The movie, Beetlejuice, had just ended, and the elves were gathering in the recreational room to play games and enjoy some snacks.

“How cool would it be to just say someone’s name 3 times and they would appear,” Olaf said and pulled out a chair.

“You mean the way the ghost couple got Beetlejuice to show up so he could scare the people living in their house and make them leave?” Syrup asked.

“Yes!” Olaf laughed. “But when I call, I want a real person to appear.”

“Things like that can’t happen. It’s just something to make the movie more fun to watch,” Syrup explained.

“Wait a minute. Why can’t it be real?” Tinsel asked. “Let’s try. Who do we want to come join us?”

“Santa,” yelled Skippy. “He can play some games. Is everyone ready? On three, we’ll all say ‘Santa’ three times. One, two, three . . .”

“Santa – Santa – Santa!”

The elves looked around the room, but no one was there.

Syrup shrugged. “See. I told you. That’s just fun movie stuff.”

“Wait a minute.” Olaf held up his hand. “In the movie they have to say his whole name, Beetlejuice. Maybe we need to repeat Santa Claus three times.”

“If we do this and Santa doesn’t show up,” grumbled Syrup, “can we stop talking about it and play some games?”

When all the elves around the table nodded, Skippy started the count down. “One, two, three . . .”

“Santa Claus – Santa Claus – Santa Claus,” the elves yelled in unison.

Suddenly I found myself standing by a table of elves. “What? How did I get here?”

All the elves sat with their mouths wide open. None of them could believe their eyes.

“Were you hiding so you could trick us?” Tinsel demanded.

“I was just in my office reading some letters. Then all of a sudden, I found myself here. I don’t know what you did, but you better not be playing with the Green Fairy Dust we use to tele-transport toys from the North Pole to my bag on Christmas!”

I grabbed a cookie from the plate on the table and headed back to my office. As I walked through the courtyard, I thought to myself, “I know my elves have many talents, but I didn’t know they could do magic tricks like that. I wonder how . . . “

Before I could finish my thought, I found myself in the kitchen with Hanna and the other baking elves.

“Wait a minute! How did I get here? I was just walking in the courtyard.”

“We heard what the elves in the rec room did and thought we’d try it,” Hanna said.

“We called your name three times, and here you are,” Doheny added.

I shook my head. “Then you really don’t need me, right?”

The elves hung their heads, ashamed to admit the truth.

Doheny quickly grabbed a platter of cookies that were still warm. “Would you at least like to take some cookies with you?”

“I never turn down cookies, but please do not call me back again. I need to catch up on the children’s letters.”

“So, they just say my name, Santa Claus, three times and I appear? How did they figure that out?” I mumbled. “Hope they don’t go telling everyone about this. I’ll never get anything done.”

When I arrived back in my office, I settled into my easy chair and began reading a letter.

Before I knew it, I found myself standing in front of dozens of children. All of them were screaming “Santa! You came!!” Suddenly, all the boys and girls ran in my direction.

Even though I was much bigger, there were so many that I stumbled, flinging my arms wildly. As I tried to steady myself, I began shouting.

Before I hit the ground, I found myself lying back in my chair with Ms. Claus leaning over me. “Are you okay Santa?”

I sat up quickly. “Did you call me? Please tell me you didn’t call me.”

“I’m not sure what you mean. I came over to bring you some hot cocoa and found you sound asleep, squirming and screaming. I think you were having a bad dream.”

“Hope so. All anyone had to do was say ‘Santa Claus’ three times, and I would appear. I couldn’t finish anything! I was being pulled from place to place. The last time dozens of little children ran to hug me, and I lost my balance. I love children, but it was crazy.”

“I think you may have taken this letter too seriously,” Anya responded, looking at the one I had been reading. “This little boy wished he could just say your name, and you would come to see him.”

“Could be. Glad it was only a dream.”

“You know Santa, you cannot make everyone happy all the time.”

“You’re right, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.”

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday April, 20, 2024.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

To read more about Santa please check out

With a Little Help from My Friends – July 1, 2019
Santa’s Improved Sleigh – March 16, 2020
Pie Day – March 15, 2021
Is Santa Retiring – April 26, 2021
Sad Santa – January 15, 2022
Goofing Off – April 1, 2022
Where’s Santa – November 1, 2022
Fooling Santa – April 1, 2023

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook– Instagram– Threads – Twitter

Illustration created with Art Space AI

The scent of freshly baked cookies wafted through Elfkin Hall, and the sound of laughter echoed through the room. Seated on candy cane-striped cushions, several elves talked aloud about making wishes.

“Imagine if we could have one wish for anything we wanted,” mused Jingles, as he stirred his hot cocoa. “What would you wish for, Tinsel?”

Without any hesitation, Tinsel replied, “I’d wish for an endless supply of candy canes! Imagine never running out of peppermint goodness – a dream come true!”

“Seems selfish to me,” Sprinkle complained. “I would wish for peace on earth, so families everywhere could spend time together without fear or conflict.”

“I’d want to be like Santa and spread happiness wherever I go,” added Twinkle, her cheeks glowing. “To see smiles on faces, and hearts filled with warmth – that’s all I could ever ask for.”

Jingles leaned forward. “Those are interesting, but wishing for one thing would be a hard decision.”

Ms. Claus and I moved closer to the group after over-hearing their wishes. “I agree with Jingles,” I said. You can’t decide too quickly on one specific thing. It takes time to think.”

While the elves nodded in agreement, Anya and I settled ourselves in a couple of comfortable chairs. “I remember a story about a man who was granted one wish,” I began. “He had a really hard time deciding what he wanted because he needed so much. Wishing takes a lot of planning.”

Before I started, several more elves joined the group and listened.

A very long time ago a man and his wife lived on a small farm in Ireland with the man’s elderly parents. The man’s mother had lost her eyesight a long time ago and his father wasn’t in good health. Sadly, the young couple had no child of their own. For several years they had wished for one, but had never been blessed.

The young man managed to keep the farm going and to keep food on the table for his family. But when a disease destroyed their crops, the four of them had very little to eat and no money to buy food. The man knew it was up to him to save the others and decided to hunt for some food on their landlord’s property.

Now the landlord was not very nice and didn’t like to share. He threatened that anyone caught hunting on his land would be hanged.

