Sparky  the elf was having a nice day until Santa arrived at the workshop Santa said “It’s new year’s eve… only 51 more weeks until Christmas.”
Sparky responded, “That’s plenty of time to get ready for Christmas 2024 isn’t it Santa?”
“Not if we’re going to make toys that take 52 weeks to build!”
Well Santa was right about that, but what efficient Elf would EVER take that long to do anything?
“Snoddington the elder elf would take even longer!” Santa responded!
Sparky knew that was true, but Snoddington wasn’t due to retire until 2030.
Then Sparky had an idea. He whipped out his smart phone 3000 and called his new best Easter friend that was the very best toy wrapper EVER!.
Yep…you guessed it EB!
The Bunster showed up the very next morning with 5 million yards of Saranwrap and 50 million feet of red and green ribbon and 4 frozen jelly beans.
So no matter what you are doing this year or where you are doing it, Santa, Sparky and the Easter Bunny will be wrapping presents for December 24, 2024, except for Easter morning when EB has the day off.
The National TV network is scheduling a game show this year at the North Pole to see who can wrap presents of various and sundry sizes weights and be declared “Wrapper of The World!”
Be sure to tune in!

‘Twas the day after Christmas
And all through the store
Great lines of people
stretched out of the door

They carried those presents
Unwrapped and unwanted
That they received yesterday
They were tired but undaunted

“I want to get something
In exchange for my gift
It’s been a tiring Christmas
And I need a lift!”

“That’s not why I’m here
Oh no, no…. not me
I just love my present
But I already have three!”

“I’m bringing mine back
That I got from my Honey
It’s kinda nice
But I’d rather have money!”

“I really like my gift
In fact, I think it’s great
But it was given to me
By someone I hate!”

“I can’t wait in line
Very long in this store
I’ve got other presents
That came from five more”

“I’ve got no time for this
And it’s a heck of a trek
We had family over
And the house is a wreck!”

“I know what you mean
I’m the same way too
I’m so glad it’s over
There’s too much to do”

“Well I’m very happy
To be in this store
Because counting today
There’s 364 more…

Days until Christmas
The most it can be
And the more days there are
The happier are we!”

And there were those too,
Who were saddened a bit
They only were there
‘Cause their gifts didn’t fit!

So Santa was finished
And Christmas was done
But the post Christmas cleanup
Is surely not fun

But it is a tradition
Every year at this time
And we have to give gifts
Almost spend our last dime

But it’s good for business
So it never ends
That’s why were all here
With most of our friends

Then one tiny hand
Reached out…tugged a skirt
“God hear’s you talking
And I know it must hurt

It’s his baby’s birthday
Jesus his son
That’s why we have Christmas
‘Cause he loved everyone

For our gift He gave Jesus
To us one and all…
Our gift’s in the manger
And not in the mall!”

A gift at Christmas brings joy all around
After both getting and giving
There’s one thing I’ve found
It needn’t be perfect
It needn’t be grand
Nor be expensive
 Or be the best in the land
The truest of presents is the thought that’s behind
A gift from an unselfish heart that is kind
The REAL present is when you begin to perceive
It really IS better to give than receive

Every day without fail little Becky would walk home at the end of her day in first grade at Dillon Elementary School past Bateman’s Hardware Store on Main Street and stop and look into the front window.
Oh there were drills and table saws and levels and even red and green Christmas lights in the window but there was also, tucked into the far left corner, the most wonderful, beautiful doll in all of South Carolina standing up all alone.
It was already cold. It DOES get could in the Carolinas in December and Becky would cup her hands and lean against the thick glass and peer into the deep window and stare at “her” Dolly until the fog from her breathing clouded the view. Then she’d back away and wipe off the window with her bare hand and peer again.
She had “visited” the Doll, named by Becky as “BESS” every day of the week. By Thursday even the shop owner Mr. Bateman noticed Becky’s punctual visits and came outside to say…”Yes! She really is beautiful isn’t she?”…and stood by also admiring the Pink and white frilly dressed doll with the bluest eyes and curliest blond hair.
“She’s a beauty alright!” He would say to Becky.
Becky just nodded and quietly and softly said…”She’s the prettiest doll in the whole world!”
It was Friday. The last weekday before Christmas and after the final school day before the holidays, Becky again stopped by Batemans to visit “her” Doll.
Yes, the drills and saws and green and red lights were still there but “BESS”….WAS GONE!!!
Becky was stunned! She almost cried but then collected her emotions and thought to herself…”I….guess some lucky girl will have a most wonderful Christmas and I hope…that…Bess…is very happy in her new home.”
But as she thought those thoughts, a very small tear edged down her cheek as she slowly walked the rest of the way home.
Christmas morning didn’t quite have the same urgency for little Becky that year.
She had hung her stocking and left the cookies and milk for Santa and even given her last allowance to the Salvation Army but couldn’t completely put “Bess” out of her mind.
Becky’s Mom and Dad even had to wake her up that Christmas and invite her downstairs to see what Santa had left.
Becky wiped the sleep out of her eyes and quietly followed her joyful parents down the stairs.
Then as she focused on the beautiful Christmas tree, there, propped up on a small pillow and majestically placed in the very center was… BESS!

