Are you ready to meditate with Kari?
Make sure that everything is just right in your room.
The lights are just a nice soft color.
You're warm and comfortable in your bed.
Are you ready to relax and listen to a story?
Heidi,
Cherry and Veya were having a very hard time getting to sleep.
Well,
Heidi would have been asleep a long time ago,
And Veya would have been asleep a long time ago.
But Cherry couldn't fall to sleep,
So she was keeping her sisters awake as well.
In fact,
Cherry was keeping everyone awake that she knew.
It was Christmas Eve,
You see.
Christmas Eve,
Guys.
Cherry was beside herself.
OMG,
OMG,
I've been waiting all year for this night.
All year,
Guys,
All year.
I mean,
You don't believe it,
But it's like every single day,
Even in February,
I'm like,
Oh gosh,
Can't wait for Christmas Eve.
Heidi said,
You're not.
Not in February.
Cherry,
That's,
That's like literally weeks after Christmas.
I know,
Right?
It's really,
Really,
Really crazy of me,
But I can't help it.
If I tell you all my secrets and I tell you like my inner truth,
Then my inner truth is saying I live for Christmas Eve every single day.
I'm like,
I wonder what I'll get.
I wonder what I could get my sisters.
Oh,
I wonder if we can go Christmas shopping today.
And it's only like May time.
And I'm like,
Maybe we could go Christmas shopping inside of my mind.
But I don't say it out loud all the time because you'll think I'm absolutely bazonkers.
But you know,
I can't help myself.
I love it so much.
And now it's come to the actual night.
I don't know what to do with myself.
I don't know what to do with my paws.
I keep putting them everywhere.
I've already called some of my friends.
I've called loads of friends already.
There's loads and loads and loads of loads and loads of friends that didn't answer.
I don't know how they were asleep.
It's only 10 o'clock.
I'm like,
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to bed.
I'm going to bed.
It's only 10 o'clock.
Heidi said 10 o'clock is past a lot of people's bedtimes,
Especially some of our friends.
Oh no,
It's not.
Said Cherry.
They said I beg to differ.
I would prefer to have been asleep at least by maybe nine because you know,
I need to get sleep otherwise I find myself having to use those face mask things all the time.
And I just found one that doesn't stick in my first so much and it's absolutely perfect.
But if I can get a good night's sleep,
It definitely lowers the puffiness from around my eyes.
Cherry said,
Faye,
You're only young.
What you're doing worrying about being puffy around your eyes.
And I'm sure that there's a prince charming out there that likes cats that are white and fluffy and so,
So cute with puffy eyes.
In fact,
I bet they put that under the description of the vision boards of what they want.
Oh,
I'm longing for a princess cat that's white and fluffy that has puffy eyes.
Cherry thought she was really funny.
Faye didn't laugh.
Heidi said,
Look,
I'm really serious now.
I've tried everything.
I've tried reading you two different books.
I've tried making you moon milk,
Which is like a combination of everything good in the world that's supposed to put you to sleep like oat milk and ashwagandha and turmeric and ginger and all of those wonderful things that are supposed to make you rest didn't do a thing.
I know,
Right?
But it tasted so good.
I will definitely have to have you make me that on a regular night,
Heidi,
Because moon milk is delicious.
But yeah,
It didn't work.
I think I've just got too much adrenaline surging through my body.
Heidi tried a different technique.
Did you know that if you don't go to sleep,
Santa won't come?
Cherry said,
She paused.
She had a very serious face.
What?
Heidi said,
Yep.
Cherry said,
You what?
Heidi said,
Yep,
He won't come.
Cherry said,
He will,
Because he knows me.
We're besties.
We're besties,
Friendses in the world.
And he'll understand that I'm really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really,
Really excited.
I mean,
I tried calling Sisley and Quincy and they were like,
Oh,
Wait a minute.
Let me get my other,
Let me get like my brother and my sister and maybe they can help.
