The Christmas Wish Lantern (Christmas Sleep Story)

This bedtime story is the eighth in the '12-days of Christmas bedtime stories' series, related to 'eight maids milking'. This bedtime story for grown-ups is about a lantern floating through the sky hearing people's dreams and wishes. The lantern passes over eight maids milking and picks up on a wish from one of the maids who wish to be at home for Christmas. The lantern then passes over a group of boys playing.

One of the boys thinks a wish of their parents being around over Christmas. The lantern passes over a forest, over a cottage in that forest. An elderly woman in the cottage wishes to have more company. The lantern passes over a shepherd wishing for the safety of their flock. Then on to a village, hearing the wish of a blacksmith. The lantern then continues to a sage who works through granting the wishes.

Transcript

So just take a moment to allow your eyes to close and allow yourself to begin to relax.

And as you begin to comfortably fall asleep.

I don't know whether you'll drift asleep faster to the sound of my voice or whether it'll be to the spaces between my words.

And as you comfortably fall asleep.

I'm just going to tell this bedtime story in the background.

And the night is still.

And it's the winter solstice.

And the stars seem to be hanging so delicately in the sky.

And there is frost clinging gently to the branches of trees,

To leaves,

To blades of grass.

The cold air hangs so heavily and peaceful in the night sky.

There's a stillness to this environment.

And in the heart of this stillness is a lantern.

But it's no ordinary lantern.

This lantern was created with starlight.

A lantern flickers with that starlight.

Almost like evoking a lullaby within.

And this lantern rises from the ground.

Almost as if carried on an invisible current of air.

It floats over the sleeping world below.

It's light shimmering and dancing as it goes.

And this lantern is a magical lantern.

It floats above the land.

Listening to the thoughts of those below.

To their wishes.

To their unspoken desires.

And the lantern moves through the night sky.

So calmly.

So relaxing.

With barely anyone paying it attention.

And far below,

As it drifts above,

Nestled among some rolling hills,

Is a farm.

The fields stretch out so softly,

Quietly.

The sounds of cows breathing.

And the sight of eight maids milking.

And among those maids is a young woman.

And her hands are moving automatically as her mind drifts far away.

And while lost in her thoughts.

Occasionally gazing up at the sky.

She has a wish.

She isn't speaking.

And it's only a few days to Christmas.

And every year,

She finds herself here,

Tending to the cows.

While her family gathers without her.

And she has just one simple wish.

To spend Christmas with her family.

To have just a single day where she can laugh.

And share in the warmth of the gathering.

Rather than working out here on the farm.

And as that lantern continues to drift by silently.

The woman feels a warmth on her skin.

A sprig of hope.

A light enveloping her.

She feels that there's something different now.

But is unsure what.

And that lantern continues to pass over.

Continuing to gather up more wishes.

It floats so effortlessly through the night sky.

Listening to the whispers of people's minds.

Below noticing children running across snow covered streets.

Boots crunching with each step.

Cheeks flushed from the cold.

Eyes shining with happiness.

Snowballs flying through the air.

Exploding in powdery clouds as they strike their targets.

A group of the children huddled together.

With snow clad mittens.

While working together to roll a giant snowball.

To be the base of a snowman.

And beneath the joyful sounds of those children.

The lantern senses something more.

One of the boys.

With a crooked hat and a scarf trailing behind him.

Is lost in thought.

Gazing at the sky.

The other children around him.

Playing,

Laughing,

Conversing.

All talking of Christmas and presents and stockings of sweets and biscuits.

And that one boy.

Longs for something more.

They'll see their parents at Christmas.

The parents will spend time with them at Christmas.

But they would like their parents around.

To spend time with them.

To spend time with them.

More than just Christmas day.

To tell them stories.

To enjoy the warmth as a family.

They know that their parents work really hard.

Very long hours away from home.

To make sure they can provide for them as a family.

And they never complain.

They just wish that they could have more time together as a family.

And that child begins to feel a warmth of light.

Envelop them as if something's changing.

While that lantern gathers up the wishes and dreams.

It continues its journey.

Heading away from a village.

Heading deeper into the night.

The sounds of the children laughing and playing.

Drifting into the background.

And beyond the village.

Where the cottages grow sparse and the land stretches out.

Into the most pleasant undulating fields.

There's a small solitary cottage.

Nestled gently at the edge of some woodland.

Its roof covered in a blanket of snow.

A stream of smoke lazily curling from the chimney.

The cottage feels so still.

As if time itself.

As slowed to match the steady crackling of logs burning on the fire.

Within the main room of that cottage.

And there's an elderly woman.

Sitting by that fire in her old chair.

That chair creaking softly.

As she rests back.

Her hands folded over her lap.

Her eyes tired.

But almost mesmerized by the dancing fire.

The way it flickers.

The shadows and light.

A cold cup of tea sitting.

Untouched on a small table beside her.

The lamp detects a peacefulness here.

But it's a silence of absence.

Of loneliness.

The lamp is drawn in by that quiet longing lingering gently in the air.

The woman doesn't speak.

She's barely spoken.

About her thoughts for years.

But her heart feels deeply.

She longs for company.

For someone to share quiet nights with.

Someone to sit by the fire with.

To fill the silence with stories.

With laughter.

With the comfort.

Of the presence of others.

And it's at this time.

Approaching Christmas.

