Santa's Newest Reindeer (23 page)

“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.” Little did they know that they

had become “stars” in their own small world. Soon they would be

home. The caravan streaked across the sky, keeping its appoint-

ment with the citizens of Holly Valley.

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The celestial crafts slowed from warp speed as their navigational tracker alerted the drivers that they were rapidly approaching

Holly Valley. Ellie and Will’s seatbelts restrained them from

being jettisoned as strong deceleration forces yanked them for-

ward. The descent into the lower atmosphere felt like riding a

wild roller coaster. Santa’s sleigh bucked up, down, and side-

ways, upsetting their stomachs. While changing air pressures

popped within their ears, the Earth’s gravity made them feel

much heavier than normal.

At first Ellie and Will did not recognize Holly Valley with

few streetlights dimly illuminating their hometown. Darkened

corridors replaced proudly lit streets. Public buildings previously awash in bright lights hid in stifling darkness. As they floated

over their school, moonlit shadows stretched like pencil-thin

fingers across the playground. They strained to pinpoint their

house, but the entire subdivision was cloaked in darkness.

“There’s where we’ll set down.” Santa pointed to an open

area in the middle of downtown. The streetlights illuminated

the intersections, providing a landing path.

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“That’s Citizen’s Square,” gleefully responded the twins.

Santa smoothly glided the bright-red sleigh to a soft land-

ing in the center of the square. They unbuckled their seatbelts

and climbed down. Santa praised Rudolph and the eight tiny

reindeer for a job well done. Ellie and Will led the reindeer

to the edge of the open area so the flatbed sleigh would have

plenty of room to land. Santa stood in the middle of the town

square directing Jeepers and Yule where to land their cum-

bersome load. He pointed to the left. Then Santa frantically

waved his arms to the right. He erratically waved both arms

in a circular motion over his head, trying to signal Jeepers and

Yule to fly around the square one more time before attempt-

ing to land.

Suddenly, Santa dove to his belly and rolled several times,

getting out of the way, for Cosmos and Astro were coming in

much too fast. The reindeers’ speed, the weight of the flatbed

sleigh, and Big Buck’s enormous size were more than the two

elves could control. Attempting to slow their speed, Jeepers

pulled back on Cosmos’s and Astro’s reins, and Yule desperately

threw out the emergency anchor, but they were too high off

the ground. The transporter scraped several rooftops, plunging

downward and pitching upward before careening along Main

Street. It slid down the street, jumped the curb, crossed the

sidewalk, and miraculously weaved its way between light poles,

benches, and one garbage can. Big Buck teetered and tottered,

nearly tipping over. The flatbed sleigh skidded sideways, plowed

into a snow pile, and stopped short of the fountain. Needless

to say, there was no way to slow an out-of-control reindeer in

Holly Valley!

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Santa crawled to his knees, repositioned his glasses and

stocking cap, and shakily stood up. He wiped the snow from

his crimson velvet suit and glared at Cosmos and Astro. He

tried to appear angry with them, but that was just an act. He

loved them too much. Instantly, his frown was replaced by his

usual animated jolliness, twinkling eyes, and jovial laughter.

“Santa nearly got run over by his own reindeer,” chuckled

the two elves, peeking from behind Ellie and Will. Not want-

ing to be scolded by Santa, they kept their distance until the

Jolly One regained his composure and saw the humor in it all.

“Jeepers! Yule! Ellie! Will! We’ve work to do and so little

time. Will and Ellie! You are in charge of the reindeer and my

sleigh. Hide them so they are not visible. Put Rudolph in front

and all the reindeer will follow him. Jeepers and Yule, open

the trap door on Big Buck. You know your jobs. Now, after it,”

directed Santa in a quiet but firm voice.

“Come, Rudolph,” coaxed Ellie, leading the red-nosed rein-

deer and his four-legged followers to an alley along the back

side of the square. The shadows provided ample cover for them

and the bright-red sleigh. Will fed the pullers their favorite

food—carrots—that Mrs. Claus always sent with Santa on his

Christmas Eve ride.

Elf after elf climbed down the rope ladder from the opening

in Big Buck’s underbelly. They formed a single line, removing

box after box from the giant reindeer’s cavernous body. There

seemed to be no end to the number of elves and the number

of boxes. Citizen’s Square took on the appearance of Santa’s

Workshop as the industrious elves worked ambitiously at their

tasks. Not a word was spoken so not to arouse suspicion in any

human or animal.

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The elves carefully slid Big Buck off the transporter sleigh

and stationed him in the middle of the square. The lead car-

penters removed the planks used as the anchoring platform on

which Big Buck rode. They reshaped the wood into its original

tree trunk. Taking the branches and boughs from the trans-

porter’s skirts, the elves reattached them to the tree trunk and

anchored the reconstructed Christmas tree, using the same

straps that originally secured Big Buck.

