It can be Christmas every day.

    The car park was full and a long queue had formed. Jack turned to his wife Claire and whispered nervously, 'Are you sure we need to do any more shopping for Christmas? I think Father Christmas has already been very generous.'

    Claire glanced at the kids in the back seat and put her finger to her lips. He turned towards her and frowned. Probably she was still feeling a bit hurt by him after last night. He felt uncomfortable at the memory. He had made the mistake of opening their bank statement in the kitchen right as she was trying to feed Sam the baby, while making tea for the three year old twins, Freddy and Hector, and five year old daugther Emma. Claire's hair was in a mess, her face smeared with something orange. He'd glanced at the statement and started to rant about money, Christmas, his parents, and on top of that his horrible childhood Christmas memories. Claire had sat up straighter and stayed very still until he had finished and stomped out of the room, like a grumpy teenager.

    Suddenly, the car in front started to reverse into them and Jack blasted the horn and swore in fear. The car stopped. The twins went into hysterics and tried to repeat what Jack had said. 'Ugger, ugger' they shouted, while Emma giggled. Jack's heart lifted at the sound of his daughter's laughter. Last night while he was going on about all the Christmas expenses, he had turned to see Emma's little face looking worried and he had felt embarressed about his behaviour. He'd always vowed that he would never argue in front of his children. Memories of his parents constant rowing and bickering still distressed him.

    Claire put  the twins favourite Cd in the car radio and the kids started up a rousing chorus of 'Jingle bells'. She put her hand on Jack's leg and squeezed it. He immediately felt calmer and realized she had forgiven him and he turned to smile at her. One of the many things he loved about her, was her amazing ability to stay calm and speak with kindness.

    'Look! There's a space daddy,' Emma shouted and the twins started chanting 'Space daddy, space daddy, we're going to the moon.'

    Jack swung into the space and tried not to catch the eye of the driver in front who by then had got out of his car and was glaring back at him with a menacing look. 'I was first mate, that was my space.' the man growled.

    Claire as usual came to the rescue with her most winning smile and pointed further along, 'Look, that van's going and leaving a much bigger gap.' she said in a reassuring voice. The man relaxed and smiled back and even waved, 'Merry Christmas!'. Such was the effect of Claire's ways.

    Jack grabbed her hand, 'I'm so sorry about yesterday, please forgive me Claire.' For an answer she planted a kiss full on his lips and the twins made kissing noises and shouted, 'Daddy's eating mummy, yum yum.'

    As soon as they were out of the car, Claire said she was going ahead with Emma and the twins to look at shoes for Emma and would meet him in the cafè in twenty minutes. 

    'Tell you what, darling' said Jack. 'You girls go looking for shoes, while I look after the boys, so you have some quality time together.' 

    'Ok, my love. Are you sure that's not too much for you?' replied Claire eyeing the baby in the buggy and the twins who were running circles around them. Then she smiled and said. 'Well, actually that's a great idea.' while giving him the list of presents to buy at the Perfume counter for his mother and sisters-in-law.

    'Come along boys, let's go'. said Jack as he pushed the buggy into the revolving doors and caught sight of his reflection in the glass. He thought he looked like Father Christmas with his sleigh. He looked quite silly. He was wearing a red hat with a white pom-pom, the twins had reindeer antlers and the baby had a brown teddy bear hat. The twins clung to either side of the buggy and looked around them like two miniature bodyguards daring anyone to touch the baby. Jack manoeuvred them all round to the perfume counter and got out Claire's list.

    In front of him was a tall smartly dressed man with his arms round a stunning blond. She was wearing a short white fur coat and hot pants, sheer tights and black suede stiletto boots. They both turned as Jack reached out to stop the baby from pulling down a display of shiny glass bottles. It was his colleague from London, Matt.

    'Hi Jack, Merry Christmas, I say ho! ho! ho! Have you lost your way? Where have all these children come from? You've been busy.'

    'Hi Matt, very funny, Merry Christmas to you too.'

    Matt put his arm around his companion and beamed at Jack.
    'This is Flora. We're doing our last minute shopping then we're off to the Caribbean for two weeks.'

    Jack gaped as Flora's fur coat fell open to reveal a very low cut top that left nothing to the imagination.
    The twins looked up at him to see what he was staring at.

    'Titty, titty' they shrieked.

    They blew their cheeks out and made loud popping noises.
    The baby tried to join in but only managed a few bubbles.
    Jack put out a restraining hand and stroked the baby's head.

    'I'm meeting Claire in the café would you like to join us?'

    'No thanks Jack, we've got to meet some friends at the Oyster bar and we're already late.'

    There was a loud ripping noise as the baby succeeded in his attempt to tear off a poster showing a beautiful busty blonde and buried his face in the paper cleavage. The twins jumped up and down.

    'Baby Sam kissing lady!'

    The young assistant rushed round to help Jack as he struggled to put the poster back, his hat had fallen off and his thick fair hair tumbled round his face.

