Sitting on top of the old twisted pine tree, Crow Crow could see everything. It was her favourite place to perch. She could see the seagulls and other shore birds, and the squirrels teasing the chickadees in the cherry tree. Most importantly, she could see Old Man Gale puttering around his back yard. Besides doing her own crow crow things, accompanying Old Man Gale down to the shore was one of her favourite things. He was entertaining and calling to her. None of the other humans did that.

“Hello Crow Crow!” he called. “What do you think of the snow?”

“Caw caw caw!” answered Crow Crow.  If you’re not familiar with Crow Crow language, she was not very happy with the new snowfall.

“Oh Crow Crow! It’s not that bad! It will be easier for you to see things.”

This was true, thought Crow Crow. It was easier to see things against the white snow, except for the animals who put on their white winter coats. Old Man Gale shuffled around in the new snow. He cleared the snow from his deck and steps with his shovel and brushed the snow off the cars in the driveway with a brush.

“What are you going to do today, Crow Crow?” he called to her as he finished up. She had flown and perched closer to him, to have a better look at what he was doing.

“Caw caw caw caw caw caw!” she replied—what I do everyday! Fly around, look for food, eat, pester a seagull, chase a raven!" And with that, she was off into the large trees.

The next morning, Crow Crow was perched on Old Man Gale’s deck railing, eating a few sunflower seeds. Old Man Gale rushed out his back door, noticing Crow Crow as he descending his steps.

“I have to go to town Crow Crow! Only two days left ‘til Christmas! I have to buy Christmas presents!” He climbed into his blue truck and headed toward town.

Crow Crow thought for a moment, “Christmas? What’s Christmas, and what are presents? I’m going to find out!”

Crow Crow leapt into the air, and with a few flaps of her wings, she was in the clouds soaring with the wind.

“Christmas? Presents? Who will I ask”, she thought. “I know! I will ask Momma Crow, she’ll know.”

Momma Crow was never hard to find. She was always busy teaching Crow Crow’s younger brothers and sisters all the crow lessons. How to pick the best roosting spots, where to find the best treats, and how to find the best hiding places for the treats.

Crow Crow found Momma Crow next to an old birch tree, she was scolding a younger brother for walking in the middle of the road.

“Don’t do that baby Crow!”, she said. “Those cars are faster than you think, and you’re only learning to fly!”

Crow Crow perched on a branch nearby. “Momma Crow? What’s Christmas?” she asked, adding quickly “and what are presents?”

Momma Crow looked at Crow Crow, who was waiting patiently on her branch. “Where did you ever hear about Christmas presents, Crow Crow?”

Crow Crow adjusted her grip on the branch and said, “Old Man Gale jumped into his truck and said he was going for Christmas presents, and I don’t know what Christmas is or what presents are.” To a person who might not understand crow talk, this conversation sounded like excited caws and low clucking.

Momma Crow looked at her daughter and said, “Out of all my children, you ask the strangest questions!”

Crow Crow clucked and blinked her eyes. That was the equivalent of a smile.

Momma Crow explained that long ago there was a special baby person who was born, and the humans put up coloured lights and give one another things on a very quiet day in the winter. Momma Crow was very wise in her years.

Crow Crow thought excitedly “I’m going to find presents for Momma Crow, and Daddy Crow, and squirrel, and Old Man Gale, and Mrs. Gale,”.

She jumped from branch to branch, showering the snow onto the ground and a very upset chipmunk.

Momma Crow exclaimed “I’ve never seen a crow give Christmas presents before!”

Crow Crow jumped into the air and said “Well Momma, there’s a first time for everything!”

She was very busy the rest of the day, and the next day which was Christmas Eve. What to get the people and her other friends who she loved very much? Crow Crow soared above the ground, searching with her coal black eyes. She visited her favourite spots: the beach, where the prettiest glass was, the apple trees where the juiciest apples were, the blackberry and raspberry bushes that still had plump berries, and the Dogberry tree with its orange berries.