“That’ scary!” Tinsel said aloud. “I don’t think I’d take the risk.”

“What did he do, Santa?” Twinkle asked.

Well, the young man knew the risk he was taking, but he felt he had no choice. He took an old hatchet and crept over the wall into the landlord’s estate.

He searched all day for something to kill. Just as the sun set, he spotted a beautiful, white deer. As he lifted the hatchet to strike, the deer spoke. “Spare me and I will grant you one wish.”

The elves gasped and gathered closer.

The young man was so frightened that he nearly collapsed on the spot! “A talking deer? A wish? What nonsense is this?” he thought.

But the deer continued. “If you kill me, your landlord will hang you. If you ask for a wish, it could save you and your family. Come back tomorrow with your answer. I’ll be here. If you decide not to make a wish, then you can kill me to feed your family.”

The elves shook their heads and began to discuss what to do. Finally, Jingles asked, “What did he do?!”

The young man could not believe what he had heard. He thought the hunger was starting to affect him. He walked home, and the first person he met was his father. He told him about the deer and the chance of a wish. The old man immediately said, “Wish for gold. Gold will solve all our problems.”

The young man loved and respected his father, but decided to discuss it with his mother as well. She listened to his tale and pleaded, “Wish for my eyesight to be restored. That is more precious than gold.”

The young man loved his mother and thought about her answer, but he felt he should also discuss it with his wife.

She listened to his tale and immediately said, “Husband, I love your mother and your father, but we have been praying for a child. Surely that is the most precious wish!”

“Take the gold!” yelled one elf.

“NO!” another elf exclaimed. “What about his mother’s eyesight?”

“Children are the most precious,” several elves cried in unison.

I held up my hand, and the hall went silent. “Thank you. Now I’ll continue.”

The man didn’t know what to do since he could have only one wish. He tossed and turned all night. Unable to sleep, he thought killing the deer to feed his family was best.

The next morning, he returned to the landlord’s property and found the white deer in the same spot. The young man stood there, watching it graze while trying to decide. Finally, he raised his hatchet and was about to strike when he came up with an idea.

The deer gazed at the young man and asked, “Have you made a decision?”

“Yes, I have,” he replied.

“Name your wish, and it shall be granted.”

I paused and looked at the elves. “What wish do you think he made?”

“Kill the deer!” a few yelled out.

“Take the gold!” shouted the elves in the back.

Jingles stood up and turned to his friends. “But neither of those would make his mother see, or bless him and his wife with a child.”

The elves discussed what Jingles had said. Turning sadly in my direction, they shook their heads. Twinkle stood up. “Santa, how do you wish for something when someone is going to be left out?”

“Now you know how hard it is to decide on one thing.” I smiled and stood up. “If you take your time and think, an answer will appear. The young man was smart and patient. Do you want to know what he did?”

“Yes,” they shouted.

Well, the young man took a deep breath and said, “I wish my mother could see my wife rocking our child in a golden cradle.”

His wish was granted, and they lived happily ever after.

All the elves went quiet until Tinsel said, “Wow, everyone got what they wanted.”

While the elves clapped and hugged one another, Anya came up beside me, slipping her arm through mine. “Wonderful story, Santa. Old folk tales are the best.”

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday April 6, 2024.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

Santa’s story was based on One Wish, an old Irish Folktale

To read more Fairy Tales or Folk Tales told by Santa please check out:

The Nutcracker – November 25, 2019
The Shoemakers – February 8, 2021
Magic Beans – June 21, 2021
The Gingerbread Girl – January 21, 2023
Polar Pete’s Tail – September 16, 2023
Story of Tinsel – November 18, 2023

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – Twitter

Illustration Created by Microsoft CoPilot 

I was in my office reviewing the changes in production lines for next Christmas when Ms. Claus strolled in with a tray in her hands. “Have some time to share a cookie and hot cocoa with me?”

“Definitely,” I said and helped my wife set the platter on the table.

As we sat on the couch munching on cookies, there was a knock on the door.

“Santa,” Bernard called out as he entered, “the train production line has a problem with the updates we made.”

Looking at my wife, I began, “I hope you don’t mind . . .”

“Go,” my wife interrupted. “I understand. We can have our snack when you’re finished.”

“Thanks! I won’t be long.”

Bernard and I hurried in the direction of the workshop and saw Tracks, the elf in charge, waiting for us. “This doesn’t look good,” I mumbled.

“Thanks for coming so quickly,” Tracks said as he steered us inside and down the aisle. “The line was only running a few minutes when all of a sudden there was a loud thud. Then the workers saw smoke when the line came to a complete stop.”

As we approached, I noticed all the elves from the workshop standing by the production line except for one. I nodded toward him and asked Tracks, “Is there a problem with Jasper that he’s by himself?”

“That’s pretty normal. The other elves haven’t figured out how to interact with an autistic elf yet.”

When Ms. Claus and I decided to bring Jasper to the North Pole several months ago, we felt certain that the elves would help him adjust. Now I wasn’t so sure.

“Santa, are you listening?” Bernard stared at me impatiently. “What are we going to do about the line?”

“Sorry. I was thinking about something else. Go ahead, you were saying?” I listened as Bernard and Tracks discussed the issue, but I could not take my eyes off of Jasper. He was playing with a popper and spinner while looking all over the workshop.

“I think we need an elf that has an eye for detail, can think creatively, and deals well with visual tasks,” Bernard stated. “What do you think about bringing Manny in from maintenance to fix it?”

“Yeah, Manny would be good,” Tracks responded. “Should I call him to come over?”

Rubbing my beard, I turned and gazed at Bernard and Tracks. “Wait a minute. If I remember correctly, part of Jasper’s skill set was his eye for detail. Let him have a look at it first.”

“What? Why?!” Bernard demanded.

“First of all, we are upgrading equipment and not in the middle of the Christmas rush, so it’s not urgent. Second, Jasper has the skills needed to analyze and fix it. Tracks, ask him to come over here.” I glared at Bernard and added, “It’s time Jasper proved himself, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, I get it, but are you sure about this, Santa?” Bernard whispered.

I put my arm around his shoulders. “Jasper does struggle with social interactions, and has a unique way of seeing the world we live in,” I explained. “But his focus on certain tasks, his eye for detail, and his creative thinking may be just the thing we need here.”

