Hey Jamie, it’s me, Li! In a nutshell, I’ve become the festive paws keeping spirits high in Spencerville. From chasing leaves to dancing at Pawfect, munching at Pupperoni Pizza, and getting dolled up, to donating toys and belting barks carols. Enduring the cold, discussing books (sort of), decorating trees, and bringing everyone together under the Christmas charm. I’m living our best memories and sharing the love you taught us with every step. Missing you more with each twinkle and tail wag. Happy Pawlidays, your Lilea 🐾❤️

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One might think the spirit of Christmas only floats on the jolly laughter of children or the silent wishes of grown-ups looking into the flickering lights, but oh, how it thrives in Spencerville! As the twelve days leading up to Christmas Day turned Spencerville into a whirl of tinsel and tail wags, I, Lilea, felt the magic in my frisky paws.

On the first day of Christmas, or what I overheard Bella the wise old cat call “The Festive Dozen,” Jamie was on my mind. The way she’d make everything sparkle with those little fairy lights, and how she’d laugh when I’d get entangled in them – memories were as warm as sunbeams. Meanwhile, I chased a leaf spiraling like a ballet dancer across Red Beagle Beach, pawprints leaving dotted rhythms in the cool, soft sand.

The second day fetched a surprise – an extravaganza at The Pawfect Training Center. The humans would’ve been proud; turns out we dogs have quite the knack for a well-heeled waltz – albeit, more pawing and less graceful gliding. Oscar, in his eagerness, knocked over Honey the hound, both toppling into a pile of poodle skirts and tinsel. If laughter had a sound in dog, it was that moment.

During the savory third, Pupperoni Pizza tailored their menu for us, tasty delights with salmon toppings (sans those sneaky green beans). Ah, the slice of heaven with a crunch; I swear Jamie wouldn’t have resisted a bite.

On the fourth day, we got festive at The Pampered Pooch Salon. Yes, even the dogs deserve a day of pampering. I got my marshmallow fluff tidied up, while Hailey and Finn got matching red and green bows tied into their curls. We were looking as sharp as we felt, three holiday heralds out to paint the town red, green, and every shade merry.

The fifth was the charity chase, all the toys gathered for the pups less fortunate. That slightly deflated squeaky tennis ball? I tossed it into the pile. Jamie’s spirit of giving, it lives on in me, see?

Six brought theater – “Bark! The Herald Angels Sing.” Oscar insisted on auditioning for the leading role; his rendition of a canine angel was more comedy than celestial, but bless his earnest eyes, it was the showstopper.

Seventh day, spicy scents wafted from Yappy Yogurt – cinnamon and pumpkin, a concoction even Bella couldn’t resist. She said it was for the antioxidants; we knew better.

The eight unleashed a snowfall at Siberian Summit, white as my coat and just as inviting. Our paw prints scripted stories in the snow, a novel written but never read, as fleeting as the beauty of winter.

Nine was the book club at The Wagging Tail Bookstore where we ‘discussed’ our reads – that is, knocked them over and made a fort out of the pages. Pure literary art, our human friends would have said.

The tenth twinkled with a tree-trimming jubilee. Decorations hung with the carefree abandon of dogs overcome with holiday zest – which is to say, lopsided but brimming with love.

Eleven unleashed caroling down Spencerville’s streets – or our version of it. Barks and howls carried our cheer, our special song for those we missed and knew we’d see again.

And finally, the twelfth, a quiet, starry night where we huddled close, Hailey, Finn, and I, sharing our warmth, our souls mingling with the Christmas magic, whispering through our fur like a soft lullaby.

Every day brought its own wrapped gift of memories anew, each one a tribute to the lives we had and the love that never, ever fades; the kind Jamie gave, the kind that stays within every crunchy leaf chase, every savory slice, in the heart of Spencerville.

The End.