As Santa returned from his worldwide tour
Mrs. Claus met him at the Polar front door
“You look tired my Dear more than last year
I hope all went well and I’m glad you are here!”

“May I get you some tea or a sandwich to eat?”
“No…I’m full of cookies and I’m dead on my feet!”
As Santa rested in his big easy chair
He noticed a large package…”What is that there?”

“Did I not gift some girl or some boy…
A small child that I’ve failed to bring Christmas joy?”
“No Dear…not at all!” Mrs. Claus then replied
“It was brought by someone who left it outside!”

“The tag said “To Santa…Father Christmas…St. Nick…
And whomever left it was quiet and quick!”
“Ah that I was as quiet and quick as before
I was almost seen at three houses or four!”

“Perhaps I’ve gotten too old for this task
Each Christmas I wonder…Will this be my last?”
“Well it would be nice if you were younger that’s true
In just one evening there’s so much to do.”

“But open your package….it’s your first present ever!”
“No one sends Santa a present…no never!”
Santa ripped the gift wrapping off like a child
Excitement danced in his eyes like fire wild

Then suddenly a great light shone from within
The gift was so bright it made the sun seem quite dim
And after a minute the light quickly went black
Knocking Santa over, he lay flat on his back!

“Oh my Dear are you all right?
That strange package had an unworldly light!”
Santa leaped high up…two feet off the ground
“Yes Dear I think…I think I’m all sound”

“What?…Did you see that…did you see what I did?
I jumped up off that floor like I was a…kid!”
“Oh yes Dear I saw that and you look younger too!”
“I feel full of life and…well…I feel almost new!”

And then Santa kissed her as they both shed a tear!
“I’m so excited…I can’t wait for next year!”

If you recall the story “Young Santa” you know how Santa first met his amazing Reindeer but I don’t think that I ever told you how they got their individual names.

It became a distinct necessity when Santa first hitched them all up to the sleigh and then tried to direct them. “You there second from front left…pull a bit right!”

Well…as you might imagine, it caused some confusion and delay since the reindeer were all counting rows and lefts and rights to figure out which one of them Santa was actually directing. This could never be when flying and especially landing on tight and may I add slippery rooftops at night.

So Santa decided that each reindeer needed an individual name. He lined them all up in the barn and interviewed each reindeer to determine their individual personalities in order to give them an appropriate name.

First was the most muscular and actually slightly largest reindeer that Santa wanted on the first row right. Since Santa was right handed he preferred to make right turns whenever possible.
“Let’s see. What do you like to do in your spare time?”…he asked the first reindeer.

“Well…I like to run fast whenever I can…if I were a human I’d be a sprinter.”
“Well…then I’ll call you sprinter!” decided Santa.
“Ah…Santa…that sounds like “splinter”…I HATE splinters.”
“All right…let’s see…how about DASHER?”

“LOVE IT!”
“Dasher it is. Next!”
Well, the next reindeer clicked his heels…ah hooves….since he was so glad that it was his turn.

He could hardly stand still waiting for Santa to suggest his name.
Then Santa said…”My…my….you’ll have to stand still and stop dancing around so that I can decide what name is best for you.”
“That’s IT! Thank you Santa I love it!”
“Ah… Love What?” inquired Santa.
“Dancer…I’m DANCER!”

“OK….then …I…guess….who’s next?”
“Oh…Gee….I wanted to be Dancer….I love dancing and prancing around…I do it all the time…almost.”
“Great….then you will be PRANCER! How’s that?”
“Perfect! Thanks, Santa.”

“OK….you there…”
Then a shy somewhat smaller and a bit prettier reindeer stepped to the front and in a gentle voice asked “ME?”
“I have the right name for you since you are female how about…VIXEN?”
“Hmmm…a female fox is named that…and they are very cute…OK thank you, Santa.”