When Jasper arrived, I explained the problem and asked the young elf if he’d like to try and fix it. His face was anxious as he paced back and forth while muttering. After a couple of minutes, he took a deep breath. “I can try.”

Walking over to the line, Jasper examined the layout. Then he began tightening the gears and adjusting the wires.

All the elves in the workshop watched in amazement as Jasper worked to solve the problem. When it was fixed, he smiled, and walked back to his usual work station.

Bernard and Tracks gave me a surprised look as if to ask ‘What now?’

“Let’s fire this line up and see what it can do,” I yelled and stood back to watch the machinery groan into action.

I noticed how the train line increased its speed and was working more smoothly than it had before. The elves cheered and went over to congratulate Jasper.

Tracks shook his head. “Amazing.  I’m not sure I would have done what you did, Santa.”

“Gotta trust that your workers know what to do. Jasper may be different, but he is a valuable member of your team.”

“I can see that now, and so do the others.” Tracks smiled and shook my hand. “Thanks Santa.”

I headed back to find Ms. Claus and share some hot cocoa and a cookie or two. When l strolled into my office, I explained what had happened at the train workshop with Jasper.

“So, do the elves have a new appreciation for him and his talents?” she asked.

“From the looks on their faces, I think they understand what Jasper can do. I bet they’ll soon learn how to talk with Jasper in a way that makes sense to him. When they embrace his routines and oddities with patience and understanding,” I explained, “then that team of elves will be humming like a well-oiled machine. No pun intended,” I laughed.

Anya chuckled and walked over to give me a big hug. “Santa, you always look for the good in anyone you meet. I wish children and adults everywhere would embrace the power of acceptance and the magic that comes from a different point of view!”

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday March 16, 2024.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – Twitter

Illustration from Pixabay

The dining room was buzzing with talk about the contest. Since the first of the year, the elves had been behind closed doors, designing and building something special from Legos.

“I think the elves are more excited about the Lego parade than they were for Christmas,” Anya teased.

“I don’t think so! Christmas IS the MOST exciting day!” I growled turning to hide the grin on my face.

“Real funny, big guy! So how many entries are there this year?” my wife asked.

“Each of the 15 toy workshops entered the contest. I’m a little concerned though.”

“Why?”

“How do I choose the best, especially since all of them have put so much work into their Lego creations.”

Before Anya could respond, Hobbs, manager of the Arts & Crafts Workshop, placed a small plate of cookies on the table. “We had extra and thought you might like them, Santa.”

I gave the elf a suspicious look. “This wouldn’t be a bribe for me to vote on your workshop’s entry.”

The foreman put his hands on his chest and grinned. “What? Me? I’m insulted you’d think that!”

After the elf left, I looked at Anya. “Cookies were obviously meant for me, but you’re a judge as well.”

“Not to worry. Hulta gave me some beautiful flowers earlier on behalf of her Stuffed Animal’s workshop.”

I reached for a cookie and laughed. “It is fun getting all these extras.”

My wife gently slapped my hand. “Maybe you should save those cookies for later.”

“You’re right. We better get out to the courtyard. The parade should be starting soon.”

After I wrapped the cookies and stuffed them in my pocket, we left for the courtyard. A crowd of excited elves cheered when Ms. Claus and I arrived and walked up the gazebo steps.

“We didn’t get a welcome like that,” Bernard teased.

“Santa’s arrival means we can start the Lego parade,” Highstep joked and poked Bernard with his elbow.

Before anyone else said anything, the first Lego float appeared. It was a flower, about five foot wide, made by the Science and Nature workshop.

“Look at the blend of reds and yellows used to create the flower,” Ms. Claus began. “Exquisite.”

As the flower passed by, Highstep was jumping up and down. “OMG, look at what’s coming next!”

“A Delorian,” I murmured. “Whoa this was created by the members of the Cars-Trucks workshop. That type of car was made in 1981 and 1982. I remember when it appeared in, Back to the Future? Great movie,” I exclaimed.

“I think you’ll find the next one equally impressive,” Anya commented as a full-size Harley-Davidson Motorcycle, made by the Bicycle and Scooter’s workshop, came into view.

“Cool,” I said and my two elves nodded in agreement.

“Oh my,” Anya gasped, “Check out the replica of Australia’s Opera House. I didn’t think Building and Construction could make shapes like that with Legos.”

Then the Opera House began to turn to show the back side. “Now that’s amazing!” I cried. “Look! It’s open and you can see inside the building!”

“Spectacular!” the four of us whispered.

As the parade continued, we watched several floats pass in front of us. Each as unique as the next.

• Arts and Crafts- Spouting volcano
• Board and Card Games- Game of Clue with moving parts
• Electronic Toys and Games- Robot with glowing eyes
• Kites, Planes, and Rockets- Rocket ready to take off in a cloud of smoke and fire
• Special Stuffed Animals- Orca leaping above the waves
• Sports and Outdoors- Player shooting a soccer ball into the goal
• Clothing and Shoes- Four styles of snow boots from around the world

When the last two floats passed by, Anya and I were amazed. Dolls and Costumes had joined together and displayed two costumes for the doll in a stroller. This was followed by Trains and Wooden toys who developed a toy train pulled by a child.

“Can you believe that,” Highstep and Bernard yelled. “The elves outdid themselves this year.”

The elves then gathered around the gazebo and waited while the four judges conferred with each other. “I think all the workshops created some amazing items,” Bernard stated as he looked at each of us. “But if I had to choose, I’d say the winner was Australia’s Opera House.”

“Well, I disagree,” began Highstep. “The only choice here is the Delorian.”

“But what about the flower,” Anya questioned. “That was gorgeous! Santa, what was your favorite?”

“Well, I can see why you all picked the ones you did.” I stroked my beard and wondered who deserved to win.  When I saw the judges looking to me for a resolution, I nodded. “Okay, I think I got this.”

I turned towards the crowd of elves and held my hands up to quiet them down. “Thank you all for being here today, and a special thanks to the elves who worked on these fantastic Lego exhibits. I know everyone is anxious to know the winner, so here it is. The most unusual vehicle goes to the Delorian.”

“The elves began cheering, and again I raised my hands to settle them down. “For best Nature, the winner is the flower. The most intricate was the Opera House. For best animal . . .”