Master electricians strung Christmas lights, baubles, tinsel,

popcorn strings, multicolored ribbons, and candy canes. Col-

ored ornaments of varying shapes and sizes hung from the

branches. The elves spliced into the town’s electrical system in

order to bring the tree to life. Master welders secured Big Buck’s hooves to iron base plates, preventing the mammoth reindeer

from crashing on its side. Other elves uncrated hundreds of

wrapped gifts and placed them under the towering Christmas

tree. Each package was decorated with a red and green bow and

included the name of a Holly Valley boy or girl, regardless if

they had been good or not. Santa and Mrs. Claus agreed that

this was not the time to eliminate a Holly Valley child from one

of the joys of Christmas. Red-and-white-striped bags stuffed

with Mrs. Claus’s candy, nuts, apples, and oranges encircled the

square. There were enough bags so every family would enjoy

Mrs. Claus’s goodies.

Jeepers and Yule, with the help of several elves, completed

the last task by resealing Big Buck’s underbelly trap door.

“Will, please take Cosmos, Astro, and the flatbed sleigh to

where you have Rudolph and the eight tiny reindeer, and be

sure to give them their favorite treats,” directed Santa, standing

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between the two young reindeer and rubbing their ears in appre-

ciation of the young reindeer’s work. Cosmos and Astro reared

up on their hind legs, lifting Santa off the ground.

“Whoa, boys! Easy now! Put me down! Santa is not used

to riding without his shiny red sleigh,” laughed Santa, trying

to land on his two feet.

Jeepers and Yule saw this as a good omen and that all was

forgiven. They applauded as Santa was safely on the ground.

They were back in Santa’s good graces; he never held a grudge

against anyone or any reindeer.

All the elves gathered around Santa in the brightly deco-

rated square, including the two reckless drivers. Santa motioned

Ellie and Will to join the group and called Jeepers and Yule

to his side.

“Is all ready?” Santa asked.

“Yes,” whispered the elves. There were excited with how the

plan had come together. Each performed their ritual by con-

gratulating each other with high-fives and handshakes.

Santa handed a small electrical box to Ellie and Will,

instructing them to flip the red switch. Ellie and Will looked

at each other and smiled. Together they flipped the red switch,

and the town square burst into the seven rainbow colors. Reds,

oranges, yellows, greens, blues, indigos, and violets engulfed

them. The lights reflected off the ornaments, tinsel, and baubles, magnifying their intensity. A white star crowned the tree’s pin-nacle and blinked brightly like a lighthouse’s beacon for all to

see. Several elves and the twins danced about the square, cavort-

ing in, out, and through Big Buck’s legs, and twirling around

the huge Christmas tree while others applauded and cheered.

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Santa looked to the skies and knew it was time to continue on

his worldly trip.

“Jeepers! Yule! Have the carpenters reconstructed the flatbed

sleigh?”

The two little elves responded affirmatively and disappeared

in the direction where the reindeer and the sleighs had been

hidden.

Rudolph led the procession out of the shadows and along

the street parallel with Citizen’s Square. The eight tiny rein-

deer followed in step, pulling Santa’s bright-red sleigh. Yule

and Jeepers, aware of Cosmos’s and Astro’s unbridled spirits,

walked along each side and gripped the reins that controlled

their enthusiasm. The flatbed sleigh used to transport Big Buck,

the worker elves, and their cargo to Holly Valley had been

rebuilt. It looked like a miniature starship complete with a

small aft door and rows of windows on both sides. The sleek

roof and smooth contours prevented friction from inhibiting

its flight home. Yule climbed into the driver’s seat and took the reins. The elves had stowed their equipment in the cargo holds.

They paraded by the twins, exchanged high-fives and hugs, and

boarded their ride home.

“Ellie, Will! It is nearly midnight, and I have many stops

before Christmas morning. Jeepers will escort you safely home.

Remember, he is your resident elf and will always be among the

citizens of Holly Valley—forever. He will keep me informed of

your community’s action regarding the ban on Christmas and

the New Year’s celebrations. As ever, you are always welcome

at Santa’s Vil age.” He pointed toward two large storage chests

strapped to the back of his shiny, red sleigh. “These contain

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your gifts from all the elves and Mrs. Claus and me. I will

deliver them to your house on my way out of Holly Valley.

Merry Christmas!”

Ellie and Will hugged Santa, struggling to control their

emotions.

“Now, do not shed a tear, for it is Christmas Eve.”

Santa shuffled to the second sleigh and whispered something

in Cosmos’s and Astro’s ears. Their ears stood tall and pointed.

He slipped each one a handful of carrots. Santa circled the

elf carrier, waving to the grinning faces pressed flatly against

the windows. Yule leaned over and shook Santa’s hand. They

exchanged wishes for safe journeys and said they would see

each other soon.

Santa checked the bright-red sleigh and its bindings to the

eight tiny reindeer. He rubbed each reindeer’s ears and whis-

pered their names before providing each with a piece of candy,

specially wrapped and personally addressed to each by Mrs.

Claus. Reaching into a large jacket pocket, he favored Rudolph

with his favorite treat, three carrots wrapped in honey-soaked

grains.

Santa hugged Ellie and whispered in her ear that she would

enjoy many more Christmases but that she would remember

this one most of all, and that he looked forward to visiting with Will and her on many more Christmas Eves. But most of all,

the head elves had elected both of them as True Elves for Life,

not
Honorary Elves, but True Elves for Life. She smiled, kissed him on his bearded cheek, and wiped a joyful tear from her face.

Santa hugged Will and whispered the very same words in his

ear. Wil smiled faintly, bear-hugged Santa, and quickly looked

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away, hiding his face. The two newest elves beamed with delight,