Fluff and Mothball landed on a field of green, bathed in the soft afternoon light. It was a place they came to often, usually for dinner, when the sun no longer poured hot through the window, but was slowly evaporating into a golden glow. "This is different," Fluff said. And it was. Usually they lounged on a field of soft white, or gentle brown, while soft shadows crept slowly over it as they ate. The brightness of the green caused Fluff to squint just a little, as he picked on the end of a piece of string. "It doesn’t taste so good, either!" he complained. "Not a nice wool or cotton!" "It’s special," Mothball replied. The older of the two moths, he was also wiser. He had seen many things in his months, and always listened carefully to what other moths said.

"Special?" Fluff questioned. How can it be so special, when it doesn’t even taste very good?" "It is very special, in fact." Mothball responded, and he pulled himself up from his dinner, looking as wise as a moth can. It comes out only once every year – only once in several moth lifetimes!" he explained. It is for a very special celebration!" Fluff was not impressed. "Well, they should keep it where it was. I don’t care for it at all!"

Mothball smiled. He remembered when he was young – several months ago. He had heard the stories about Christmas from old moths, as they danced around the flames of campfires, or fluttered in front of windows at night. "We are creatures of the light," he finally said, not necessarily to anyone, although Fluff was standing right by him. "God made us that way, I believe, because of Christmas." He turned toward Fluff, who had a puzzled look on his face and, for once, had even stopped eating. "You see, once, long ago, God sent his Son into the world to be light for people – not so that they could see with their eyes, but with their hearts. They called him ‘The Light of the World.’"

"Where is he now," Fluff asked, his eyes were wide, clear and full of wonder. Mothball could see everything in them – the whole room: The decorations, the ornaments, the nativity on the mantle. It was as if he could see the whole story – he could see all of Christmas in Fluff’s eyes, though Fluff could not see any of it at all. "He is still here, in the hearts of the humans," he said softly. "God put his light in their hearts, so that they can always see him. And he made us moths to dance around the light, so that people could remember the wonderful light God gave them at Christmas time, to dance in their hearts."

Fluff frowned. "I still don’t like the taste of it. And why is Christmas such a yucky color?" Mothball sighed. "Come. You’ll see." With that he took off, rising above the table. Fluff followed. "Do you see yet?" he asked. "I see green – and look! There is some red over there, too!" Fluff answered. Mothball rose higher – several feet above the table, followed by his companion. "Now do you see?" He asked. "I see lots of red and green," Fluff said with some wonder in his voice. "And look, over there – there are some gold balls, and pinecones and things! How pretty!" Mothball smiled. "Let’s go a bit higher." Up, up they went, much higher than moths usually go, up past the chandelier. Up past the top of the windows. All the way up to the ceiling. "Now – now do you see?"

Fluff looked down with amazement. Below was the tablecloth they had been sitting on, now a beautiful pattern of red and green, with strands of black and flecks of gold through it. In the middle sat an arrangement of pine and nuts and pinecones and gold balls, with several candles waiting to be lit for Christmas dinner. Beyond the table he could see the nativity on the mantle, with Joseph, Mary, the wise men and shepherds, and the baby Jesus. "It’s so beautiful!" he said. "I never imagined Christmas was so beautiful!"

"That’s the way it is with humans, too." Mothball said softly, with all the wisdom of his many months. They can’t see the beauty of it all either. That is why God sent his Son – to be a light in their heart, so that they could see. So they could understand the beauty of it all, and know how much God loves them. Jesus came from heaven, so that they could see everything, the way the angels do – the way God does. He sent his Son on Christmas, so that they could see and understand."

As they talked, someone had come into the room. They heard soft Christmas carols start to play on the radio. And a person came over to the table, and lit the Christmas candles. "Come on," Mothball said. "Now its our turn. Let’s dance."