Finally it was the last school day before the Christmas holidays! The air was buzzing with excitement - two weeks without school, full of cookies, presents and cozy mornings in pajamas! Karl was already daydreaming about building a snow fort shaped like a giant penguin while Gini imagined decorating her whole room with twinkling lights... including the cat, if she could catch him.
The morning at school was full of Christmas cheer. In their classrooms, the teacher read a story, they sang carols and made paper Santas and Christmas trees with flickering candle drawings. Each child received a small treat and some children even gave gifts to the teachers. Gini and Karl had prepared little presents too.
Karl had grumbled earlier, "She doesn't really deserve it. She's always yelling at us!" But after some thinking - and a sneaky nudge from Mom - he decided to give his teacher a gift anyway. Gini, meanwhile, insisted they also thank their "best teachers ever" with little gifts for Mrs. Charlene Badour, Mme. Maria Arfanis, Mr. Chris Le Couffe and Monsieur Frederick Elias. "Because even penguins know when someone's paws... I mean, hands, are super nice!" Gini whispered to Karl.
After lunch the whole school gathered in the gym. Teachers had put up stands selling old toys and clothes, and the air smelled faintly of cinnamon and tiny pine trees (or maybe that was just the glitter confetti Karl accidentally spilled everywhere). Gini and Karl performed their Christmas story on stage again, complete with dramatic penguin pirouettes. The crowd cheered and Karl made a note to himself: next year, bring a penguin-sized cape.
Then came the big auction. Toys, books, board games and dolls were all up for grabs. But what caught Gini's eye was a gigantic teddy bear. Its fur looked softer than a freshly fluffed snowball and its smile was practically magical. Gini's eyes sparkled.
The bidding began. The teddy bear's price quickly climbed to $20 - all the money Gini had! Karl noticed and whispered, "I can give you some of my money."
"Oh, thank you! You are the best brother in the world!" Gini whispered back. With Karl's help, she bid $22 and proudly lifted the teddy bear in her arms. But then she saw Mara's sad face. Mara didn't have much money and hadn't been able to bid. Gini hesitated... then smiled and said decisively, "Mara should have this teddy bear. She doesn't get anything for Christmas, while I have lots of presents already."
She walked over and placed the teddy bear in Mara's arms. Mara's eyes widened. She hugged it tightly and didn't let go all day. "Merry Christmas!" Gini called, and then raced back to Karl, who gave her a high-five with a satisfied grin.
Karl, feeling inspired by his sister's generosity, split his remaining $18 with Gini. "Now you can still bid for a small teddy bear," he said. She did, and soon a tiny brown teddy with a heartwarming smile joined their growing collection. Karl used his share to bid for a toy car.
Walking home Gini and Karl felt lighter than a snowflake on a winter breeze. Two weeks of Christmas holidays stretched ahead, full of cookies, games, snowball fights and maybe just a tiny bit of penguin mischief. Karl whispered to Gini, "Do you think we could build a gingerbread penguin space colony?"
Gini grinned. "Only if they promise not to escape this year." And with that, the two little penguins waddled home, dreaming of snow forts, presents and Christmas magic that was bigger than any bear, car or cookie in the world.
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