The final touch of this enchanted night was everyone’s favorite. The Snowflake Fairy would fl y over the beautifully decorated trees, wave her magic wand and with a blink of an eye, the trees would be covered with a tasty, sugary coating that glistened under the moon’s rays.

The final touch of this enchanted night was everyone’s favorite: the Snowflake Fairy would fly over the beautifully decorated trees and wave her magic wand, and with a blink of an eye, the trees would be covered with a tasty sugar coating that glistened under the moon’s rays. The Sugar Tree Forest is named after this particular night for just this reason. The animals would gaze at the beauty of it all and one by one slowly and quietly slip away to a well-needed rest, eagerly awaiting the morning’s light and the most treasured occasion of all: the Christmas Carnival.

Mrs. Beasley started her story from the beginning: “Today is like no ordinary day in the Sugar Tree Forest. This day is filled with excitement and anticipation.” As the story unfolded, it seemed like Nichole was mesmerized with each detail revealed; you could see her slip into a more relaxed state, along with everyone else in the room. Robbie had just heard the story, but he too hung on every word as if he was hearing it for the very first time. Mrs. Beasley ended her Christmas story with, “’See what having a little faith can do?’ He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her forehead and smiled the biggest most peaceful smile she would remember forever.”

Jill Plattner is a married mother of two daughters. She received a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design at Harrington Institute of Design and Northern Arizona University. Jill was a Sunday school teacher for eight years. She also devoted time as a volunteer at Neighborhood Ministries in Central Phoenix, where she taught the Kids Life and Summer Camp programs. Her passion for mother and child prompted her to launch a MOPS (Mother of Preschoolers) chapter in her hometown of Fountain Hills, AZ.