A Christmas story from IQ Home.

On a cold Christmas Eve, after a long dinner, all was silent. The last echoes of laughter and carols still lingered in the air, but the lights were out and the family was resting in their rooms.

Tonight the three sisters had decided to sleep together, as they did when they were little. On a chair, neatly arranged, lay their three velvet robes: one red, one green, and one blue. The velvet shimmered softly in the dim light filtering in from the hallway, as if it still held the warmth of the evening.

One of the sisters, the youngest, had put on a green tartan pajama set, which stood out among the blankets; she had insisted on wearing it because, according to her, "it's the most Christmassy one of all." The other two, already half asleep, giggled affectionately as they watched her settle in among the cushions.

In the living room, the Christmas ornaments on the tree reflected flashes of red and green as the branches swayed in a gentle breeze that drifted in through the half-open window. On the sofa, one of the blankets lay crumpled, abandoned by someone who had dozed off during the evening's conversations. Another blanket, in neutral tones, rested against the back of the sofa, ready for the following morning.

The dining table was perhaps the most beautiful feature: the green and blue crockery was still laid out, though empty, revealing its delicate hand-painted designs. Deep plates, shallow bowls, and cups seemed to await a new gathering, while the candlesticks cast their last dancing shadows across the ceramics.

The whole house breathed that special silence of Christmas morning: a silence full of meaning, of connection, of rest. Outside, the night advanced slowly, but inside the atmosphere remained enveloped in softness: the velvet of the bathrobes, the plush touch of the blankets, the subtle fragrance of the candles, and the dormant glow of the tree ornaments.

Everything was still, as if the objects themselves held the memory of what had happened a few hours before.
A normal house, yes… but on that night, filled with warmth and magic, it felt like the most special place in the world.