Clinton,
Liberty,
Couldn't do a thing.
They were all wide awake too,
So they were absolutely useless.
Because they were so excited.
Everyone I know is so excited.
Still not everyone,
Like I said,
Some people were asleep,
Weren't they?
Because you know,
They've got like nervous systems of steel or something.
They just don't get affected by something that's so exciting.
So exciting.
Oh,
Sorry,
I slathered and I spit all over the place then,
But I'm so excited.
I'm so excited.
I pee like 50 million times already.
I need to go pee again.
We got up,
Went to the bathroom to go pee once again.
Heidi said,
Vea,
What are we going to do?
Vea said,
I have no clue.
I don't know what to do with her.
I'm really tired.
Heidi said,
I'm not surprised.
It's 10 o'clock.
Maybe if you tell her about Santa not coming,
She'll take it more serious.
Vea said,
I'll try.
I'll try.
But you know what she's like.
Cherry came back from the toilet.
Vea laid it on thick.
Cherry said,
OMG,
Vea,
Are you all right?
What on earth is wrong?
Vea kept pretending crying.
I'm so sad.
Even Heidi was convinced.
Heidi said,
Are you sure you're not all right?
Are you all right?
Cherry said,
What did you do,
Heidi?
Did you tell her she best go to sleep or otherwise you're going to bonk her on the head with a pillow and knock her out?
No,
That's not funny right now.
Vea,
What's wrong?
What's wrong,
Vea?
You can tell me.
I'm your sister.
You can tell me absolutely anything.
You know,
We can confide in each other because we're besties.
Tell me what's wrong.
What's upsetting you?
Vea said,
I'm really worried that Santa won't come because we're not going to sleep.
Cherry said,
Oh,
No,
Not that.
No,
Not that old chestnut.
I could really eat some chestnuts right now.
You know,
You know,
Do you remember,
Right,
When we went to England that time and we had chestnuts,
Chest,
Chestnuts,
Are they chestnuts or are they chestnuts?
The chestnuts,
Right?
Aren't they not chestnuts?
Chestnuts would be like chestnut coloured mutts,
Like chestnut dogs,
Chest dogs.
So funny.
No,
No,
We were we were walking on the street and it was so cold and it was so,
So cold and you could smell something all of a sudden that was so nice.
It smelled so good.
And I was like,
What is that smell?
And Auntie Kelly said,
That's chestnuts roasting on an open fire.
And I said,
I've heard that before.
That sounds so familiar.
Auntie Kelly said,
Yeah,
I was being funny.
It's a Christmas song.
No,
No.
So this these are actually chestnuts,
She said.
And I said,
What are chestnuts?
And she said the nuts.
And I said,
What kind of nuts?
And she said chest.
And I thought that was so funny.
Anyway,
She goes,
Yeah,
You can have them raw,
But you have to peel them really well because they have like this thin membrane of bitter stuff on the outside of them.
They have a really hard shell.
And when you're a kid in England,
They don't do it so much these days because there's so many phones.
But Auntie Kelly said when she was small,
She used to get a dad to drill a hole through the chestnut and then you put a string in it with a knot on the end and then a long string and then you go to school with it,
Right?
And then someone at school has a long string with a knot on it and a chestnut on the end.
And then you play this game where you hold your string and you swing your chestnut at the other person's chestnut and whoever breaks the chestnut wins or the person's chestnut.
So the one that still has a chestnut wins.
How cool is that?
I wish we could play that because maybe maybe we could play it with like walnuts.
I know we have walnuts here,
But we don't have chestnuts.
I don't think I've never seen any chestnuts where we live.
Anyway,
I got sidetracked.
Auntie Kelly said that they use like these things,
You can put them in the oven,
But on the street it looks like a fancy old fashioned cart and it's making the chestnuts warm.
And when you bake them in the oven,
Right,
You can just peel off that crispy outside bit and then you can eat it on the inside.
