Welcome to the Advent Calendar Story Train, where you can read through 24 stories under the theme Surprise.

I really enjoyed taking part in 2022 and couldn’t wait to get involved again. Here is my offering for this year’s advent calendar story train…

Last Minute Dash

‘Is there a problem?’ The man behind me at the checkout asked as I stood torn between returning the box of novelty Christmas crackers or the tub of chocolates.

‘Sorry, what?’ I turned towards him.

He was young, early twenties, and dressed in very swish clothes for a last-minute dash to the supermarket on Christmas Eve. He wore a cream-coloured cashmere scarf and an expensive coat worn open over a dress suit, while I was wearing the same scarf and coat combo I’d used for the last three winters. Where he was all designer labels, I was charity shop chic.

‘I meant, is everything okay?’

‘Oh, sorry.’ I flushed and turned even redder seeing his purchases on the conveyor belt – bottles of champagne and expensive boxes of chocolates. His dozen items probably cost the same as my entire shop for the month.

‘I just need to return one thing and then I’m all done.’

It sounded so simple when I said it out loud, but I kept picturing little Kenny’s face when there were no crackers to pull with our Christmas dinner or shiny-wrapped chocolates to devour. I would normally stock up through December, but money was too tight this year after the rent increase and my hours being cut at work.

I turned back to the cashier. ‘Take off the crackers… no wait, the chocolates…’

The young man tapped his foot. It didn’t help my decision-making process.

I glanced at my trolly filled with yellow reduced stickers. Maybe there was something else I could put back instead. ‘Sorry, my boy loves them both…’ My words trailed off, no closer to a decision.

The manic atmosphere in the shop seemed to heighten around me. The festive music, staff rushing around wearing tinsel and Santa hats, all with excited expressions as they neared the end of their shifts with the promise of a well-earned day off. I had the overwhelming feeling that everyone was watching me, judging.

The man checked his watch.

I had to decide. Tears threatened as I double-checked my empty purse one last time. I was certain there was an extra £5 in there yesterday.

I sighed heavily, resigned. ‘Take off the…’

The man behind me cleared his throat. ‘Keep them both.’

‘I can’t…’ How could I explain to someone like him that I was broke?

He stepped towards me and I flinched, not sure what he planned until he stretched over and tapped his card against the reader.

My whole shopping bill disappeared.

‘But…’ I floundered as the receipt printed off and the cashier handed it to me.

The man gathered up the notes and change I’d counted out by the till and pressed them into my hands. His impatient air was gone. ‘Merry Christmas,’ he said softly.

‘I can’t let you do that.’

‘It’s already done. Go and enjoy Christmas with your son.’

‘You should at least take this.’

I offered him the money, but he shook his head.

‘It’s a gift.’

I bit my lip, looking down at the crumpled notes before stuffing them back into my purse. I quickly dumped the chocolates and crackers with the rest of the food in my trolley. ‘Thank you,’ I mumbled, not sure what else to say.

The cashier smiled at me. I could see his actions moved her, too.

As the cashier started scanning the man’s items, I backed out of the way.

‘Why did you do that?’ I asked, watching him pack the bottles into a cardboard carrier.

He shrugged. ‘I’m in a hurry and the self-service wasn’t working.’

I nodded, not entirely convinced, but there was no point hanging around delaying him further. ‘Well, thank you again. And have a lovely Christmas.’

I hurried away, my hands shaking as I gripped the trolley handle and wheeled it along with the other shoppers eager to get home and enjoy the rest of Christmas Eve.

He caught up with me as I neared the exit.

‘That wasn’t true, you know,’ he said, falling into step beside me.

I turned to him, surprised. ‘No?’

He smiled sheepishly. ‘You reminded me of my mum, and of where I came from before all this…’ He indicated his suit and the champagne bottles clunking in the carrier. ‘We never had much growing up, but Mum always made Christmas special. Being a family was far more important to me than what we didn’t have.’

My throat burned with emotion as I thought of Kenny waiting with his gran. ‘I hope my boy is as kind as you when he grows up.’

He smiled and then strode ahead of me and out through the automatic doors into the darkness.

I hurried outside for one last glimpse of my saviour, but he was gone. ‘Merry Christmas,’ I whispered after him, before heading home to my son.

***

Thank you for reading today’s story. The next one will be available to read on December 10th, titled “A Borrowed Gift“. This link will be active tomorrow when the post goes live.

If you missed yesterday’s you can go and read it here.

Thanks to Ari for organising this story train again. It’s been a pleasure as always.

Please like and share the stories and hopefully we’ll see you again next year.

This story appears in my new book ‘A Little Christmas Magic‘. This is the second short story collection in my Winter Warmer Series. Newly released on 28th November 2024.

If you missed the story train last time you can see my post here – A Christmas Wish from 2022.