Bernard, whispered to the other judges, “Leave it to Santa to figure out a way for everyone to win!”

“I don’t think any of us would expect anything less from Santa than to make everyone happy,” Anya murmured and stood proudly with the two elves while I gave out the awards.

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday March 2, 2024.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

To read more about North Pole Contests please check out:

The Great Cookie Bake-Off – July 6, 2020
If I Could Be Anything – September 14, 2020
Let the Games Begin – August 16, 2021
Reindeer Games – September 6, 2021
International Games – August 5, 2023

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – Twitter

Pictures from Bricktionary Exhibit

“Santa, you need to settle down. There is nothing you can do at this point,” my wife groaned as she watched me pace back and forth.

“I know, I know, but this is not like Polar Pete,” I snapped. “If this was Heddy the Yeti, I wouldn’t worry. He often travels long distances to see his friends and can be gone for weeks at a time. Not our polar bear friend. He never misses visiting us for more than one day at a time, and it’s been two weeks now!”

“He’s not lost,” sighed Anya and shook her head. “Pete is the biggest, strongest, and fastest tracking polar bear at the North Pole.”

“Yes, but . . .” I began and was interrupted when Onni, our Artic fox friend, trotted towards us. “Did you find him?” I asked.

“Sorry Santa. I checked all the places where I usually see Pete and didn’t even catch a whiff of him. You know Pete can take care of himself.”

Suddenly the ground trembled, and I looked back over my shoulder. At first, I thought the snow hill was moving and chuckled. At eight foot tall with long white fur, Heddy the Yeti often blended in with his surroundings. I quickly turned to face him. “Did you find Pete?”

He shook his head. “Didn’t even see his paw prints.”

My wife and I nodded. Putting her arm around my shoulders, Anya tried to cheer me up. “Nippy is still out there. I’m sure he will have some luck finding him.”

“Did I hear someone mention my name?” Nippy yelled as he came over a snow bank. With his plaid ear flaps waving in the wind, he slid down the hill and stopped in front of us.

“Sorry to disappoint you Santa and Ms. Claus, but I didn’t see any sign of my buddy.” As Nippy looked around and saw how sad everyone was, he clacked his hockey stick arms together and hollered, “Santa, I know how you can find Pete.”

“What would that be?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t think of it. Why not search for him from the air?”

“That’s a GREAT idea. We could cover a lot more ground.” Excited I contacted Highstep and told him to hook up a couple reindeer to Ms. Claus’ sleigh, The Dulcet, and bring it over to the west end of the village right away.

When Highstep arrived, Anya and I wasted no time getting into the sled. Taking the reins, I guided Clarice and Olive along a flat surface till we could feel them lift it into the air. “Anya,” I called out, “you keep looking to the right side of the sleigh. I’ll keep my eyes searching to my left.”

“Spotting Pete from the air will be a challenge,” my wife shouted. “His white fur helps him blend into his snowy surroundings.”

The sleigh glided about 60 feet above the ground. Anya and I strained to see any movement below us. I followed the usual path Pete took to and from the village, but we saw nothing.

As I guided the reindeer further towards the Arctic Sea, I heard Anya cry, “Over there.” She pointed ahead and to my right. Both of us yelled as we spotted what looked like Pete.

“Who or what is with him?” I shouted when the reindeer pulled the sleigh closer.

“That’s definitely Pete,” my wife said. “You can tell by the way he lumbers from side to side as he walks.”

Approaching slowly, I watched as Pete looked skyward. “Santa,” he bellowed and stood on his hind legs. “What brings you out this way?”

Hovering above Pete, I roared, “Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick. Thought something had happened to you!”

Pete’s companion turned to gaze up at us. “Oh my,” I heard Anya whisper, “he has a girlfriend.”

I winked as we looked at one another. “I don’t think Pete wanted to be found, do you?” I whispered and grinned.

“Sorry for any worry I might have caused.” Pete pointed his paw toward another polar bear. “I’ve been spending time with my new girlfriend, Blaire.”

After my wife and I controlled our giggling, Anya called out, “Glad to meet you Blaire.”

“Nice to finally meet you and Santa,” she responded and nudged Pete with her nose.

“We were making our way to the village so that Blaire could get acquainted with everyone. Shouldn’t take too long,” Pete informed us.

“Thanks Pete. I’ll let the others know. You’ve had a lot of us worried sick, so pick up the pace.”

I turned the sleigh around and headed back to where our other friends were waiting. When we arrived, we told the others about Pete and his new friend.

By the time the two bears finally arrived at the village, a big crowd of elves had gathered. Everyone was interested in meeting Pete’s new girlfriend.

“Pete, I’m so happy for the two of you!” Giving Pete’s new friend a hug, Anya continued, “Blaire, welcome to our Christmas Village family. I can’t wait to get to know you better.”

With a concerned look, Nippy grumbled, “Does this mean we won’t have our time together anymore?”

“Of course not!” Blaire answered for Pete. “You will still be friends, and you’ll get to spend as much time with him as you always did. But sometimes you may need to share that time with me as well.”

“I’m all in with that!” Heddy and Onni said in unison.

“I think it’s exciting to have another friend,” the Artic fox added. “What do you think Santa?”

“Well, I don’t think you can ever have too many friends. Any friend of my friends, is a friend of mine as well.”

“Well said, Santa,” my wife remarked and gave me a hug.

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday February 17, 2024.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

To read more about Santa’s friends please check out:

Santa’s Newest Friends – July 8 2019
Wiggle and Waddle Meet Polar Pete – July 15, 2019
A Visit From Jack Frost – January 20, 2020
The Lost Elves – February 3, 2020
Homesick Penguins – June 8, 2020
Nippy Falls Apart – March 8, 2021
Wiggle and Waddle Go Home – May 31, 2021
Missing Friends – July 1, 2022
Polar Pete’s New Friend – April 15, 2023
Polar Pete’s Tail – September 16, 2023

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – Twitter

Photo by the Daily Mail

I sat in front of our fireplace after dinner and stared at the flames. Things had gone well enough for Christmas 2023, but something still bothered me.

I heard Ms. Claus enter. “Thought you might like a hot cup of cocoa and a cookie for dessert,” she whispered and gave me a quick kiss on my cheek.

