The Snowball Mix-Up – December 14 – Advent Calendar 2024

This illustration features a cheerful child holding a large snowball while standing in a snowy winter landscape. The child is dressed warmly in a yellow turtleneck sweater, blue pants, and a red-and-white striped knit hat with a pom-pom. The background showcases a snow-covered evergreen tree, glowing star-shaped string lights, softly falling snowflakes, and wrapped gifts with green bows, creating a festive and cozy holiday atmosphere.

The Snowball Mix-Up

by Aaron Aaronsen

The snow-covered park was alive with laughter as Monti J. Monti and his friends gathered for a snowball fight. Bundled up in warm coats and scarves, they built forts and stocked up on snowballs. Monti and Leo were on one team, while a group of their classmates formed the opposing side.

“Ready, aim… fire!” Monti shouted, throwing a snowball toward the other fort.

Snowballs flew back and forth as the kids laughed and ducked behind their snowy defenses. Monti loved the thrill of dodging and landing a perfect throw.

As Monti peeked out to launch another snowball, he spotted a figure near the edge of the park—a younger boy, about six years old, who wasn’t part of the game. He was building a small snowman with his mittens, completely unaware of the chaos around him.

In the heat of the moment, Monti threw his snowball hard, aiming for the opposing team. But just as he let it go, the younger boy stood up, directly in the snowball’s path.

Thwack!

The snowball hit the boy squarely on the shoulder. He gasped in surprise, then began to cry, clutching his snow-covered jacket.

Monti’s stomach dropped. “Oh no,” he whispered, frozen in place.

Leo ran over to Monti. “I think you should go check on him,” he said quietly.

Monti hesitated. He didn’t know what to say, and guilt gnawed at him.

Before Monti could decide, the boy’s older sister appeared, crouching down to comfort him. She looked up and saw Monti standing there, still holding a snowball.

“Did you throw that?” she asked, her voice firm but not angry.

Monti swallowed hard and nodded. “I… I didn’t mean to hit him. I was aiming for someone else.”

The sister’s gaze softened. “Then maybe you should tell him that.”

Taking a deep breath, Monti approached the boy. His heart raced, but he knew he couldn’t leave without making it right.

“I’m really sorry,” Monti said, his voice trembling a little. “I wasn’t paying attention, and I didn’t mean to hit you. Are you okay?”

The boy sniffled, rubbing his eyes. “It hurt,” he mumbled.

Monti nodded. “I understand. I would feel the same way. Is there anything I can do to make it better?”

The boy glanced at his snowman. “You could help me finish this,” he said quietly.

Monti smiled with relief. “Deal.”

For the next ten minutes, Monti and Leo worked alongside the boy to build the snowman. They made a tall, sturdy base and shaped a small snowball for the head. Monti found some twigs for arms and helped the boy use a carrot for the nose.

When the snowman was finished, the boy’s face lit up. “Thank you,” he said, his earlier tears forgotten.

“You’re welcome,” Monti replied. “And I’m really sorry again about the snowball.”

The boy nodded. “It’s okay. I like my snowman now.”

As Monti rejoined the snowball fight, Leo grinned at him. “That was nice of you, Monti.”

Monti shrugged but smiled back. “It felt good to fix things. I didn’t want him to stay upset.”

Later, as Monti walked home, he thought about how easy it had been to apologize once he faced his mistake. He realized that saying sorry and making amends wasn’t as scary as it seemed—it actually made him feel lighter.

That night, as he warmed up with a mug of hot milk, Monti made a mental note: Next time he played in the snow, he’d be more careful. And if he made a mistake, he’d know just what to do.

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