Santa Loves to Make Toys (For Good Girls and Boys)
It was a cold Saturday afternoon in December when three kids went Christmas tree shopping with their mother. They passed the toy department on their way to the tree department.
“Oh look, mommy. Can I please have this Barbie?” the first asked.
“Oh look, mommy. Can I please have this glow in the dark watch?” the second begged.
“Oh look, mommy. Can I please have this train?” the third pleaded.
“No, no and no,” their mother answered. “If you want this stuff you will have to ask Santa, not me.”
And then their mother wrestled a BIG, heavy box with a Christmas tree into their cart.
So the three kids got in line to see Santa.
“Santa, could I please have a Barbie?” the oldest one asked.
“Santa, could I please have a glow in the dark watch?” the middle one begged.
“Santa, could I please have a train?” the youngest one pleaded.
“Yes, yes and yes,” Santa replied. “I love to make toys for good girls and boys.”
When they were finished the first one whispered, “Did you hear that. Santa loves to make toys.”
And although that was not exactly what Santa had said, it did make the three children think.
“I wish,” the second one began, “that we had our own Santa at home to make us toys. Think of all the cool stuff that we could get.”
“Hmmm,” hmmmed the youngest. “I think that I have an idea.”
And when their mother wasn’t looking, they opened the Christmas tree box and threw away the tree. Then they stuffed Santa into the box and closed the lid.
“This box seems heavier than it did in the store,” their mother complained as she dragged and bumped the Christmas tree box into the house.
“Oomph,” said Santa as the box landed with a thump.
Their mother looked at the tree box. “What is that noise? Is it coming from the box?”
The oldest thought quickly. “Maybe a squirrel got in the box. Maybe he thinks he can live in the tree.”
The middle one thought quickly. “Maybe a colony of bees got in the box. Maybe they think they can make a hive in the tree.”
The youngest thought quickly. “Maybe a beaver got in the box. Maybe he thinks he can eat the tree.”
“I think that I had better take a look inside,” said the concerned mother.
“No,” shouted the first one. “The squirrel might jump on you.”
“No,” shouted the second one. “The bees might sting you.”
“No,” shouted the third one. “The beaver might whack you with his tail.”
“That is ridiculous,” said the mother. And ignoring her children, she opened the box and out fell Santa.
As Santa stood up and brushed off his red coat, the mother turned to her children and shrieked, “What happened to our tree? Why is Santa in our living room? And tell me the TRUTH!”
What do you think happened next?
© 2009, Maureen Yorke.