Gingerbread cookies are eaten only once in every season and that is every Christmas.

Christmas was a season on its own. The beautiful songs, the fireworks, the smell of Christmas, the lights and oh, let's not forget the gingerbread biscuits. Everything reminded me of Christmas.

"Babe, should we put on the-" Ayomide, my husband started before he got interrupted by the sound from the kitchen.

It was then I realized that my two kids, Dara and Segun were nowhere to be found and that it had been quiet for a long while.

When Dara and Segun were quiet, something was up.

With the way I raced to the kitchen, one would think that I was a sprinter. I ran as fast as I could to the kitchen with Ayomide trailing behind and as soon as we got to the kitchen, Dara and Segun were there, covered with flour, from head to toe like ghosts.

Dara's newly made Christmas hair was not exempted.

"And we made this hair yesterday! Ayo, can you see your children?!" I groaned as I collapsed on the kitchen stool.

Dara and Segun stood there with repentant faces as their dad went there and dusted the flour off their body.

"Daddy, it was Segun that said that-" Dara started before I cut her short.

"Will you shut up. You are five Dara and you are the oldest. I shouldn't expect this from you!" I yelled as I walked over to her side.

"Ade mi, calm down," he said as he started packing up the pans, "Shouting won't solve anything!"

"Don't calm me down oo. Flour is expensive now and I just made Dara's Christmas hair yesterday. What kind if children are this?!" I cried out as I stomped my foot on the ground.

"Mommy, I'm sorry!" Dara and Segun chorused as I rolled my eyes and walked to the parlor to continue with the rest of the decorations. These children were not worth it at all.

★★★

Christmas meant a lot to me. My husband proposed to me and we had our first child, Dara on Christmas day.

Dara's dad had volunteered to lose her braids and take her to the salon to do new braids although I wanted her to carry a flour infested hair for Christmas just to teach her a lesson.

I mean, the flour was sitting down in the kitchen and Dara was with her brother in her room and the next minute, they were bathed with flour from head to toe.

The same flour I planned to use to bake gingerbread cookies.

My husband had gotten me a new bag of flour and I was currently in the kitchen making the gingerbread cookies.

"The scent is so nice already," I moaned as the smell of ginger engulfed my nostrils and I suddenly felt like taking a ginger drink so I picked up my phone and texted Ay to get me a Ginger drink on his way back.

"Mom, I want Gingerbread cookies!" Segun grinned as he walked over to my side and gave me a hug.

"I'm still mad at you for yesterday!" I replied honestly as his facial expression changed.

"I'm sorry. You have to forgive because you taught us to always forgive and forget," he quoted as I rolled my eyes.

Trust these children to always use your words against you.

"I've forgiven you but I'm still angry at you. That's two different things," I replied as I brought out the Rolling pin.

"Really? But you said that in the book of Ecclesiastes, 'Anger rested in the Bosom of fools'." He replied with an innocent face as I rolled my eyes.

"What I mean is that..." I started but when there were no words I could use to justify myself, I sighed. "You're right Segun. I'm no longer angry at you," I replied as he engulfed me in a hug.

There was a small silence that engulfed us both in the kitchen before Segun broke it.

"Mom, I'm so happy that it's Christmas," he started with a smile on his face, "I love it when it's Christmas." He concluded as I cut out a shape of the Gingerbread man on the cookie dough.

"And why do you love Christmas?" I asked him

"Well, because it's Christmas. Who doesn't love Christmas?" he replied as I nodded my head. Everyone loved Christmas.

"That's true. Everyone loves Christmas," I replied but I felt a tug in my spirit to probe further so I did, "But that is still not a reason, Segun," I added.

"Oh, I know the real reason why I love Christmas now!" he said as two figures walked into the kitchen.

"We're back home, Ola mi," my husband said as he wrapped his arms around me and gave my cheeks a light peck.

"Mom, do you like my hair?" Dara asked as she flashed me her missing tooth.

"You can bath it in flour again and I promise you this time around that..." I started before Ayo cut me short.

"She won't dear. Here is your Ginger drink," he said as he handed over to me the ginger drink and I stared at the pack.

It was from a fruit drink company and the picture of a ripe mango was their logo and it looked so enticing.

"I want Mango drink now. I don't want ginger again," I whined as my husband crossed his hands.

"This your pregnancy hormones have started again oo," he complained as I reluctantly picked up the ginger drink and took a small sip.

"So, what were you guys talking about before we arrived?" my husband asked as I took a sip from the Ginger drink even though Mango juice would have tasted better.

"Mom asked me what I loved about Christmas," Segun said as I nodded my head.

This boy has a sharp brain. I'd even forgotten what we were talking about.

"Ok, and what did you say?" Ayo probed further.

"I said I loved Christmas because it is Christmas. Who doesn't love Christmas?" he replied with a smile on his face.

