Preview audio:

storyj.mp/aheq2vspm2r7

Once upon a time in the city of Orange Valley there lived a girl named, Martha. Today was Martha's school's annual Christmas party.

When it was time for the gift exchange, Martha gave her friends the gift she had got for them.

"Oh Martha thankyou, my gift for you hasn't come in the mail yet". said Alice.

"And I forgot my gift for you at home". said Brenda.

"You guys didn't really get me anything did you"? asked Martha who could tell her friends were lying.

As her friends were trying to explain themselves, Martha said she had to go and would see them later but they could tell that that wasn't the truth and she was likely mad at them.

"Martha, wait", said Alice.

But Martha was already gone.

When Martha got home, her mother asked her how the Christmas party went.

"It was fine up until the gift exchange, my friends didn't get me anything for Christmas"! she exclaimed angrily.

"You know Martha it's not all about the gifts". her mother explained.

"Yeah whatever, I'm going to bed".

That night while Martha was sleeping she got woken up by a girl that looked like a younger version of her.

"Who are you and what are you doing here"? asked Martha startled.

"I am a younger version of you and I am here to show you something".

Next thing Martha knew she was in her living room back in 2005 watching her five year old self throw a temper tantrum because her parents got her the wrong doll for Christmas.

"This isn't the one I wanted, I wanted Julie not Samantha"! she shouted angrily.

"Honey, Julie was sold out, you can get Julie next year". explained her mother.

"I don't want to wait another year, this is the worst Christmas ever."

When Martha saw how she had acted ten years ago she couldn't believe it.

"You only got worse after that, you started obsessing over the gifts and how good they were". said her younger self.

"Now come, I have more things to show you".

The next thing Martha knew she was back at the Christmas party watching the exchange with her friends from earlier.

"What is the point of this, I already know what horrible friends they are"! exclaimed Martha.

Martha heard her friends explaining to each other why they couldn't get her a gift.

"I really wanted to get her a gift but money is so tight right now I just couldn't afford it". explained Alice. "Same here but I actually did get Martha a cozy blanket and comfy slippers but our house was so cold and my mom was sick so I just gave them to her until we get the money to fix our heater". said Brenda.

"Wow I can't believe they didn't tell me what was going on at home". said Martha ashamed.

"Probably thought you wouldn't care". replied her younger self.

"Now come I have one last thing to show you".

The next thing Martha knew she was in a strange bedroom listening to a older version of herself complain about how she hated Christmas because her friends and family never visited or bought her gifts anymore.