And they taste so different when they're cooked.
Do you remember?
That's what I want right now.
I'm craving chestnuts,
Not chestnuts,
Chestnuts.
I'm craving them so bad.
Heidi said,
Can we get back to Veya please?
Veya's upset.
Cherry said,
OMG,
I'm so sorry Veya,
Got totally sidetracked and now my mouth is watering.
What's wrong?
Tell your sister,
Tell me what's wrong.
Veya said,
I just did,
But you weren't listening.
Oh,
Sorry,
Said Cherry.
So sidetracked.
I'm so excited for you.
It's Christmas.
It's Christmas Eve.
It's Christmas Eve.
What songs do they have with Christmas Eve in it?
I wish you know that's Merry Christmas.
Uh,
Holy night.
It's Christmas Eve,
A holy night.
Heidi said,
Cherry,
Please just focus,
Slow down,
Take some deep breaths.
Maybe we should make you like a sleepy oval team drink that's chocolate flavor.
So you feel like you're having a hot chocolate,
But it's not all that sugary.
So it won't keep you awake.
How about that?
Heidi didn't wait for an answer.
She got up and went downstairs and started to make everyone a hot chocolate oval team,
Chocolate flavored oval team that was delicious.
Cherry started to get excited about that.
Veya carried on pretending to be upset.
I don't know.
I think if we're not asleep in five minutes.
He really won't come,
Cherry.
He won't come.
Cherry said,
Trust me,
Veya,
He'll come.
Especially now that you're upset.
Santa can't stand it if any of his,
Any of his little kiddies are upset.
He's like too much of a pushover.
He's so soft and sweet and cuddly and fat and round and,
And red and ruddish.
And you know,
He's just so nice.
I mean,
If Santa hears you crying,
He'll be like,
Don't worry,
Veya,
I'm coming.
And I'll be like,
I know Santa,
I know,
Because I know you're so nice.
Veya thought about that for a second and thought,
Santa is actually a very nice person.
Even though if you're very,
Very naughty,
He will not bring you presents.
But most of the time he does because he's very sweet.
She thought to herself,
Maybe my plan is not going to work.
Maybe I need to try a different plan.
That's when Veya stood up,
Walked over to their big,
Soft,
Comfortable,
Fluffy cat bed,
Laid down and just closed her eyes.
She thought to herself,
Maybe I'll just ignore her and she'll just get the message.
Maybe she'll copy me and maybe she'll lay down and just go to sleep.
Cherry turned away from Veya and started to walk to the top of the stairs.
She shouted downstairs,
Is my Ovaltine ready yet?
So excited for my Ovaltine.
That wasn't what Heidi wanted.
Heidi came around the corner and started to walk up the stairs.
It's ready,
She said.
But this is not supposed to be making you excited,
Cherry.
This is supposed to be making you more sleepy.
Oh,
I know.
I know I'm going to relax.
Don't worry.
Veya's already gone to sleep.
I don't know what's wrong with her.
She just cried and cried and then decided that she weren't crying anymore.
She went to lay on our bed and then that were it.
She was out.
Veya was pretending that good that she did actually fall asleep.
I forgot that she was pretending and it felt so good to be falling asleep.
It was quarter past ten by now.
Quarter past ten and Cherry was still not asleep.
Cherry was pacing.
Heidi passed her the drink.
Cherry started slurping on her Ovaltine.
Oh,
This is delicious.
So good.
Right.
All right.
How about this?
How about we sit down with this hot,
Hot,
Relaxing Ovaltine and we talk about maybe what we're going to get for Christmas tomorrow?
I think I'm going to get an helicopter.
Heidi said,
What?
What on earth makes you think that mum and dad's going to buy you an helicopter?
I don't know.
I just can feel it in my blood.
I said it one time.
I said,
I said,
You know,
Wouldn't it be lovely if we could like all get in a helicopter and fly over New York City?