“You know me too well,” I responded as Anya settled into her chair with tea and a cookie.

“It’s nice to sit down and enjoy a fire together for a change,” she said. “It gives us a chance to talk about Christmas and what you noticed this year about the children.”

“I was just thinking about that.” I turned to face Anya and nodded my head. “Remember when I started doing this and gave children clothes, shoes, food, and sometimes a wooden toy? They were so happy.”

Anya sipped her tea and smiled. “That’s what they needed in those days.”

“Yes, it was, and they were thankful for what they received. Today it’s different.”

“What do you mean?” my wife asked as she shifted to better see my face.

I leaned my head back and thought for a minute before responding. “Well for one it’s not about what they need anymore. It’s all about what they want, and many of them want a lot!”

“That doesn’t sound too unusual. Children seem to want more these days, but most understand that they won’t get everything they ordered. So, what’s really bothering you?” Anya patted my hand and gave me a quizzical look.

“Yes, I agree, but when children rattle off a list of things like iPhones, televisions, refrigerators for their rooms, and dirt bikes I wonder if they have forgotten that giving not just receiving is also important.”

“Now wait a minute. There’s nothing wrong with a dirt bike,” Anya said. “It still gets kids outside using their energy to peddle their way through the outdoors.”

“They are not asking for the trail bikes we make. They want the motorized ones!” I exclaimed. “And can you believe, girls as young as five are asking for make-up and skin care.”

“That does seem a bit young to be concerned about such things.”

“I feel like they are more interested in growing up than just enjoying their childhood.”

I watched my wife settle back in her chair with a look of concern. “Santa, I’m sure not all children are asking for those things.”

“No, you’re right. Most are very practical. They ask for just a couple of things for themselves. I even had more children asking for things for others this year than I ever had. One little girl said she had everything she wanted. Then she told me to give her gifts to someone who really needed them. Finally, she thanked me for what I do! Imagine that.”

“See, Santa, all is not lost if children are putting other’s needs over theirs.” Anya took my hand in hers and gave it a little squeeze. “Now tell me, what was the most memorable moment for you this year?”

I didn’t hesitate to answer. “My visit with five-year-old Vaughn.”

“When? Where? You never said anything about it.”

“I know. Never had time till now. You’ll love this one. After laying out all the presents, I sat down to admire the tree and have one of their delicious-looking snickerdoodles. Suddenly, I heard a little voice by my left elbow say, ‘Hi Santa’. I looked over and saw Vaughn with a big grin on his face.”

“Well, all I could do was laugh. Then he giggled and grabbed a snickerdoodle. ‘Mama says that out of all the cookies we put out, you always eat these. They’re my favorite too.”

I sat him on my lap, and we ate our cookies. When finished, he ran over to the tree and grabbed a small package. ‘I have been waiting all year to give this to you,’ he explained, so we opened it together.”

Anya clapped her hands in excitement. “Bet you didn’t see that coming?”

“No, I didn’t. Made me happy. Inside was a Turtle Dove and an empty space for another one. I looked up and asked him where the other dove was. Told me it was in his room. ‘Now we can be friends forever,’ he whispered.”

“I had to think a minute and then remembered his mom telling me that Home Alone 2 was his favorite movie. He especially liked when the toymaker in the movie gave Kevin two Turtle Doves and explained that as long as each had a turtle dove, they would be friends forever.”

“How Sweet! I’m sure you were touched,” Anya said as I readjusted my glasses to wipe away the tears creeping into the corners of my eyes.

I nodded and took a deep breath. “Have my dove on the desk in my office. Every time I look at it, I think about Vaughn and all the children who have such big hearts.”

“Well Santa,” Ms. Claus began as she stood and leaned over to give me a hug, “I think we can say that this Christmas has shown you that there is much hope for the future when these gracious children grow into adults.”

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday February 3, 2024.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

To read another story about presents at Christmas, check out:

The Art of Giving – January 13, 2020

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – X-Twitter 

“What do you mean the sleigh is not ready?” I demanded. “Tomorrow is January 7^th, and the children in the 18 countries who celebrate Christmas based on the Orthodox calendar are expecting me.”

Sledge helplessly shrugged his shoulders and looking down at the ground replied, “Santa I do not know what happened. All my improvements worked fine for your December 25^th deliveries, but when I was running through the pre-flight check list for your departure, the right truss and runner would not go back down.”

“You mean one is down and the other is up?”

“That’s right, and I am not sure what is wrong,” Sledge remarked scratching his head, “but I’m working on it. If I can’t get it ready in time, would one of the mail sleighs work?” he asked.

“That’s a tight squeeze, but I might be able to make it work if necessary,” I replied. “While you work on fixing the sleigh, I’ll talk with Houser in the warehouse,” I explained heading out the door as Sledge slipped under the sleigh to try and fix the problem.

I found Houser just inside the entrance to the warehouse directing the elves with packages to the proper location for delivery. “Houser, do you have a moment; we may have an issue.”

Seeing the concern on my face, Houser immediately said, “Rackem, can you take over? Santa needs to talk with me.” Handing him the clipboard, Houser pointed in the direction of his office, and the two of us walked down the hallway.

As Houser settled into his desk chair, he asked, “What can I help you with Santa?”

Pacing slowly across the room, I explained, “There is an issue with my sleigh, and I may have to use one of the mail sleighs for the January 7^th deliveries. Can you make that happen?”

“To be honest, there isn’t a lot of space in them for the deliveries you’ll be making on the 7th.”

“That’s why I came down to see you,” I said. “What if the gifts were broken into two batches, could you send them to me that way?”

Houser leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. Snapping his finger, he smiled. “I think we can make that work. Once I know the capacity of a mail sleigh,” he explained, “I’m thinking we might get the gifts for a family of three in the bag. Then for larger families, I could tele-transport a second batch of gifts.”

“I will lose a bit of time waiting for the second batch, but with only 18 countries that should not be an issue. It’s probably good that it didn’t happen on December 25^th when I had 120 countries to visit.”

“Don’t worry Santa, I got this,” Houser stated. “I’ll start preparing the warehouse for multiple deliveries. We should have enough time to prepare things by tomorrow.” Before I could even respond Houser was out the door.

