Dear mother,

You seem to have missed our usual correspondence. Still, I shall write to you. Having a letter from your beloved little bear might be a solace during this difficult Christmas you must be having. I do hope grandmamma is feeling a little bit better these days. May the light of the holy star be with her.

Here, it has been lonely without you, mother. On Christmas Eve, we did not even host our annual holiday feast. It was just Father and me, eating in silence. Not even Ms. Keyes came around. Father also gave Mrs. Hawley the day off, so she can be with her family. Sometimes I think she spends too much time at our house, so much so that her children and grandchildren must be missing her terribly. As I do you, dear mother.

But then, fortune seemed to smile at us on Christmas Day! (I am well aware of your dislike for exclamation marks, but I am finding it rather difficult to contain my excitement! See, another one!) Father decided that a silent Christmas Day would be too much to bear and invited our neighbor, Mrs. Jaspers, along with her nephew, Lawrence. Mrs. Hawley cooked the most heavenly stuffed turkey I have ever tasted before leaving to be with her family. So the four of us ate and drank merrily, mother. For a moment, I forgot to miss you. Then your smile came back and your carol singing and the putting on of the glistening ornaments on our tall fir. I do wish you could be here with us soon. I feel the time spent apart is time lost.

Anyway, I shall go now. Lawrence is waiting for me to accompany him to the lake, where we shall glide on the ice. Father has been most kind in allowing me to go. In addition, I cannot further darken your undoubtedly heavy days with my reminiscing of days long past.

Wishing you and grandmamma a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

In the days ahead,

Little bear