"But that is not a good answer Segun. I actually like Christmas because it's my Birthday!" Dara confessed with a grin as I resisted the urge to laugh at her missing tooth.

"That's too is not the real reason to love and appreciate Christmas," I said as I took a sip of my ginger drink

"May I ask you both a question?" Ayo asked as they both nodded their heads.

"What is the true importance of Christmas? Anyone who gets it, has a bowl of ice cream," Ayo said as their eyes widened and suddenly, I felt the urge to take Ice-cream.

"Ayo, pass me one Ice-cream from the fridge. I feel like taking ice cream now," I said as Ayo rolled his eyes.

"Ola mi, continue with the gingerbread cookies you're making, ejoor!" he replied as I frowned and went back to knead my dough.

"After I'll get an Ice-cream right?" I asked as he shook his head and muttered 'Face your work' in Yoruba.

"So, kids, what is the true importance of Christmas. The winner has a..." He started but stopped because he knew that saying ice cream would trigger my cravings.

"Dara and Segun, let's begin and you only have three trials," he said as he crossed his leg on the seat.

"Christmas is important because of the Gingerbread cookies that Mom makes once every year?" Dara said as my husband and I burst into laughter.

"Ayo, can you hear your children?!" I laughed as they both stood staring at us.

"That is not true Dara but it's a trial. Let's hear from you Segun," Ayo said like those high school debate moderators.

"It's Important because of Santa Claus?" Segun said as I put a palm to cover my mouth so I wouldn't laugh and put spit in the dough.

"That's not correct, Segun. Now let's hear from your sister." His eyes flickered back to Dara's side.

"Christmas is important because we get to wear fine shoes and fine fine clothes, bah?" she asked as her dad shook his head.

It's the fine fine cloth for me. These children will not kill somebody with laughter.

"That is still not correct. Segun another trial?"

Segun touched the tip of his chin like he was trying to remember something.

"Because we eat chicken on Christmas day?" he asked as I shook my head.

"That's not true Segun. That's not the reason why Christmas is important," I replied as Dara's eyes widened.

"I know the reason now. I know it." She started and I knew anytime Dara said I knew it; she was going to say nonsense next. "It's because we sing all those songs like 'Santa Claus is coming to town'." She said as I rolled my eyes.

And why am I not surprised?

"That's not true Dara. You have exhausted all your guesses so no ice cream for you!" Dad said as she groaned and sat down on one of the kitchen stools.

"Let me guess, because of the Christmas lights and the Red nose reindeer?" he asked as Ayo and I both shook our heads.

"That's is not the reason and there is no ice cream for you too," Ayo said as he grumbled as sat on the floor but when I glared at him, he stood up and sat on the stool.

"If Mom gets it, she gets Ice cream bah?" I asked and Ayo rolled his eyes.

"And if Mom takes the Ice-cream, she must finish it bah?" he retorted as I hissed.

I was already done shaping the Gingerbread cookies so I went to pre- heat the oven.

"So, kids, the true importance of Christmas is in the name," I started as I pre-heated the oven "Christ is the importance of Christmas. Without him, there would be no Christmas!" I said as the kids stared at me with confused faces.

"I don't understand," Dara voiced out and I nodded.

"It's just like your birthday. We won't celebrate Dad's birthday if there was no daddy," I started before Ayo cut me short.

"Olorun Maje, there will always be Daddy oo," he prophesied as we all burst into laughter.

"Amen." I took a deep breath. "But all I'm saying is that Christ is the reason for the season and there will be no Christmas if Christ was not existing," I added.

"But mommy, didn't you teach us during Easter that Christ died?" Dara asked and I nodded again.

"That is a good question Darasimi. Christ died and he resurrected and he is in Heaven living forevermore," I said as I low-key sounded like those Children Sunday school teachers.

"But then, why can't we celebrate Christ everyday?" Segun asked as I leaned on the kitchen railings.

"Ayo, please help us with the question?" I asked as he nodded.

"We celebrate Christ everyday Segun, we do," he replied as Dara and Segun stared at him confused.

"But how?" she asked as I put the Gingerbread cookies in the oven.

"It's just like you Dara. We have a particular day that is set out to celebrate you, your birthdays. That doesn't mean that we don't celebrate you every other day Dara," he said as she nodded her head.

My husband would fit Pastor oo.

"Pastor Ayo, I hail oo!" I hauled as he rolled his eyes.

"No dey whine me abeg," he replied with a small smile on his face.

"So, children, do you understand now?" I asked as they nodded and I felt a hot sensation between my legs.

"Mom, you we-we on your body." Segun pointed out as Ayo's eyes widened.

My water Just broke and I was going to be having a baby some days to Christmas.

Christmas baby, here we come.

~Sharon Kamsi.