Confident, I headed back to the sleigh barn. When I entered, I saw Sledge standing in front of the drafting table where he had the blueprints for the truss and runner retractor. “Have you found anything?” I asked hoping he would say yes.

Sledge put his hands on his hips, shook his head and said, “I’m afraid not Santa. All I seem to have found is a strange scent coming from under the sleigh.”

“What kind of scent?” I demanded.

“Why? What would that have to do with the problem?” When Sledge realized I was serious, he continued, “It was a funky, earthy smell with a hint of Sulphur. I figured it was something you picked up ….”

“Malodor!” I shouted without letting him finish, “Show me where you noticed the odor on the sleigh.”

As soon as I sniffed the area, I knew I was right. “No mistaking that stink. You are right; it is something I picked up while making my deliveries.”

“What’s a Malodor?” Sledge wanted to know.

“Not a what. Malodor is a who. You see, many years ago when I needed help making all the toys, I also considered using Gremlins. I chose elves because they were so caring, smart, and quick. Well, there was one Turdish Gremlin from Turden Island in the Arctic Circle who has never forgiven me.”

“And you think he sabotaged your sleigh?”

“He does try to do things like this from time to time. It’s been many years since the last time he did anything. Honestly, after we caught him trying to tell the Scout Elves that they did not need to report back to me each night, I thought he finally gave up.”

“But Santa, knowing who did it, does not help me fix it!”

“Actually, it does. Whatever he did, it has to be in the area near the scent. I’m confident that you will find your answer there.” Not waiting for a response, I turned and headed to the mailroom to check last-minute letters that needed my attention.

As I entered the mail room, Ms. Claus met me with a grin. “Sledge just called,” she remarked. “He said to tell you that you were right, and the sleigh is ready for tomorrow night.”

“As soon as I knew Malodor was involved, I realized Sledge could find the problem.”

“Malodor? Santa, please tell me he has not returned,” Anya said as she stood up.

“Yes, he has, and as usual the smell he left behind helped me direct Sledge where to look and what to do.”

“You know Santa,” Ms. Claus began as she gave me a hug, “one of these days he is going to do something you can’t fix and ruin Christmas for a lot of children.”

“That may be true Anya, but we outsmarted Malodor this time. However, we are going to have to watch for him. At least for now, we know the last of my deliveries will be made without any problems.”

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday January 20, 2024.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

To read more about Santa’s Sleigh, please check out:

Santa’s Improved Sleigh – March 16, 2020
Reindeer vs Technology – June 1, 2020
Christmas Deliveries – December 28, 2020
Modern Christmas Deliveries – March 1, 2022
Sleigh Day – November 4, 2023

To read more about the Orthodox Christmas, please check out:

The Last Deliveries – January 6, 2020.

Illustration by FireMane Studio 

 

“The Christmas letters keep on coming. We are being slammed.” Sophia, Ms. Claus’s assistant, paced and complained non-stop in front of our lunch table.

Ms. Claus and I smiled and tried to calm the elf. “Sophia, you know that happens around this time every year,” Anya explained.

“Remember, we only have about 23 days before Christmas arrives on the 25^th. In some places on earth, it comes sooner. We always make it through,” I chuckled.

“I know… but… that’s not all.” Sophia’s face became fearful, and she plopped in a chair. “The world is unhappy and it’s affecting the children.”

Anya stared at her assistant. “Sophia, I’ve never heard you talk like that. What’s going on?”

“It’s not just me. Lots of the elves feel this way!” she exclaimed.

“Really. No one has shared those feelings with me or Ms. Claus.” I then saw several of the elves leave their tables and come over to join us.

“You two have so much responsibility that we don’t want to bother you,” one of the elves remarked and took a seat.

“Lots of us have been watching the news to see the magic that usually shows up this time every year. But it’s not happening.” Lyra sighed and asked. “What can we do?”

I looked at the elves and shook my head. “Yes, the world can be nasty, but remember all of you add a little elf magic in everything you make. This spreads when children open and play with their toys. I’d say you are doing your job, and I’m pleased.”

“Sorry Santa and Ms. Claus,” Quentin said, “Elf magic may last, but it’s not enough.”

The elves grumbled among themselves till one stood up. “Quentin’s right. The world is unhappy. No one cares about Christmas Magic. Santa, you know how that will affect children.”

The mumbling and grumbling grew louder till I put up my hand. “Yes, I do, but there’s a lot of good in this world. All of you should know that and be looking for it.”

Anya put her hand over mine and nodded. “Santa is right, but I think you are watching too much news. Remember, most of the time reporters describe big events that happen. Usually, those are sad or terrible. The small things go unnoticed, especially little acts of kindness and gift-giving.”

The elves stared at one another. Their whispery voices could be heard throughout the dining hall. Finally, one elf from the back of the room called out, “Ms. Claus I want to believe that, but …”

“You need examples, don’t you?”

I watched as my elves nodded. Then I felt Anya stand up.

“Because kindness comes easily to you, it seems normal to open a door for someone else.”

“But that is normal,” the elves answered.

“That’s my point. However, in the human world this isn’t always the way things are. Whenever a hand reaches out to help another, it often creates ripples like when a stone is dropped in the water. That one motion or ripple keeps on going.”

I loved when my wife got on a roll. The elves did too.

“So…  when one person helps another, who then helps another, and so on, kindness spreads. That’s Christmas Magic.”

“You mean,” Hannah suggested, “that a parent who is tired and cranky from working all day comes home and plays with her kids or reads them a story is practicing kindness?”

“Yes.”

Bernard, my head elf, shook his head. “Are you saying that what we call Christmas Magic is kindness in action?”

“YES!” Anya clapped her hands and giggled. “You are understanding that random acts of kindness can happen at any time, any place, and that is magical.”

“Exactly!” I stood up next to my wife and smiled. “What about gift-giving in children?”

Blanch laughed. “Don’t you mean when people give children gifts, they say thank you?”

“Not exactly,” Hannah, another kitchen elf, answered. “Remember when Santa told us how he urges kids to give gifts of kindness? It’s like when they help their parents and teachers or invite different children to play games with their friends. That’s gift-giving.”

“Hannah, you are so right,” I said as several elves nodded. “I know that the world can be harsh. But if you really pay attention, you’ll see and hear about kind actions in lots of places. Every time a child or an adult chooses peace, harmony expands. Every time a child or adult ignores differences in others, love grows.”

