Lisa believed that a perfect Christmas was one spent with family. Lisa wished for her daughter to have the full, happy family she herself had never experienced. However, when the Santa she had hired revealed his face, she realized the importance of being careful what you wish for.
On Christmas Eve, the Marble family gathered in their cozy living room, the soft glow of twinkling lights from the Christmas tree casting warm patterns on the walls.
The aroma of roasted turkey, buttery mashed potatoes, and freshly baked bread filled the air.
Lisa moved gracefully between the kitchen and the table, her hands full of steaming dishes.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
She was the kind of hostess who made everything look effortless, her holiday apron dusted with a sprinkle of flour from the cookies she had baked earlier.
Meanwhile, Robert entertained their giggling daughter, Ashley, who clung to his shoulders like a tiny adventurer on a great expedition.
“Spread your arms like you’re an airplane, Ashley,” Robert instructed, his voice buzzing with enthusiasm as he mimicked the deep rumble of a plane engine.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Ashley squealed with delight, her arms stretched wide as she wobbled slightly.
“I’m flying, Daddy!” she yelled, her voice ringing like a tiny bell.
“Careful, Captain! We’re hitting turbulence,” Robert joked, swaying exaggeratedly from side to side.
Lisa paused by the table, wiping her hands on a towel, and watched them with a soft smile.
“Time to land, dinner is ready,” she called out, her voice warm and teasing.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Robert made a dramatic engine noise as he lowered Ashley to the floor.
“Boeing 747 coming in for landing, woo-woo-woo!”
Ashley laughed even harder, tugging on Robert’s sleeve.
“More! I want more!”
“Later, sweetheart,” Robert promised, kneeling to her eye level. “First, we need fuel. Pilots have to eat too.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
As they sat down to dinner, Lisa glanced at her family. The clinking of silverware and Ashley’s happy chatter filled the room.
Her heart swelled as she realized, for the hundredth time, how lucky she was to have these moments, this family, and this life.
After dinner, Lisa carried the last of the plates to the kitchen, glancing at Robert as he leaned back in his chair, sipping coffee.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Ashley was curled up on the carpet in front of the TV, her eyes glued to a cartoon with talking animals.
The cheerful jingle of the show filled the room, mixing with the faint hum of Christmas music from the radio.
Lisa caught Robert’s eye and gave him a small nod. He leaned forward slightly and whispered, “Is it time? Where is he?”
Lisa checked her watch and whispered back, “Maybe he’s running late. The weather’s not great, but he should be here any minute.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
As if on cue, the doorbell rang, its cheerful chime making Ashley’s head snap toward the door.
Lisa wiped her hands on her apron and walked quickly to answer it. When she opened the door, a gust of cold air blew in, carrying with it a man dressed head to toe in a Santa costume.
“Ho-ho-ho!” he bellowed, stepping inside and brushing snow off his red coat. “Where’s the little girl for whom I’ve brought presents?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Santa! You came!” Ashley shouted, jumping up from the carpet and running to throw her arms around him.
Her giggles filled the room as Santa patted her back warmly.
He slung a large red bag off his shoulder, setting it beside the Christmas tree, and plopped down on the couch with a playful sigh.
“Let’s see what I’ve got for you in here! Did you write me a letter this year?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Yes!” Ashley said, her eyes sparkling. “Didn’t you read it?”
Santa chuckled, stroking his fake white beard.
“I did, but you know, there are so many children to bring presents to, and this old Santa sometimes forgets!”
Ashley tilted her head, her face serious. “I asked for a puppy!”
“A puppy?” Santa repeated, pretending to think deeply.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“Hmm, let me check.” He rummaged through his bag dramatically, pulling out a wrapped box.
“Oh! Found it!”
Ashley ripped the paper open eagerly, revealing a shiny robotic dog. Her excitement faded. “I wanted a real one!”
Santa leaned in, lowering his voice.
“A real puppy is a big responsibility. But if you take good care of this one, maybe next year you’ll get a real one. Ho-ho-ho!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Ashley smiled reluctantly, her little hands already exploring the toy’s buttons.
Lisa and Robert exchanged a quiet look and slipped out of the room, leaving their daughter to enjoy her magical moment with Santa.
“I told you we should’ve gotten her a real dog,” Robert muttered, crossing his arms as he leaned against the bedroom door.
His tone was laced with disappointment, and he glanced at Lisa with raised eyebrows.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Lisa sighed, brushing her hair back and folding her arms.
“A dog is a big responsibility, Robert. Who’s going to walk it in the freezing cold? Who’s going to clean up after it? Train it? Feed it? Let me guess—me!” She gave him a pointed look, clearly irritated by the suggestion.
