move from his native land, remained hopeful. Besides, he had no regrets about leaving; it didn’t matter. He had no friends then and none now. They had been poor before, and they were again. However, there was one thing they had now that they didn’t have before: hope for better times.

Una historia de ovejas tonta para los niños, his mother said when he explained the American way of getting to sleep by sheep counting. He also thought it a silly story to get kids to sleep at bedtime. Fortunately, Benita, his mother, also suffered from asthma and knew better ways to ease his breathing.

With little money to spare for doctors and medicine, his father, Patricio, couldn’t manage an inhaler, so his mother rubbed ointment on his chest and back, telling him stories from her youth. It calmed him down and smelled terrible.

However, it helped to have her by his bedside in the middle of the night. It relaxed him better than any stupid expensive medicines, anyway.

But things were different now. Miguelito had practiced hard, learning the language quickly; at first, he spoke with a heavy accent, but in a short time, that changed too. He earned straight A’s in reading and writing, and he was on the way to being the best speaker in his class on any subject.

Without a doubt, getting through winter wasn’t as easy or kind to Miguel’s health as in the early years in this American school. Its chilling wind seeped through the walls and cracks in the window of the old rental apartment, squeezing his lungs, making it difficult not to think of his next breath. It scared him not being able to breathe.

He stood and gazed out the window, brushing aside their room's torn, sheer curtains; his breathing grew shallower. Even the stars had abandoned him in the dark skies tonight. His lungs filled with cold air, and he coughed repeatedly. Then fear turned into panic, and he battled for the next breath.

Benita Arijona had returned home exhausted that evening from cleaning offices; she skipped dinner and crashed into bed. And didn’t check on him. Earlier, Patricio, his father, had boiled hotdogs and toasted bread for their meal after also arriving tired from his dishwasher job. Then, after a few words, he went off to bed, leaving Miguelito alone to finish his meal before retiring to his room.

Miguelito went to the kitchen sink, filled a glass of tap water, and sipped it slowly. The warm water lessened his wheezing a little, and so did the walk. He made his way back, stopping at his parents’ room door and listening in. Clearly, their hard day had earned them a sound sleep.

Restless for relief, he returned to his room, brushed the curtains aside again, and glanced out the window. He spotted something shiny among the garbage piling up in front of their building right below. Unfortunately, the landlord had not paid for trash pickup this week, leaving the overpowering stink of food decay to gather under his window to further irritate his asthma.

Nonetheless, he continued pressing his face against the cold glass for a better look at the trash heap below. He found it rather odd that someone had thrown out what appeared to be a shiny Christmas tree, and stranger still, just before the holidays. Miguelito forgot about his asthma and welcomed it as a chance to bring a little joy into his life.

From where he stood, the moonlight made it sparkle