liquid gold

On a snowy, still night, she stood in front of the large, glittering Christmas tree. Her long, blonde hair fell down her back like liquid gold and shimmered in the warm glow of the flickering fairy lights. The dress she was wearing seemed to be woven from a breath of air – delicate, light, almost invisible. It clung to her shoulders before gliding playfully over her hips in soft waves. The tulle swirled around her legs as she turned slowly to take a look in the mirror. “I wonder if Santa would be impressed?” she murmured with a mischievous grin as she twirled a golden curl between her fingers. She loved Christmas, but it wasn’t just the sparkle and the smell of cinnamon and fir branches that intoxicated her. It was the crackle in the air, the promise of something mysterious, perhaps even forbidden. Her imagination had long toyed with the thought of how Santa would react if he saw her like this. A cheeky thought gave her pause. She put her fingers to her dress and felt the soft fabric against her skin. “What would it be like,” she asked herself quietly, “if I just took the dress off? What would happen if I stood naked in front of the tree?” Her cheeks glowed, but the idea made her smile, a smile that was both innocent and daring. The atmosphere in the room was enchanted, almost as if imbued with a secret magic. The scent of cloves and cinnamon hung heavy in the air, outside snowflakes trickled to earth like sparkling diamonds. A tingling sensation spread through her, from the back of her neck down to the tips of her feet. It was as if the night itself was challenging her to become a part of this magic – a part of the mystery that Christmas held. With a cheeky smile, she let the dress slip over her shoulders. It fell to the floor, silently, like the snow outside the window. She adorned herself with a string of lights that nestled warmly around her body. The tulle of the dress served as a final touch of envelopment, a delicate veil that covered her skin as if by fairy hands. “Maybe he really does have a special present for me,” she whispered as she imagined how Santa would react. Her eyes flashed with anticipation as she stepped to the window and gazed out into the snowy darkness. A soft tinkling of bells made her hold her breath. Her lips parted in a knowing smile. “Well, who knows,” she murmured with a hint of cheekiness, “maybe Santa really does have more surprises in store than I thought.” And so she waited, wrapped in gold and light, for the magic of the night to take its course.