Robert didn’t back down.
“But it’s not just about the work, Lisa. A dog isn’t just a pet; it’s a family member. You don’t understand how much joy it could bring Ashley—and us! She’s been asking for one for months. Don’t you want to see her happy?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Lisa hesitated, frowning as she thought it over.
“Fine,” she said finally, throwing up her hands. “But don’t forget, if she gets bored of it, you’re taking care of it. Not me!”
“Deal!” Robert said with a triumphant grin, straightening up.
But their moment of debate was interrupted when Lisa froze, tilting her head. “It’s too quiet in there,” she whispered.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“I can’t hear them at all.”
Robert’s smile faded.
“Yeah,” he agreed, a trace of worry creeping into his voice. Without another word, they both hurried out of the room to check on Ashley.
Santa was no longer on the couch when Lisa and Robert rushed into the living room.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Their eyes darted around the space, but it was eerily empty. Panic gripped Lisa as she grabbed Robert’s arm.
“Where’s Ashley?” she gasped, her voice trembling.
Robert’s eyes widened, and they both sprinted toward the front door. There, they saw the man in the Santa suit standing by the doorway, holding Ashley in his arms.
The little girl was bundled up in her coat, her scarf neatly wrapped around her neck.
“Stop!” Lisa shouted, her voice sharp and full of fear.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Santa froze, turning to face them with wide eyes as Lisa and Robert dashed toward him.
Lisa grabbed Ashley, pulling her back protectively while Robert stepped in front of them.
“What were you planning to do?!” Robert growled, shoving the man against the wall. His voice was low and menacing. “Kidnap her?!”
“No! No! You’ve misunderstood,” the man stammered, raising his hands defensively. “I just wanted to play snowballs with her! That’s all, I swear!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“That wasn’t part of the plan!” Lisa snapped, her hands gripping Ashley’s shoulders tightly. “You were supposed to deliver the gifts and leave!”
Ashley squirmed in Lisa’s grip, her voice breaking through the tension. “Mom, stop! He’s my grandpa!”
Lisa froze, staring at her daughter. “What are you talking about, sweetie?” she asked, her voice softer now but still tinged with confusion.
The man in the Santa suit sighed heavily and reached up, removing his fake white beard.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Underneath was an older man’s face, worn with deep lines but softened by a sad smile.
“My name is Thomas Martins,” he said quietly. “I’m sure that name rings a bell…”
Lisa’s face went pale. She quickly gestured for Ashley to go to her room.
“Go on, honey,” she said, her voice firm but gentle.
Ashley hesitated, her brows furrowed, but eventually nodded and walked upstairs, glancing back before disappearing.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“What’s he talking about, Lisa?” Robert asked, his voice breaking the silence.
Lisa turned to him, her expression filled with a mix of anger and pain.
“This can’t be,” she muttered, shaking her head. Then, turning to Thomas, she shouted, “Get out of here! I don’t want to see you in my house!”
Thomas held his hands up again, his eyes pleading. “I didn’t come to take your daughter, Lisa,” he said earnestly.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“I just wanted to see her, to spend time with her. She’s my granddaughter, and I’ve never seen her in my entire life.”
Robert turned to Lisa, his confusion growing. “What’s he talking about, Lisa?”
Lisa’s shoulders slumped, and she closed her eyes for a moment before speaking. “He’s telling the truth,” she said softly.
“He’s Ashley’s real grandfather.”
“What?!” Robert exclaimed, his voice rising.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“What does this mean?!”
Lisa took a deep breath. “He’s my father,” she admitted. “The one who abandoned me when I was little…”
Robert’s eyes narrowed as he turned back to Thomas. “It’s him?! Why did you come here?!”
Thomas’s shoulders sagged as he spoke.
“I just wanted to see my granddaughter, nothing more. I know you’ll never forgive me for what I did—I can’t forgive myself either—but I only wanted to be her grandfather for this one evening.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
Robert clenched his fists, stepping closer.
“That’s enough,” he growled, beginning to push Thomas toward the door.
“Wait, Robert,” Lisa said, her voice stopping him. She stepped forward, her expression softening.
“It’s Christmas. This is a day when families should be together.”
She turned to Thomas, motioning for him to come closer. “Maybe I’m not ready to forgive you for not being in my life,” she said carefully.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Midjourney
“But I don’t want to deny my daughter the chance to know her grandfather. Please, don’t make me regret this decision.”
Tears filled Thomas’s eyes as he nodded.
