The most poignantly Christmas story.

Christmas, Christmas and after Christmas. I wish they were more often than once a year. We all enjoy them very much!
It all starts about a two weeks before. I always go with my father to a huge supermarket to do some shopping. “Some shopping” – my mother calls it like that. She makes a long list of things she needs. On it are always hundreds of products, but my mum says “These are only the most necessary one!” We spend at that shop at least 2-3 hours! Of course, when there`re a few days before Christmas we must go there one more time, couse on that list was always something we didn`t buy or my mum simply forgot to write down.
Then it all gains speed, of course she sets the pace, divides duties. My father has to beat carpets, my brother has to clean his room, dust an apartment, throw out a litter. Me and my mother spend the most time in the kitchen, making some delicious dishes. I think I like it. Then I feel the Christmas are very close.
Our Christmas almost always looked the same. On 24th December we go to my dad`s family, to X, near Warsov. Next day, early morning we go to Mazury, where my mother cames from. But not this time...
As usual we got to X about 2-3 p.m. Then all women gathered in the kitchen and started to prepare supper. About 5-6 p.m. everything was ready.
Before sitting down at the table we all broke traditional wafel and exchanged the best wishes for health, wealth and happiness in the New Year. It always is such a a deeply moving moment that often tears of love and joy are evoked. But this time I had tears in my eyes also because there wasn`t our uncle with us, my dad`s brother. He died a few months earlier. The atmosphere that evening was different from other days like that. But we tried not to show that sadness.
We sat down and as always we didn`t know what should we eat at first. There was so many looking and smeling delighfully dishes. We startes with beefroof soup. It wormed us a little bit. Then we ate a carp and a trount. We were sitting, talking, eating all this stuff and every time I looked at my aunt she was staring at an extra place, which we always safe for the stranger. This time we knew our uncle should sit there. But there was nothing we could do about it.
Before 9 o`clock when we were thinking of standing up from behind the table, the doorbell rang. Any of us had an idea who could that be. Me and my cousin Kate rose up at the same time to open the door. A man was standing there. He looked like he was frozen. He was dressed like some vagrant. He has about 40 years old. I thought he reminds me somebody. But he had something friendly in his eyes. He asked if we had anything to hot to eat. Kate looked at me, I looked at her and we invite the stranger home for a tea and the carp. We led him to the room. Everyone was very, very surprised. We never had a guest in Christmas Eve. I think they were looking at the man about a minut when he stopped the silence. He said, “My name is Grzegorz, Grzegorz ... “ He said our surname! We all were so astonished. After a moment we looked at each other, and we started to ask a questions: “Who is he? How did he find us? What is he doing now? Where does he live? Does he have any family?” We were talking till 3 a.m. We didn`t go on a special mass – Pasterka. It was amazing. He really turned out my father`s brother. It was so strange at the same time. My aunt made Grzegorz a place to sleep. She looked like ske was the happiest person that evening. I couldn`t sleep that noght as we all, I think. Whan I got up next morning I saw my aunt and a new uncle were sitting on a couch and still talkimg!
This time we didn`t to Mazury. We spend all Christmas knowing a new member of our family. I really enjoyed this few days. My father gained in that short time a brither, my aunt a very important person. I think she found her husband in him. They were a siblings at last. Now, I know who he has been reminding me. I think this human will fill the emptiness which has been felt when her husband, our uncle died.
That was reallt touching moment during the Christmas for all of us. I wish everyone could experience that feeeling, really unusual but great at the same time!