“OK….and…”
Suddenly a reindeer instantly appeared right in front of Santa in a flash.
“Wow…you are quick as a flash…you should be named….something quick and flashy…COMET! How’s that?”
“Yes…yes…yes…COMET…that’s me!”

“Hey this is going pretty well,” said Santa complimenting himself.
Then Santa realized that he shouldn’t have been so quick to brag, which as we all know is not a good thing to do anyway, because he had a very difficult time with the very next Reindeer.
He didn’t have any hobbies and none of his personal skills suggested a name. Santa even asked for suggestions from the named and as yet un-named reindeer and nothing seemed to fit.

Santa thought and thought…”Ah…when were you born?”
“Ah…two winters ago.”
“No, I mean what date!”
“On February 14th Santa.”
“That’s it…you will be…CUPID!”
“Cupid…yeah…I like it!”

“Next! You will be in the last row on the left…right in front of me. But I think that I am running out of names. By the way…who else is left.”
“I am Sir…me and one other… OH….and that strange nosed reindeer out there under the tree.”

“Well…I’ve only got to name you two today…any ideas?”
“The next to last reindeer said …”When I was a baby…I would run so fast even Mom couldn’t catch me and she said that I “Ran like Lightning!”

“PERFECT” exclaimed Santa…you are Blitzen…that’s a Germanic word for Lightning.
Then Santa turned to the very last reindeer…”So little fellow I guess that makes you Donner the Germanic word for Thunder. But Mrs. Claus HATES thunder so we’ll make you DONDER and she won’t even know that we have a little secret about “Thunder and lightning” so you will be to the left of Blitzen in the last row right in front of me.”

Then Santa stood up tall and said…”ATTENTION REINDEER….TO YOUR POSITIONS ON THE DOUBLE!”
And after some jostling about… there was Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen…Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen all in their proper position and enjoying every moment.

Then Santa turned and whistled loudly toward the open field to the reindeer under the tree.
“RUDOLPH…come over here and join us at the front…and light up that headlight nose of yours!

Rudolph galloped over realizing not only was he NOT left out but actually would be the leader of all the reindeer in the very front of Santa’s sleigh!

But Rudolph did wonder where Santa came up with that name!

Santa and the elves were packing the Christmas toys into Santa’s great sack in preparation for his annual world flight to deliver gifts to each GOOD little girl and boy.
The very first gift placed into the huge golden bag was a train engine that tooted and clanged and puffed real looking smoke that was going to make some little boy or even little girl very happy this year.
“Thomas” was very happy and indeed honored to be the very first gift placed into Santa’s sack and as Thomas smiled and puffed-up his proud steam engine chest, a basketball bounced and clunked him right on his smokestack head!
“OUCH!” yelled Thomas…”that hurt!”
But before the basketball, an Official Size and Weight NBA Genuine leather ball could respond, a play kitchen stove came tumbling in on top of them!
“OOOmmmph!” exclaimed the ball and Tommy yelled “Hey…please watch where you are landing….that hurt!”
Tommy asked the basketball “Didn’t that hurt you when that kitchen stove landed on you?”
“Naw…” said the ball…”I get thrown around and bounced on the floor…all the time.”
“Wow!” said the train engine. “I’ve got a headache already and here comes another whole bunch of toys being thrown into the sack right on top of us!”
Well, Santa and the elves filled up the golden sack with thousands of toys…millions probably and by the time the last toy was put on top of the sack, Tommy could hardly chug and definately couldn’t move a wheel. The basketball was dented in slightly but was…well…having a ball!
Then the entire sack was lifted up and soon Tommy had the distinct feeling of flying….then landing…then flying again…then landing again and this went on for hours. But, at least the load of toys pushing down on Tommy was getting lighter and lighter.
Finally, after what seemed like days, but was really only hours, only the basketball and Tommy were left in the sack.
“I’ll see ya Tommy, I get off here. Billy Smith’s house I think, so Goodbye and have a Merry Christmas!”
Well, Tommy was sorry to see the basketball go but now Tommy could breathe normally and move his wheels all that he wanted.
Then Tommy felt a familiar white gloved hand reach down and grab him by his boiler.
“Ho…Ho…Ho…let’s go Tommy…this is your stop and my LAST one!”
Tommy did get a quick glimpse of Santa and all of the reindeer and the rooftop and then it was down the chimney and into the living room of Jimmy Williams, a seven year old boy who was still fast asleep in his bed even though it was nearing sunrise.
“Merry Christmas Tommy” Santa said as he swooped back UP the chimney.
Tommy was looking at the beautiful Christmas tree when all of a sudden “WOW!! MOMMY…DADDY….LOOK!!! Santa brought me Thomas The Tank Engine…the most wonderful toy in the whole world!”
“Yeah…a wonderful toy…”thought Tommy smiling but remembering all of those toys crushing him in Santa’s Golden Sack all Christmas Eve…”…and the very LAST one too!!!”