“Thank you, sweetheart,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He reached out and hugged Lisa gently, his shoulders shaking as he wept.
For Thomas, this was more than he had dared to hope for.
And for Lisa, that Christmas brought something unexpected—a new chance to heal and grow as a family.
Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.
If you enjoyed this story, read this one: It felt like Chelsea’s boyfriend had changed since they started dating. He used to be romantic and gentle and even wrote her letters. But now, he didn’t show up and left her alone at his friend’s birthday. However, after Chelsea found a letter in his friend’s coat, she realized the hard truth. Read the full story here.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
My Ex Husband’s New Girlfriend Found My Number to Ask Me Just One Question — When I Read Her Text, I Was Stunned
My story is about how my ex-husband’s girlfriend realized a truth about him that I grew too comfortable with while married to him. With one important question, his new girlfriend taught me a valuable lesson about self-love after reaching out unexpectedly.
I’ve been divorced for five years now, and it’s been an interesting journey navigating life post-marriage. My ex-husband, Ben, 48, and I, 45, were together for 13 years and had two wonderful kids. Even after our split, we’ve managed to stay on good terms.
A mother with two children | Source: Pexels
We co-parent effectively despite our marriage having its ups and downs. Ben and I are best friends and have also maintained a friendship that surprises most people. Our divorce wasn’t messy; we simply wanted different things out of life.
Yesterday was our eldest’s 16th birthday, and we decided to celebrate with a family dinner. Ben has been seeing someone new, a woman named Lisa, for about four months. He told me about her as soon as their relationship got serious.
Someone’s birthday party | Source: Pexels
Transparency was part of our agreement to keep things open and honest for the sake of our children. He asked if he could bring Lisa to the birthday dinner, and while I wasn’t thrilled as I would have preferred to meet her one-on-one first, I didn’t want to cause any drama or be intrusive. So, I agreed.
On that fateful day, I finally got to meet Lisa who was friendly, and eager to make a good impression, which was a relief. I preferred her to be a good person if she was going to be around my children.
Two women clinking glasses | Source: Pexels
She’s got a kind smile and she immediately struck up a conversation with me about the kids’ school and activities. I could tell she was trying hard to fit in, which I appreciated.
As the evening went on, I noticed how attentive Lisa was to Ben. It was sweet but also a little unsettling because I never saw that side of him during our marriage. I chalked it up to new relationship energy and tried to focus on the kids and the celebration.
A happy couple bonding | Source: Pexels
Halfway through dinner, things got weird when my eldest handed me a birthday card from her father. This caught me off guard because my birthday was months ago. No one usually remembers it, and Ben has never been one to recall such occasions.
Don’t get me wrong, my children’s father is a great man. But he’s really terrible with things like anniversaries, birthdays, or any special occasions. During all the years we were together, Ben never got me a present or card.
Someone lighting the candles on a birthday cake | Source: Pexels
It was also my responsibility to handle events like the kids’ birthdays, Christmas, and more. I don’t know if I was wrong for this, but his forgetfulness didn’t bother me. I thanked my daughter, feeling touched by the gesture.
Lisa, sitting across from me, saw my surprise. I had assumed she’d made him get it, but then I noticed how she was giving me these funny looks. Unsure what they meant, I decided to mingle with other guests to avoid the awkwardness.
A woman holding a card | Source: Freepik
But, Lisa somehow managed to get my attention. “Ben mentioned he’s not great with birthdays,” she said with a chuckle. “He forgot mine a few weeks ago. Is it intentional?”
I laughed, remembering all the missed anniversaries and forgotten special days. “I have no idea, Lisa, but 13 years of marriage and two kids wasn’t the benchmark because he never really got the hang of it,” I replied. “It’s just who he is.”
Two women talking | Source: Pexels
Lisa seemed disappointed and tried to hide it, but I thought nothing of it and wandered off to talk to other guests. I decided to shift the conversation to something lighter and talked about family plans and the upcoming holidays. The rest of the evening went smoothly, and we all parted ways with smiles and hugs.
Later that night, as I was getting ready for bed, I received a text from an unknown number. It was my ex’s new girlfriend. “Hi, this is Lisa. I got your number from Ben. I hope it’s okay to text you. I wanted to ask you something.”
A woman holding her phone | Source: Pexels
Curious, I replied, “Sure, what’s up?”
Her response came quickly and when I read it, I was STUNNED. She hadn’t gotten over our brief conversation earlier and was asking if Ben’s forgetfulness of special occasions was something that could be fixed. “I know this might seem odd because we touched on it earlier, but I need to know…”
“…Does Ben ever improve when it comes to birthdays and anniversaries? I don’t want to make a big deal out of it if it’s something that won’t change.” I stared at my phone, feeling a mix of emotions. Part of me wanted to warn her, to tell her not to ever expect much.