And I heard him hearing me.
Well,
I saw him hearing me.
And I was like,
They heard me.
But any money,
They're putting it on the Christmas list.
Heidi started laughing.
She couldn't help herself.
Cherry,
That's ridiculous.
Mum and dad can't buy you a helicopter.
Who do you think?
Who do you think mum and dad are?
They can't afford a helicopter.
Cherry said,
Why not?
They got to work all the time.
Heidi said,
Yeah,
But a helicopter?
That's for someone that probably has way too much money that they don't know what to do with Cherry.
Mum and dad don't have that much money.
We have enough money to be comfortable and enough money for us to buy for them to buy as presents.
But you're not going to get a helicopter.
You need to be realistic.
Cherry said,
Oh,
Well,
Then she put her oval teed down on the floor.
I don't think I'm excited about Christmas anymore.
I was so excited to get helicopter lessons,
To learn to fly and then to take everyone in the family over New York City.
What am I going to do now?
There wasn't anything else I wanted.
Heidi said,
Cherry,
You have 14 lists in your clothes drawer,
In your socks drawer alone.
I've seen them.
14 lists of different things that you want for Christmas.
You can't possibly not want anything else other than a helicopter.
Cherry said,
You're beating my sock drawer.
Heidi started laughing again.
Cherry,
Come on,
Maybe you should focus on being grateful that we're having Christmas together.
Grateful that we're in this nice,
Warm house.
Grateful that you have some awesome sisters.
You could be grateful just to be alive.
Cherry said,
Oh,
You're not going to start with your guru stuff,
Are you?
Now you're making me feel guilty.
Now I feel guilty for wanting an helicopter.
But I see your point.
You are very right.
It was a little bit unrealistic.
It's like wanting wanting wanting four ponies for Christmas.
Barely.
No chance in any chance in any million years am I going to get four ponies,
Am I?
Same as a helicopter.
All right,
Then.
So,
All right,
I am.
She picked up her hot chocolate once again and she looked around the room as if she was searching for inspiration on what she was grateful for.
She decided to get into the mood,
More of a Christmas spirit of giving and loving and kindness and appreciation rather than just cherry taking,
Taking,
Taking.
I'm grateful,
Right?
I'm grateful for the fact that you're always there for me,
Heidi.
And you're so smart.
You are so smart.
And I'm so grateful for my sister because she's so sweet and gentle and kind.
I'm really grateful for her.
And I know she's asleep,
But I know she can probably hear me in her subconscious mind,
As Corrie would say.
Yeah,
I'm so grateful for that.
I am really grateful.
And I'm so grateful for my friends.
I'm so grateful that my friends,
Quincy and Clinton and Liberty and Sisley,
They weren't asleep.
So grateful that I could talk to them for a minute and say,
Hello,
Friends.
Love you.
Love you and all that,
But you weren't any good.
Yeah,
I'm so grateful.
I'm so grateful for so many things.
Cherry laid back.
So grateful for the moon.
I really love the moon.
She's so beautiful.
And I'm so grateful for the sun.
I love the sun.
He's so happy all the time and so strong and bright.
I love him.
Love him so much.
Cyril,
The sunshine,
And Molly,
The moon.
That's nice.
Shh.
Shh.
Shh.
Shh.
Shh.
Shh.
Finally,
She was gone,
Fast asleep.
Heidi picked up her Ovaltine sleepy art chocolate.
Put it on the dresser.
She went and brushed her own teeth.
Got back into the bedroom.
Laid down with Cherry and Veya.
Felt butterflies in her tummy for a moment,
Thinking about what tomorrow will bring.
But then,
She took four long,
Deep breaths.
In every breath,
She told herself the sooner she fell asleep,
The sooner it would be morning time.
Within a couple of moments,
Heidi was fast asleep,
Just like her sisters.
And they had the bestest Christmas ever.
The end.