“And that, dear elves, is how all of us make Christmas Magic happen,” said Anya. She slipped her hand into mine as the elves sang “Deck the Halls.” The dining hall echoed with song while all of us hoped that Christmas Magic would continue to reverberate throughout the world.

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. My next story will post on Saturday January 6, 2024. If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – Twitter

Illustration from Hunter

 

Decorating our Christmas Village was in full swing when Ms. Claus and I arrived that morning. Lights were being strung on all the buildings and the trees. Stars and snowflakes were hung on light posts. Gold and silver tinsel was placed on the surrounding trees.

“Beautiful job!”  I told the elves as Anya and I stepped into the gazebo in the center of the town square. “This is putting us all in the Christmas Spirit.”

“Thanks Santa,” Lyra responded as she placed another strand of gold tinsel on a tree.

Carter gave me a quizzical look. “Santa, Lyra and I wondered why people put tinsel on Christmas trees.”

“Hmm,” I murmured as I stroked my beard. “I thought everyone knew.”

“Knew what?” Lyra demanded. “Elves know a lot. Is there something you’re keeping from us?”

When the elves overheard Lyra, they came over to the gazebo. “You never keep anything from us, Santa. What’s up?” yelled Carter.

I chuckled and led Ms. Claus over to a bench. “You’re right, I don’t keep things from you.”

I stood up and rubbed my hands together. “You know how I like stories, but this one I’ve never shared. So, gather round and let me tell you about the Christmas Spider, an old Eastern European folktale.”

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

A long time ago, there was a mother with two children, a boy and a girl. They always helped their mother and tried to do what was right. Unfortunately, this family was very poor. They lived in a small hut with dirt floors.

One Spring the children were running in and out of the house when they started yelling, “Mama, Mama, look!”

When their mother came over, they pointed to a small pine tree growing in the corner of their house.

“Oh my! I’ll get something to dig that up right away.”

“NO!” both children shouted. “Can we keep it?”

The mother thought for a moment. Since she was unable to give them much, she decided they could keep it.

Spring led to Summer and then Fall. On December 21^st, the first day of Winter, the pine was a full-grown tree.

The weather was cold and snowy outside as the children played around the tree on Christmas Eve. “Look!” the boy said and pointed to a small brown spot on the tree. His sister smiled and together they called out, “Mama, Mama look, there is a spider in the tree!”

The mother inspected the pine and found the spider crawling back and forth across the tree. “I hate spiders!” she responded and grabbed the broom to get the spider out of the tree.

“No Mama, can we please keep it? The spider’s webs look beautiful on our Christmas tree.”

She thought about it for a while and agreed. “Alright my little spider. This Christmas Eve you get a pardon. Stay in this tree and don’t go anywhere else.”

The spider did not pause and kept weaving beautiful webs while the children watched until it was time for bed.

On Christmas morning, the mother got up, and put a log on the fire to warm the house. She started heating water to make breakfast and turned to look at the tree. The morning sun shone through the window and cast a beautiful glow on the Christmas tree.

“How lovely,” she murmured. “The morning light is making the spider webs look like gold and silver threads.” She smiled and turned to prepare a warm breakfast for her children.

A little while later, the mother heard her children yell, “Merry Christmas Mama!”

As she turned to greet them, she saw her children’s eyes grow large. “Mama, look at the tree,” they shouted. “There’s gold and silver thread on it.”

The mother slipped her arms around the children and gave them hugs. “No darlings,” she explained, “that’s just the light shining on the spider webs.”

The children shook their heads, “No Mama, look closer!”

When their mother examined the pine, she gasped at the sight of beautiful silver and gold threads adorning the tree. “It’s a Christmas miracle!” she shouted. “The spider has rewarded us for your thoughtfulness.”

The three of them gazed at the tree in wonder and felt the magic of Christmas fill their hearts with love.

The mother smiled at her son and daughter. “Together we’ll gather some of the thread and exchange it at the market today for food and more wood. After Christmas, I will weave and spin the silver and gold thread and buy warm clothes for the winter and perhaps a tasty treat for all of us.”

The children laughed and hugged their mother. Together the three held hands and danced around the glistening tree. When the spider peeked out from behind a pine branch, they cheered.

“Thank you for your kindness” the mother announced. “You are always welcomed in our home.”

The next year on Christmas Eve the spider returned and wove its magical webbing around the tree. The beautiful silver and gold thread again shone brightly on Christmas morning. The family was never poor or hungry again.

*     *     *     *     *     *     *

“But what does this have to do with tinsel?” several elves hollered.

“Well, you see other people heard about this magical Christmas Spider, and they tried to get Christmas spiders of their own. They would take ordinary spiders and put them in their trees. But things did not go as they expected. None of the spiders were magical Christmas Spiders.”

“But they liked the idea of the Christmas Spiders and the beauty of their webs so much,” Ms. Claus explained, “that they began hanging artificial webs in their trees. “

“I bet that’s why we have tinsel today!” an elf shouted from the back.

“That’s right,” Anya responded. “Also, in many countries, like Ukraine and Germany, they make beautiful beaded Christmas Spiders and hide them in their trees. Traditionally, the first person to find the spider will have good luck throughout the year.”

I grabbed Anya’s hand to help her up. “So, there you have it. You now know why people hang tinsel on their trees.”

As the elves all began to go back to work decorating the village, I could hear several of them talking about hiding spiders in the trees for Christmas.

“You do realize, Santa,” Anya whispered as we watched the elves working and singing carols, “they don’t need Christmas Spiders. The elves bring all the magic we’ll ever need to our village every year.”

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday January 6, 2024, unless Ms. Claus decides to write a story.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

To read more stories told at the North Pole please check out:

The Nutcracker – November 25, 2019
The Christmas Goat – July 13, 2020
Magic Beans – June 21, 2021
I Think We Can – February 1, 2021
The Gingerbread Girl – January 21, 2023
Polar Pete’s Tail – September 16, 2023

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – Twitter

“Here come Santa and Ms. Claus,” announced Lyra.

Several elves left their tables in the dining hall and gathered at the two doorways.

“What time do things get started?” Skippy asked.

“Sledge will open the storage barn when Santa arrives,” Geordie responded and finished his muffin.