All of my socks are but a size two
They wouldn’t hold much so I knew what to do
I borrowed my Grandpa’s…his feet are really big
And I hope that Dear Santa doesn’t think I’m a Pig!

I hung Grandpa’s stocking by the chimney with care
If I’d hung up size two…well it wouldn’t be fair
Most kids I know hang socks that are HUGE
I hope no one thinks that I’m being a Scrooge

But I have something that I want to report
And I’ll try to make this long story short
When I woke up early last Christmas morn
Left instead of MY sock was one that was worn

It was all red and fuzzy with a tear in the toe
It looked like it had been left out in the snow
And there was a note on the table nearby
It was written by Santa and it started out “HI…

“…I hope you don’t mind and your Grandfather too
But I tore my stocking when I slipped on your roof
So I borrowed your sock to aid me tonight
To help keep my toes warm and solve my small plight”

Well I thought Santa’s sock was the best gift EVER
And I told lots of folks but…believe me?…NEVER!
But I know it’s true and it’s just like I said
It’s Santa’s real stocking and it’s really quite red!

But the neatest of all I’ve yet to tell
About three days later I heard the doorbell
It was UPS and a guy dressed in brown
“I’ve a package from the North Pole’s Lost and Found

Sign here if you want it”…and so I did
Then guess what was there when I opened the lid?
YEP! Grandpa’s stocking…as good as new
And a note from Santa that just read “Thank You!”

Santa was busily delivering his Christmas bounty of gifts to GOOD little girls and boys when, instead of going on to the Smith’s house, next on his list, he circled around the Jones’ roof where he had just been because Santa thought that he had forgotten to leave the red bike with training wheels that Tommy had asked for.
Santa saw his own footprints in the snow but he also spotted a small person with a bag similar to his and the person was wearing a mask!
“What’s this?” exclaimed Santa. “This person is following me and I do believe that they may be taking the gifts that I’m leaving and that makes Santa very angry.”
Santa hovered the sleigh and commanded the reindeer to be very quiet as he watched to see the “bandit” emerge from the chimney, looking all around to see if they were being watched.
But they didn’t look up into the sky where Santa was hovering and that’s when Santa swooped in to land right in front of the “bandit” trapping them between the sled and the Jones’ chimney.
“SO!” Santa yelled, startling the person.
“Exactly WHAT are you doing following me and raiding the houses that I’ve gifted?”
“I…well…I…just…” the would be “Bandit” took off their mask as they spoke, and lo and behold it was a rather young woman who was speaking to Santa.
” I…was…just delivering these gift certificates to each house that you visit in this neighborhood. I figured that if you visit a home there must be good and deserving kids living there and I wanted to make sure these worthy families received the food vouchers so that they can have an even better Christmas.”
“Well…I’m amazed young lady, but why are you wearing the mask when you are doing such a noble deed?”
“I didn’t want anyone to know that I left the certificates and not Santa…well…you, Sir.”
“Hmmm…I see…I think. That’s a wonderful and generous thing that you’re doing but I don’t think that I should be given credit for something that you did.. But…tell you what! Why don’t you ride along with me from here on until you finish your generous giving?”
“Oh Santa, that would be wonderful!”
“And by the way, I recall leaving you that “Raggedy Ann” doll back a few years ago. You were a mostly good little girl “SARAH”, and you sure have become a fine young woman!”
And Sarah and Santa and the nine reindeer flew off to finish the Christmas Eve giving that is the true spirit that everyone should cherish and continue forever.

Dear Boys and Girls and Moms and Dads too
This is the first time I’m writing to you
The world has grown bigger and Santa has too
So I have a favor to ask all of you

‘Though I LOVE your gifts of cookies, milk and all that
Please try to leave fewer ’cause I’m getting too fat
Oh I’ve always been heavy Mrs. Claus tells me so
But there is a limit for my belly to grow

Chimneys are narrow ‘though I WISH they were wide
I’m finding it harder to get down inside
I COULD climb through a window or come in through the door
But if I do…there goes the folklore

It’s a modern world and I am traditional
So I cannot change and one thing additional
As I finish this letter I’ll make one more plea
Despite what you’re told…keep believing in me

SANTA