Excellent!

This is wonderful - it's both subtle and on-the spot. You have such an elegant way of story-telling, I like it very much! Well done, thanks for sharing!

Delightful one-shot, and one where Horatio ended up no longer feeling depressed. I liked the ending very much. So was Mary an angel sent to give Horatio a sense of feeling good about Christmas...I would like to think so.
Lovely Christmas story that had the hallmark of Mary arriving in Bethlehem, and seeking shelter at the Inn. Only now she doesn't need shelter, she can go where she pleases, and she chose to lift Horatio's spirits this Christmas Eve night tonight.

Happy Christmas Susie.

A wonderful little Christmas one-shot!

Mary may indeed be an angel from Heaven sent to impart a little Christmas cheer on Horatio.

Such a sweet story. I love it xxx

I REALLY LOVED THIS!
HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY!

What a subtle, elegant tale – I truly loved this.

Clever conceit, the girl being named 'Mary', and I experienced a mild chuckle at her rejoinder to Horatio when he asked her if she had a place to stay on Christmas Eve!

One of the things I like about your writing is the dry sense of humor you sometimes employ and, in this case, the gentle nature of it.

An angel she was, I think... smelling of flowers, wishing him a happy Christmas, and giving him the gift of 'gifting' someone else. She lifted his spirits - is there a better Christmas gift than that? I don't think so.

There's a verse in the Bible: 'Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.' I suspect that was Horatio's experience.

Merry Christmas to you, my friend; thank you for your stories that always delight.

A very heartwarming story. How did she know his name? It's a Christmas secret. Horatio had a little Christmas magic and it brought him some cheer.

Happy Christmas to you.

aww what a lovely xmas story , loved it , merry xmas to you too xxx

so sweet, perfect for Christmas time. Loved it! :)