Anya and I could hear the cheering begin as the entire dining hall began to empty into the passageway. It was Sleigh Day and all of us were excited.

Approaching the barn, we watched Sledge swing the door open. Cheering increased when Anya and I waved to the elves.

While my sleigh glided from the barn, everyone went quiet. I walked over and slid my hand along the polished wood amazed at its beauty. The plush red seat was trimmed in green satin. Burnished copper buttons secured the cloth. Solid brass knobs stood on either side of my seat and glistened in the light. The elves oohed and aahed. Ms. Claus tucked her hand in mine and murmured, “Always beautiful.”

Sledge stood and helped me step into the sleigh. “Check out the updates to the dash and controls.”

I scratched my head as my eyes examined the dashboard. “Hmm, looks like you’ve been busy since last Christmas. What does the extra screen do?”

“The one screen is the same, and shows the list of upcoming homes you will be visiting. The new screen makes use of GPS and reveals a map with a pin where you are currently.” My elf in charge of sleighs then flipped a switch and both screens lit up in color.

“Wow! The lettering is bigger, and the map actually shows you everything like it’s a picture from above!”

“It is Santa. We decided to use satellite images for the mapping, and the larger type is to help you read it quickly while keeping your eyes on where you are going. Hope you like it.”

“I do!” I then pointed to an opening in the dash, “What’s this for?”

“Remember the extra cookies you collect to send back to the North Pole to share with the elves on Christmas morning?”

“HO, HO, HO. Of course I do.”

“Well, now all you have to do is put the cookies in that slot. They are then bagged, and just the right amount of magic green fairy dust is added automatically to tele-transport the cookies back to us. With the number of homes growing each year, we figured this will save you a lot of time,” Sledge explained.

“That’s genius! No more messing around with that bag of magic dust. What about this big green lever?”

Excited, Sledge rubbed his hands together. “This is my favorite improvement. It will also save you time.”

“As well as keep you dry!” Sachi, Dasher’s caretaker, shouted.

I shrugged my shoulders, not understanding what the elves were talking about.

“Let me explain. If we could reduce some of the wind when you cross the oceans or make your way over mountains, you would gain more time. Pull the lever and see what happens,” the sleigh elf insisted.

I did, and a clear, glass bubble covered the entire top of the sleigh.

“Look, it’s Snow Globe Santa!” an elf in the crowd called out. The elves broke into laughter.

I stared at Sledge, who was giggling at the remark. “I do feel a bit silly in this bubble, but I can see how it will improve my speed.” I pushed the lever back up to remove the dome and asked, “Is there anything else?”

“No. I think it’s time to hitch up your team for the real test.”

Highstep signaled the handlers to begin lining up the reindeer for their pre-Christmas tests.”

Once my team was hooked up, Highstep stood back and announced, “The first test will be how quickly the team can get you off the ground. Are you ready Santa?”

“All set,” I hollered back.

Highstep looked at his stop-watch and held his hand in the air. “Ready, Set, GO!”

I snapped the reigns, and shouted, “Now Dasher, Now Dancer, Now Prancer, and Vixen. On Comet, On Cupid, On Donner, and Blitzen. To the top of the porch to the top of the wall! Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.” The reindeer responded and rose toward the Northern Lights.

Highstep shouted, “A new record, 2.2 seconds!!”

The elves exploded in cheers.

After liftoff, I ran the reindeer through their paces, turning right, then left, going up and down, until I was satisfied that my team met my requirements. Now for the big test.

I shouted to Vixen, “Are you ready?” It was her skill in guiding the team on where and how to land that was most important. When she turned her head and nodded, I picked out one of the buildings in Christmas Village and began steering the reindeer in that direction.

As the sleigh approached, I let up on the reins and let Vixen take control. While she communicated directions, the reindeer guided the sleigh to a soft landing. “Let’s try a couple more,” I directed.

With each landing I could hear the elves on the ground scream approval. Then I clicked on my elf communicator. “Highstep, now that the sun has set, let’s test Rudolph’s nose.”

“Roger that, Santa.” Highstep nodded to Quinten, who began flipping switches. With each click, lights went out in the village until it was completely dark.

I steered the sleigh over the pasture where all the elves were. A red glow descended over them allowing me to see them clearly. “My first pass looks good Highstep. I’ll circle around for another one while you start the fog machines.”

The elf raised his arm over his head and began twirling his hand in a circular motion. Several elves turned on the machines, and fog filled the sky.

As I turned the sleigh back toward the elves, I shouted, “You ready Rudolph?”

With a loud grunt, Rudolph nodded. The further the team soared, the thicker the fog got. Yet, I could still see everything. Even the wires strung between poles were in plain sight, thanks to Rudolph’s bright, red nose.

I circled back and landed at the same spot from where we had started. The elves roared their approval. As I stepped down from the sleigh, the handlers removed the harness and led the reindeer into the barn. “I think we are prepared for Christmas deliveries!” I shouted and gave Highstep and Sledge high fives.

Ms. Claus ran over and hugged me. “Congrats Santa! Your team looked fantastic. They are ready for Christmas.”

“They’ve done an incredible job. And with the improvements to the sleigh, I think we need to celebrate.”

Everyone cheered and headed toward Elfkin Hall as the elves sang, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go.”

“Best time of the year,” I yelled and slipped my arm across Anya’s shoulders.

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1^st and 3^rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday November 18, 2023.  If you have any comments or if there is something you would like me to tell you about, please feel free to leave me a comment. Until the next time . . .

To read more about the Reindeer and Santa’s Sleigh, please check out:

How Dasher Became Part of Santas Team – October 28, 2019
Reiney Meets Cupid – February 10, 2020
Santa’s Improved Sleigh – March 16, 2020
Virus Threatens Santa’s Reindeer – March 30, 2020
Reindeer vs Technology – June 1, 2020
Blitzen Loses Race – August 31, 2020
Donner To The Rescue – November 16, 2020
Sleigh Problems – January 4, 2021
Reindeer Games – September, 6, 2021
Modern Christmas Deliveries – March 1, 2022
Broccoli Cookies – July 15, 2023
Reindeer Secrets – September 2, 2023

Find Cincy Santa (@CincySanta) on:

Facebook – Instagram – Threads – X (Twitter)

Illustration by Glow Blogs