Leaving Elf University, I heard a frantic, “Santa! Come quick!”

Following the hum of excited voices in the near distance, I noticed Jellybean heading my way. “What is it? Is there a problem?” I asked.

“No, nothing like that, something exciting.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me in the direction of the gazebo. “It’s a large crate. Probably arrived this morning.”

“We get large packages all the time.”

“Not like this. Too big for the mailroom. Whoever brought it left this thing in the courtyard. We have no idea what it is or who it came from.”

Slipping through an alley between two workshops, Jellybean and I made our way towards the large crowd gathered around a huge container.

“What’s all the fuss about Carter?” I asked my mailroom manager. “And where’s Ms. Claus? She should know about this.”

“Well Santa, when Sophia and I were walking to the mailroom earlier, we saw this huge box just sitting here. While she went to get Ms. Claus, I snooped and found this.” Handing me a shipping tag, he added, “It’s addressed to the North Pole but the ‘From’ address is hard to read. Maybe you can figure out this mystery package.”

“I’m sure it’s for me Santa,” Telsa my communications manager shouted. “It’s probably a new elf telecommunications system to make it easier for all of us to reach each other during the busy season!”

“Not so fast!” Sledge called out as he made his way towards me. “I’ve been looking to update Santa’s sleigh for several years. It’s got to be new electronics and lightweight materials to make his sleigh even faster and more efficient!”

“How do you know it’s not for me,” Quinten, manager of research and development, hollered as he too made his way to the front of the crowd. “I could use the latest devices to create all these electronic toys the children are ordering.”

Then the head of Elf University, Lector, joined in the chatter.  “And how do you know it’s not new books for our school?”

“Settle down. You’re beginning to sound like the children in December with their Christmas wishes,” I interrupted. “Did any of you order these things?”

No one spoke. “Thought so,” I said gazing around at the crowd of elves. “First, let’s open up the crate to see the contents. Then we will know who it’s for. Carter, take some of the elves and grab some ladders and tools so we can open this mystery container.”

When the elves returned, they set the ladders up and began using drills to loosen the screws and pry open the wooden side of the crate. As it dropped to the ground, hundreds of foam packaging peanuts poured out onto the snow. Giggling, the elves began grabbing handfuls to throw in the air and at one another.

“ENOUGH!”

Startled by a loud voice, I watched Ms. Claus and Bernard stride forward as the elves made a pathway for them. “Let’s find out what’s inside; then you can have fun with the packaging,” my wife announced.

Bernard rummaged through the foam peanuts and pulled out an envelope. “Here Santa, it’s for you.”

“Hmm, Let’s see what this says.” I opened the letter and began to read.

Dear Santa,

We miss you and are sure you probably miss us as well. While you are watching all the boys and girls trying to be good, we thought you might need a little snack.

We included some extra so you can share with your elves, because as you always tell us, you couldn’t make it all happen without them. Oh, and of course, there is also some for Ms. Claus.

We hope you enjoy your Summer. Can’t wait to see you again in December.

Love Always,
The Scouts

“The Scouts?!” Birdie, my elf in charge of the Scout Elves, screamed. “Are you replacing my crew with some kind of electronic device?”

“Ho, Ho, Ho,” I laughed. “I think this letter is referring to the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.”

While Bernard and Carter removed smaller boxes and laid them on the snow, I heard the elves oohing and awing as the contents of the crate were revealed. Then I saw the elves smack their lips and heard a litany of demands.

“I get the Adventurefuls!”

“Salted Caramel Corn for me tonight for the movie!”

“Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn, that’s mine!”

“I love Samoas. Save them for me!”

“Do-Si-Dos are so delicious!”

“It doesn’t get any better than S’Mores and Popcorn!”

Laughing, I begam rubbing my belly and licking my lips. “Sounds like we got a lot of Girl Scout cookies and Boy Scout popcorn! Doheny will be able to take a break from baking for a while!”

“What’s your favorite, Santa?” Lyra shouted.

“I’m kind of partial to Thin Mints.’

“And I love the Trefoils,” Ms. Claus added.

“What about the popcorn?” Rocky asked. “Do you have a favorite?”

“I’d go with the Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn, and some White Cheddar Corn for my wife. But enough talking. Carter, take a few elves and deliver these to Blanch in the kitchen. She can store them and decide when to distribute them among the elves.”

As Ms. Claus and I headed to my office, we giggled and talked over the top of one another while discussing what we wanted to eat first. “Can you imagine receiving this treat,” I said as we stepped inside. “Scouts are known to be generous, but I must say, this is over the top.”

Anya squeezed my hand and laid her head against my arm. “I guess the art of giving is not dead after all.”

“You know, maybe if everyone learned about sharing and helping others like the scouts do, things might just be different in the world.”

Notes From Santa

I hope you enjoyed today’s story (#197). 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 18, 2026.  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 . . .

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