Where she's really reminded.

Of her longings.

And that lantern continues to drift by.

And the woman feels a warmth.

A comfort.

A softness spread through her body.

As the lantern absorbs.

Her wishes.

And dreams.

And continues its journey.

Heading deeper and deeper.

Into the expanse of the countryside.

And as it continues out into the countryside.

So it detects a lone shepherd.

Standing like a shadowy figure.

Within the snowy expanse.

His flock of sheep.

Moving slowly.

Their thick wool coats.

Blending with that snow.

The only sound breaking the silence.

Being the soft bleats of those sheep.

The shepherd's eyes weary but calm.

His mind.

Worrying.

About caring for these animals.

During these harsh winter months.

The lantern passing overhead.

And the shepherd.

Lost in thought wishing.

Just for the safety of his flock.

As that lantern continues passing by.

Absorbing.

Wishes and dreams.

Continuing over.

Another village.

Another village.

Nestled deep in a valley.

Hearing the sound of metal striking metal.

The rhythmic clang of the hammer.

And inside a small forge.

Lit by the glow of an intense fire.

Is a blacksmith working late into the night.

The heat from that forge pushing back any cold from the day.

And this blacksmith is a man of deep strength.

And skill.

An expert at crafting tools and weapons.

And as he continues.

To work.

In that forge.

That lantern passes overhead.

And he feels a warmth.

Not connected to the warmth of the fire.

And this blacksmith.

Wishes.

Deep within his heart.

That he could stop having to keep making tools and weapons.

And instead.

Create something beautiful,

Something delicate.

Something creative.

Something that shares a part of himself.

That will perhaps live on long after he does.

And that lantern continues drifting by.

And that lantern drifts deeper and deeper through the night.

Before heading over to some ancient woodland.

And it lowers down into that woodland.

Begins to pass through the tall trees.

It's light reflecting off the trunks of those trees.

The leaves overhead.

The rustling branches.

And in the very centre of this woodland.

Is a small hut.

And in the very centre of this woodland.

Is a simple cabin.

The lantern hovers at the cabin.

The cabin door gently creaks open.

And from within the cabin emerges a sage.

And this old man with silver hair.

And long flowing robes.

Reaches out.

Takes hold of that lantern.

Takes it into the cabin.

He sits down with the lantern.

Closes his eyes.

Holding that lantern.

Feeling the warmth of the light.

Passing from the lantern down both his hands.

Deep within his body.

And he listens.

To that lantern.

Through the light.

And as he listens one by one.

He receives the wishes from within the lantern.

Each one like a soft melody.

Playing in his mind.

He sees the wish of the.

Maid's desire to spend Christmas with her family.

Such a simple and heartfelt wish.

And with a soft breath out.

Ripples of magic.

Spread.

From within the sage.

Into the world outside.

And far away on that farm.

And far away on that farm.

A neighbouring family.

Wakes up.

With a sudden urge to help.

To offer assistance.

To offer to take over her chores.

For that day.

To give the farmer's daughter a chance to spend Christmas with her family.

He perceives the wish of the child.

Longing for more time with their parents.

And time together with family.

But the parents.

Worrying about having to work long hours.

To provide for their family.

And with an out breath.

Magic spreads out around the land.

And the parent's bosses.

Awaken.

With a thought of giving a slight raise.

And offering for the parents to work fewer hours.

Whilst still earning enough to provide for their families.

Allowing the parents.

To spend more time with their children.

And the sage.

Picks up on the wishes of the elderly lady.

Relaxing by her fire.

And magic passes out.

From that sage.

With an out breath.

Spreads through the land.

To some of the children.

Spreads through the land.

To some of the elderly lady's relatives.

Who suddenly stir with thoughts.

That they've not seen her for a while.

And that perhaps they should visit more often.

And spend time.

Together.

And then the sage picks up.

On the wishes of the blacksmith.

And spreads magic out with an out breath.

To a nearby.

To a nearby manor.

Where a husband awakens.

With this thought of an idea.

Of some metal work.

Of an object.

That would like created for their wife.

An intricate creative ornament.

And that they're going to go to the local blacksmith.

To pay them handsomely.

To do that work.

And that if they do that work.

They'll tell all their friends.

And they'll show their friends.

And their wife will show their friends.

And then they may well get.

Many more similar commissions.

To do creative pieces of work.

And the sage rests back.

Having gone through.

Helping.

To grant the wishes of those around them.

And they let go and release the lantern.

Which drifts back off.

Towards the door.

The sage heads over and opens the door.

As that lantern leaves.

To continue to gather up wishes.

And the sage with a sense of fulfillment.

And happiness they can be helped for.

Settles back down again by that fire.

The maid.

Enjoying time with her family.

The child.

Enjoying having their parents around more.

The lonely elderly lady.

Enjoying the company of friends and relatives.

Who haven't visited in years.

The blacksmith.

Enjoying crafting new items.

The blacksmith.

Enjoying making new items.

Enjoying crafting new items.

Delicately creative items.

And as days pass on.

So the lantern continues through the year.

Observing.

Listening.

Preparing to gather up dreams and wishes.

To be granted by the sage in the future.

And the sage rests down.

And as the fire burns down to embers in the sage's cabin.

The sage heads to bed.

Settles down.

So comfortable and calmly.

And drifts and floats so peacefully.

Asleep into slumberland.