    'OOH,  aren't you gorgeous,' she simpered and touched his arm.

    One of the twins took his antlers off and waved them in her face.

    'My daddy, my daddy. Don't touch'.

    She stood up still transfixed by Jack and turned to Matt and Flora.

    'You don't mind if I serve this gentleman first do you? I think he's got his hands full.'

    When Jack had paid for his shopping, he turned to thank Matt and Flora. He was taken aback by the look of admiration on Matt's face and.. could he also detect a hint of envy?     

    Once if he'd been asked he would have gone to the Caribbean for Christmas in a flash. He had hated Christmas as a child, dreaded all the bad will that seemed to surround his parents. When he left school his parents went their separate ways and he always found an excuse to be away for Christmas. 

    Then, a few months ago, thanks to Claire, his parents had come back into his life after years of silence. In the Summer, Claire had invited them to a family gathering. By some miracle they both came, his father from Spain and his mother from Scotland. By the end of the afternoon Emma and his mother were inseparable, sitting together in an armchair and reading fairy tales. His father was pretending to be a lion and chasing the twins, who were giggling hysterically and then climbing all over him, delighted with their new cuddly toy.
    That evening in bed Jack had turned to Claire still stunned by the day's events.
    'How did that happen? What did you do to them? My father laughed more today than during my whole childhood.'

    Claire drew him towards her, 'You always have to give people a second chance. Anyway they're your parents Jack, so they can't be all that bad.' She'd grinned mischievously and tossed her long dark hair over his chest. He felt a quiver at the thought of what had happened next.

    Jack swung the bag of presents onto the handle of the buggy and held his free hand out to Matt and Flora.

    'Gotta go guys. Come round one evening when you get back from the Caribbean. Claire would love to see you both.' As he walked away he could see them gaping at him and the kids as if they came from another planet.

    As Jack made his way towards the lift for the café, he paused by the jewelry counter. He knelt down to the twins.

    'Would you like to choose a nice sparkly bracelet for Mummy?'

    They ran to the counter and peered up at the glamorous young assistant.
    Jack quickly pointed to three that he liked and asked her to display them so the twins could choose.

    'This one, daddy, the one with all the hearts,' they both called in unison. They held it out so the baby could see.
    'Sam likes it too. We want that one, and silver paper and a gold ribbon.' The silver bracelet sparked, four little hearts dangling from a delicate chain.

    The young girl smiled at them.

    'Ooh! aren't you just so cute, just like your daddy, really handsome.'

    She gave Jack a sidelong glance and a slow smile.

    'It's perfect for mummy' Jack said  quickly looking at the three boys. 'Four little hearts just like our four little wonderful children.'
Jack paid and went to call the lift. Then he took the children to wash their hands ready for the café. 

    A few weeks ago Claire had suggested that they ask Jack's parents for Christmas. She had it all planned out. Claire's mother had enough room for his parents both to sleep at her house. Emma and the twins could go to the pantomime with them. They could have a party with some of their friends so they could all meet each other. His mother had rung to say how excited she was, she'd had a book made for Emma with her name as the main character, she'd knitted the baby a cardigan and got the twins a train set. Then when she had said,'  Your dad and I really miss you Jack, we're so proud of you, and Claire is just so lovely', he'd had to put the phone down, he couldn't speak because of the lump in his throat.

    The girls and boys working in the café were all dressed in red outfits with matching hats. There was a huge tree in the corner covered with bright coloured twinkly lights. Christmas music was playing and drawing all the customers into a festive atmosphere.
    He could see Claire and Emma sitting at a table near the window. Claire had made it look so inviting and welcoming like she did with everything. There was a highchair for the baby and booster seats for the twins. There was a bag next to Emma with her new shoes. She was looking at her mother with a rapt expression, hanging onto her every word. Jack knew what that felt like, he never tired of staring at Claire's lovely, kind face and listening to her wise and thoughtful conversation.. He moved slowly towards Claire and Emma, enjoying the sight of the two of them sitting there together. Claire wouldn't turn heads like Flora, with her hair scraped back in a pony tail and her jeans and jumper, but he knew what wonders there were underneath. Jack had watched his lovely Claire this morning carefully putting on her red Christmas underwear, he knew later that evening there would be laughing and posing and kisses under the mistletoe that she'd hung above the bed.

    The twins caught sight of Claire and Emma and ran towards them, clambering over the chairs and  climbing over them like two little puppies. Baby Sam waved his hands and blew bubbles. Mariah Carey sang out. Claire looked at Jack, he caught his breath as her face lit up at the sight of him. The waitress came and took their orders and soon they were all covered in hot chocolate and cream and the twins were saying it looked like poo and Emma was showing him her new shoes and Jack's heart swelled. He reached out for Claire's hand, 'It really is christmas every day with you.' and she looked at him with such adoration and love that he felt his heart would burst.