The night before the big day, it snowed and blew wildly. The crows swayed in their roost, huddled together to keep warm and safe. Crow Crow woke up to a brand-new magical world. She shook the snow off her wings and feathers.

“Momma, it’s beautiful! Christmas is such a special day! Can you feel it!”

Momma Crow was nudging a baby crow awake. “Oh Crow Crow,” she said, “You and your Christmas!”

Crow Crow blinked and clucked. “You’ll see how special it is!” She poked her head out from underneath the spruce bow where she had been sleeping. The snow had turned her world into a sparkling silver wonderland.

With a deep breath Crow Crow lifted off into the blue winter sky. The cool wind felt good on her wings as she flew higher into the sky.

“This is the best day ever,” she thought. She dipped and did loop de loops in the brisk wind.

“Crow Crow! What are you doing?” a familiar voice called out. Old Man Gale was shoveling his driveway.

“Caw caw” replied Crow Crow.

Old Man Gale continued, “Did you know it’s Christmas Day? I have something for you!”

“Caw caw caw caw” she answered excitedly. Old Man Gale threw down the snow shovel  and trudged towards the house. Crow Crow landed on the deck railing where she could hear Old Man Gale talking to Mrs. Gale in the house.

“Crow Crow is here, where did I put her present?” he asked Mrs. Gale. “It’s on top of the fridge where you put it, you silly goose,” she answered.

Crow Crow was so excited she was hopping up and down on the railing. Old Man Gale had something behind his back. “I have something for you!” He presented a seed bell with a green bow tied on top. “My wife tied the bow onto it,” he said.

Crow Crow stared at the bell in wonder, her black eyes not blinking. “This is for me?” she thought, “This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen!”

Old Man Gale gently put the bell on the railing close to Crow Crow, and stepped away so she could look at it closely. She hopped excitedly closer to the bell.

“Caw caw caw, cluck cluck cluck!” With her black beak she pecked away at the seeds on the bell with pure joy.

“Well aren’t you the happy little Crow Crow? “said Old Man Gale. “Well Crow Crow, I must be going. Mrs. Gale wants me to start cooking dinner,” and with that Old Man Gale went into the house.

“Wait! I have something for you!” cried Crow Crow, leaping into the air, with a flap of her wings. “Caw caw caw” she said, heading to her hiding spot. Crows have excellent memories, so it wasn’t hard for her to find it.

She looked at all that she had gathered. “Special orange berries? No, those are for chickadees. The sea glass? No, that’s for Momma Crow. The raspberries and blackberries? No, those are for squirrel!” Crow Crow continued to look in her hiding place. “I know! I will go pick an apple! Old man Gale loves to eat! He’ll love this present!”

Crow Crow flew to her favourite apple tree and picked the biggest and reddest apple of the bunch, and quickly flew back to the little blue house. “I hope Old Man Gale is still there,” she thought. At that moment, she heard Old Man Gale talking to squirrel.

“Squirrel! You have to share with chickadees! They’re hungry too! Mrs. Gale will come out here and bop you on the nose!”

Squirrel didn’t understand and would look at Old Man Gale for a second before taking another sunflower seed from the bird feeder and scampering down the tree. Crow Crow landed next to Old Man Gale with her Christmas present. She landed so close to him that she startled the old fellow and he jumped!

“Crow Crow! You scared the heck out of me!” Crows don’t usually come so close.

“Caw caw caw, cluck cluck” said Crow Crow, nudging the apple towards Old Man Gale.

“What’s this?” he said, “An apple!”

Old Man Gale beckoned his wife to come see. “Look what Crow Crow brought me!” he said, showing off the apple.

“Look at that!” Mrs. Gale exclaimed, “a Christmas present from Crow Crow!”

“Caw caw caw!” said Crow Crow, as she took flight again. She still had Christmas presents to deliver.

Old Man Gale took his wife’s hand and kissed her on the forehead.

“It’s getting cold out here,” he commented, “Let’s get inside our cozy nest.”

The two made their way inside, hand in hand.