title: A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story
author:  A J York 
description: A.J. York is a middle grade fantasy author and teacher from the UK. Her books include Eliza Bluebell, Delilah Dusticle, Delilah Dusticle's Transylvanian Adventures and A Fairy Extraordinary Christmas Story. She has a BA in Theatre with Visual Arts, a PGCE in Drama and Masters in Arts Administration and Cultural Policy. A.J. York currently lives in Gothenburg, Sweden. Website: www.ajyork.com
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  # [BEFORE](toc.html#toc-chapter001)
  
  
  Christmas was near, and Boulder looked like a fairy tale. Seriously. Tons of
  snow, twinkly lights strung through the aspen
  
  
  downtown and along all the rooflines. Somehow you’d expect Cinderella rather
  than Santa because it had such a delicate touch.
  
  
  Our house was a fairy tale, too. Ten-foot tree in our living room that soared
  two stories. The miniature white lights laced
  
  
  the thick branches like bits of snow caught by the sun and every ornament was
  a work of art, placed just so. My mom wouldn’t
  
  
  have it any other way. The shiny top of the grand piano reflected the lights
  and put out a glow, and the array of expensively wrapped presents was a show
  all
  
  
  of its own. The walls gleamed the color of rich butter whipped with cream and
  the chandelier was covered with a silk shade.
  
  
  Something Mom’s interior designer insisted was a “must.”
  
  
  I gave Mom a hard time about her obsession with decorating the house, but I
  had to admit, it was warm and