Ben Cartwright was with his grandson Mitch (3) at a big garden center. It was in Christmas atmosphere and especially the youngest Cartwright found that great. Perhaps it was because Mitch was a real Christmas child or that at his place Christmas was always celebrated extremely.
At the candle department Mitch saw for him strange candles.
“Grandpa, what are those for a strange candles?”, asked the boy.
Ben looked and answered, “Well son, that are dripping candles. When they burn the candle wax drips off the candles. That’s why they are called dripping candles.”
Mitch first had to let it get through to him and said then, “It sound fun to me to let those candles burn at my birthday diner instead of usual candles.”
The owner of the Ponderosa ranch agreed with it because he said, “Mitch, that is a good and funny idea of yours. We take a few boxes along.”
They grabbed a few boxes and put them into the trolley. Also a few candlesticks for the dripping candles got taken along.
Meanwhile at the ranch Hoss Cartwright said his oldest brother Adam (the father of Mitch), “I dare to bet that pa and Mitchy take along everything of the Christmas department and we have to trim 100 Christmas trees. You know how much your son loves Christmas.”
Hoss always called his nephew Mitch Mitchy.
“I know indeed how much Mitch loves Christmas. If it was up to him the Christmas decorations and the tree remained around all year through”, Adam answered smiling.
Hoss nodded. Half November Mitch started already to decorate the upstairs department of the ranch house.
After being at the garden center for a few hours Ben and Mitch came home again.
“Mitch, we don’t tell your father and uncles about the dripping candles. They will see it at your birthday diner”, Ben said before they got out.
“Dripping candles? Which dripping candles? I don’t know what you mean, grandpa”, answered his grandson.
The rancher answered smiling, “I mean that.”
Grandpa and grandson brought all purchases inside and put it on a for the sons of Ben secret place. After that they went very innocent to the living room where the 3 sons of Ben (Adam, Hoss and Joe) were.
“Pa, you have been away a long time. Found something nice at the garden center?”, asked Adam.
Yet before Ben could say something Mitch answered quickly, “Yes, but we couldn’t pay for it.”
Everybody laughed because the Cartwrights were the richest family of the area.
“We have bought something but you are not allowed to see it yet”, Ben explained.
Now the brothers became very curious of course but they didn’t get to hear anything about the purchases at the garden center anymore.
Finally it was Christmas Day. The Cartwrights not only celebrated Christmas but also the 4th birthday of the youngest descendant. In the afternoon board games were being played.
At 17.30 hours Ben said to his sons, “Are you going to walk Cody for a moment.”
Cody was the shepherd dog of the Cartwrights. The brothers went with him outside so that Ben and Mitch could switch the usual candles for the dripping candles. The loyal Chinese cook Hop Sing already had set the table festively and baked whole afternoon piles of pancakes. That was on request of the birthday boy.
When the brothers and Cody were back again the Cartwrights went to the table. Ben already had lit the candles. The brothers saw the dripping candles burning and looked at each other questionable.
“Pa, where are the usual candles?”, Joe asked amazed.
“What do you mean?”, his father asked on his turn.
“We have never had those dripping candles”, said Hoss.
“This time we have. Mitch and I bought them at the garden center. Your nephew suggested to let dripping candles burning at his birthday meal. That’s why you weren’t allowed to know nothing yet about our purchases”, Ben explained.
Now his sons understood it and they thought it was a very funny idea.
Adam said, “Mitch, from now on we use for your birthday diner dripping candles.”
Adam kept word because since that day (12/25/1996) during the Christmas diner stood at the Ponderosa ranch dripping candles burning instead of usual candles.