Bundled in warm parkas, Anya and I sat by the fire in the courtyard’s gazebo sipping hot cocoa. A continuous thump, thump, thump made us turn towards one another. “The Easter Bunny is behind us, isn’t he?” I asked.
Anya grinned as she spotted our friend behind the bench. “Yes, and he’s sporting a warm coat with all the colors of Easter eggs.”
“You’d think he would just come and say hello,” I remarked. Shifting in my seat, I was impressed to see my friend’s ears poking out of holes in the hood of his coat.
Thumping his big foot, the rabbit shook his head. “Always too cold up here,” he groaned, wrapping his arms over his chest.
“True, but at least you’re dressed for the weather. What brings you to Christmas Village today?”
“You know very well why I’m here. With the increase in demand and the growing number of children, your elves have been coloring eggs and making chocolate bunnies for me so I have enough to deliver tonight.”
“I know how nerve-wracking it is the day of deliveries, Bun, so have a seat and catch up with Santa. I’ll help the elves gather your eggs and bunnies and send out a mug of hot chocolate.” Anya patted our friend’s paw and made her way to the Candy Cane kitchen, where Chumley and Blanch were making the bunnies.
“Don’t forget to see Hobbs in the Arts and Crafts shop where they are coloring eggs,” I yelled. “He and his staff will gather them all together for you.”
“No problem,” my wife replied giving me a thumbs up.
“It’s been a while, Nick,” said the Easter Bunny as he sat on the bench opposite me.
“Too long, Bun,” I chuckled. “How’s the spring gig treating you? Are you ready for tonight?”
The rabbit nodded as he reached for his cocoa that an elf had delivered. “You know, you always worry that you have forgotten someone or hidden their eggs where they might not find them. Then you hope the squirrels don’t find the eggs first.”
I laughed. “I remember that squirrel army back in 2019. You had to call in the Tooth Fairy for backup.”
“Don’t remind me. I still owe her two favors and a batch of glitter-dusted jelly beans,” my friend grumbled.
I shoved a plate of cookies his way. “I know how it is on delivery day. Gotta keep up your energy.”
“You’re so right Santa,” he said and wolfed down his cookie in two bites. “What would we do without sweets,” he chuckled. “Remember that one Christmas you lost Rudolph in a snowstorm?”
I rolled my eyes. “He wasn’t lost. He was on a snack break. He left a trail of broken candy canes straight back to the sleigh.”
“What about the time you accidentally dyed an entire flock of sheep pastel pink while prepping egg paint near an open barn?”
“Yeah, I’ll never live that one down, but at least I never landed in a fish market by mistake, only to get chased by a gang of cats protecting their food supply!”
“You know,” I said as I leaned back and stroked my beard, “For all the rush and magic, it’s these little slip-ups that make the job fun.”
Bun stretched his feet toward the fire, his ears twitching with agreement. “Absolutely. The joy, the wonder, the chocolate, it’s all part of something bigger. We bring a little magic into the world, in our own way.”
“So have you two solved all the world issues?” Ms. Claus asked as she walked up the steps of the gazebo.
“Not really, but it is good to reminisce with my friend,” the Easter Bunny replied. “Hope my bunnies and eggs are ready.”
“They are, Bun. All stacked and ready over by the back door of the kitchen.”
“Well Santa,” the rabbit began as he stood up. “It was nice chatting, but unlike you, this is my busiest time of the year. I’ve got a lot of work to do in the next few hours.”
I nodded. “Never gets any easier, but we know it’s worth all the hassles.”
“And Anya,” the Easter Bunny said, turning to face my wife, “the next time I visit, you need to join Santa and me.”
“I would love to do that.”
As the rabbit hopped toward the kitchen, I yelled, “After you rest up, the three of us can get together with the Tooth Fairy and Jack Frost. Lots of catching up to do.”
“I like that idea, Santa. Gotta go!!!”
Notes From Santa
I hope you enjoyed today’s story. Stories are posted on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month, except December. Santa’s next story will be posted on Saturday May 3, 2025. 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 Easter please check out:
North Pole Egg Hunt – April 13, 2020
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Illustration by Kristina Bolgert through Dreamstine