A shocked woman reacting to something on her phone | Source: Freepik
But another part of me debated whether to give Ben a heads-up as it seemed like this was a serious issue for his new girlfriend and that she expected more attention to such things. Yet, a part of me resented having to teach him to be better about something he never tried with me.
I also felt like it wasn’t my place to interfere. After a moment, I typed back, “Honestly, he’s my ex for a reason. I can’t say if he’ll change or not, and I’m not going to have the answers you need.” I continued, “It’s something you’ll have to figure out together. Lovely meeting you, though.”
A woman texting on her phone | Source: Pexels
Months went by without much thought about that night. Then, one evening, Ben called me out of the blue. “Lisa and I broke up,” he said, sounding frustrated.
“What happened?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“She kept making a big deal out of nothing, busy complaining about birthdays and anniversaries. I told her it’s not something I care about, and she just wouldn’t let it go,” he said, sounding furious.
“It turned into this huge argument when I forgot our anniversary, and she left,” he explained, his voice tinged with annoyance.
A man talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
I sighed, feeling a twinge of guilt as I wondered if I could’ve helped them if I had been more supportive of Lisa when she texted me. “Ben, did she tell you it was important to her?” I asked, feeling like my responses to Lisa played a part in their breakup.
He was silent for a moment. “She told me on many occasions that such things were important to her.”
“But WHO CARES! You never made it a big deal,” he said defensively.
Tired of coddling him, I said, “Well, sir, and that’s why we divorced.”
An upset woman talking on the phone | Source: Pexels
“That’s mean, Kim,” my ex replied, sounding sad.
“Look, I’m sorry, but I stopped trying because I knew it wouldn’t matter to you,” I replied calmly. “But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t important to me. Or to her. You have to meet people halfway.”
Ben grumbled something under his breath, and I could tell he wasn’t ready to accept that truth. We ended the call on a neutral note, and I sat there, thinking about Lisa. She deserved someone who would appreciate her efforts and reciprocate her feelings.
An upset woman thinking | Source: Pexels
A few days later, I bumped into Lisa at the grocery store. She looked tired but managed a smile when she saw me. “Hi, how are you?” she asked politely.
“I’m good, thanks. How about you?” I replied, genuinely concerned.
“I’ve been better,” she admitted. “Ben and I broke up.”
“I heard,” I said softly. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”
She sighed. “I couldn’t deal with feeling unimportant. I tried to explain it to him, but he didn’t seem to care.”
Two women at a grocery store | Source: Pexels
I nodded, understanding her frustration all too well. “It’s hard when someone doesn’t value what you do. You deserve someone who will.”
Lisa smiled sadly. “Thanks. I appreciate that. I guess I hoped he could change.”
“Change is hard for some people,” I said gently. “But don’t lose hope. You’ll find someone who values you.”
Two women at a grocery store | Source: Pexels
We parted ways, and I felt a strange sense of closure. Lisa’s struggle mirrored my past frustrations, but it also highlighted how much I had grown since my marriage ended. I had learned to accept Ben’s flaws, but I also realized that I deserved more than what he was willing to give.
That evening, I sat down with my children and talked about their dad. I wanted them to understand that while he had his shortcomings, he loved them deeply. We laughed about his forgetfulness and shared stories of the good times we had as a family.
A mother bonding with her child | Source: Pexels
As I reflected on everything, I felt a deep sense of peace. I had moved on from the hurt and disappointment and was ready to embrace whatever the future held. I hoped Lisa would find the happiness she deserved, and I knew that I had done the right thing by not getting too involved in their relationship.
In the end, it wasn’t about birthdays or anniversaries. It was about finding someone who truly valued and appreciated you for who you are. I did not doubt that Lisa would find that person someday, and I knew I was finally content with my own life.
A woman thinking | Source: Pexels
As I looked at my children, I felt grateful for the love and joy they brought into my life. We had our good and bad moments, but we were a family, and that was what mattered most. And as for Ben, I hoped he would eventually learn to value the important things in life.
For now, I was happy. I had my kids, friends, and a sense of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time. And that was more than enough.
Two children bonding | Source: Pexels
If you enjoyed Kim’s story, you’ll love this one about a woman who got pregnant around the same time her son’s girlfriend was also expecting. The son’s girlfriend caused a rift in the family when she made demands of his mother about naming her child.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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