Twinkle - A Christmas Season Bedtime Story

By Thomas H. Walsh

Transcribed By Thomas H. Walsh IV

Around this time of the year, when all the leaves have fallen from the trees, and cold winds blow hard against the windows at night, our thoughts turn towards Christmas.

In the homes, especially where there are small children, Christmas time is story telling time.

There are so many wonderful stories about Santa, his home at the North Pole, his reindeer and his helpers, the elves; it’s hard to decide where to start.

The one our children have enjoyed most over the years is about Twinkle and how he came to be Santa’s number one helper, and here it is.

Every year, weeks before Christmas, Santa has a very important task to perform. He must travel from his home at the North Pole each night to different parts of the world.

He goes to villages and towns –big and small– to check on all the boys and girls he hopes to visit on Christmas Eve.

This is his only way of knowing who are the good little children – and who are not.

Santa peeks through the window to make sure they are fast asleep. And that the toys have been put away for the night, and that all the things mother had asked them to do for her had been done.

He can tell at just a glance if everyone has been on their best behavior.

It’s a hard job, guiding the sleigh, writing down names and addresses – but most of all, it is so lonely with no one to talk to.

Many times when he was nearing the end of his journey and the first rays of the sun were beginning to push back the darkness, Santa was sure he would fall asleep before he could land the sleigh next to the house and workshop at the North Pole.

One morning after just such an experience, he decided to do something about it. After his usual breakfast of cookies and hot chocolate he called the little elves together in the toy shop.

“Dear Helpers,” he began, “You know I must make long trips each and every night to gather the names of all the good little boys and girls so that Santa may reward them on Christmas Eve.”

“Up to now, I have always traveled alone, but it is a very tiresome venture – and I feel I can no longer perform it alone. I fear I may fall asleep at the reins one night and crash into a mountain peak or a roof-top. Then there would be no sleigh or reindeer to deliver Santa with the toys on Christmas Eve.”

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“I need your help,” he continued. “Which one of you will come with me on these daily trips and keep Old Santa company? In time you may learn to handle the reindeer and guide the sleigh for me, so I may rest a bit between towns.” Santa waited, but no one stepped forward.

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“Bingo, how about you?” he asked, pointing to his eldest and best helper.

“Not I Santa,” came the answer. “I am in charge of building wagons and scooters this year, and orders are coming in so fast I must work night and day – well almost, to see that no one will be disappointed. Perhaps next year!”

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“Tabby, could YOU help me?” asked Santa, turning toward the best doll maker of all the elves.

“Sorry Santa,” replied the elf. “But if I’m to fill the orders for the dolls you’ve given me so far, I must spend every minute of time from now ‘till Christmas Eve at my workbench.”

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And so it went, each of Santa’s helpers told of the large orders they must fill for trains, planes, guns, games and all of the many other toys it takes to make everyone’s Christmas merry.

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Now Santa knew that this was true, there was so much work to be done. But he also knew of another reason – Elves are afraid to fly.

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He had hoped, by asking, that one of them might decide to take a chance. But they all knew that Santa’s magic sleigh and reindeer must travel far and fast to visit the many many children all over the world.

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“Oh, Well”, said Mrs. Claus as he prepared to leave the next night. “You have done it all these years alone – perhaps next hear one of the helpers will change his mind.”

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But Santa knew this would not happen and he felt very alone and sorry for himself as he shouted to the team and sent the sleigh soaring into the cold night sky.

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At the very last village he was to stop at that night, on his way back home, Santa decided to land the sleigh at the edge of the woods and go on foot from house to house. Goodness knows he needed to stretch his legs a bit – and it would give the reindeer a rest too. They had traveled far this night, and Donner and Prancer complained of being tired.

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After satisfying himself that all was in order – the children fast asleep – their rooms were neat and every child in town for sure had been very good for weeks, Santa headed back to the edge of the woods to find all of the reindeer rested and ready to start for home.

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Just as he was about to climb into the driver’s seat he heard a sound – “What’s that?” he thought. “Did I hear someone crying?” He paused to listen. Yes, there it was again – Santa turned from the sleigh, and there, across the path, was a small boy sitting beneath a little pine tree and he was crying.

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“Here, here,” said Santa, bending down to get a closer look at the stranger.

“What’s all this about? Why are you crying? And what is a little fellow like you doing outside on a cold, cold night like this?”

Santa asked so many questions, so fast, the lad didn’t have time to answer.

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“Why, you are half frozen,” cried Santa, touching the child’s hands. He ran to the sleigh and pulled a blanket from beneath the front seat, and wrapping it around the tot, lifted him up in his arms.

“Now young man, which house do you live in?”

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“I – I don’t belong in any of them,” said the child rubbing a cold little hand across his eyes. “I’m an orphan.”

“But who keeps you – and looks after you?” asked Santa.

“Some people brought me here in a big wagon, we stopped to rest and I fell asleep here under this tree.”

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“When your sleigh landed I was too frightened to move – it scared me – the people who were with me were gone, I don’t know what to do – I’m hungry.”

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“Well, well,” chuckled Santa. “Since you don’t live here, and the folks you were traveling with ran off and left you while you slept, I know where we can get some food and hot chocolate for a hungry little boy.”

Santa sat the lad in the driver’s seat and climbed in next to him. “By the way my friend, are you afraid to fly?” he asked.

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“I don’t think so,” replied the child, smiling now. “Let’s see how fast we can go.”

“Ho-ho-ho,” roared Santa, and off to the North Pole they went.

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Mrs. Santa Claus, and all the helpers in toyland were pleased as could be with their guest. Everything was done to make him feel welcome. The elves gave him one of their warm suits to replace the ragged clothes he was wearing, and after having breakfast, everyone gathered in the big living room to hear Santa tell again how he discovered his friend alone and cold at the edge of the woods.

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“It’s as if by magic that he lay there sleeping – so near the very spot I picked to land the sleigh. And oh what fun we had on the ride home! The little tot loved it,” smiled Santa.

Everyone was glad that Santa was so pleased, it was the first time in many days that he had not gone almost straight to bed after returning from his all-night trips. Usually he only took time to give the elves new orders for toys and inspect the ones they had made the day before to be sure they were perfect.

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“Gee, it’s nice to have Santa being his jolly old self again,” said Bingo. “I hope the little fellow stays a long time. He makes us all feel good, – like someone has given US a present for a change.” Everyone laughed.

“By the way,” cried Tabby, “What’s his name?”

“He has none, we must give him one,” cried Mrs. Claus.

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“Gee,” said the little boy, “That will be swell. I’d like to have a name of my very own, like others do.”

Mrs. Santa looked at the lad – he sure seemed to be very healthy. He had a round shiny face, rosy cheeks, an impish smile, large twinkling blue eyes, and his quick movements reminded her of a young deer.

“What name shall we give him?” asked Tippy, the elf in charge of packing and wrapping all the finished toys.

“I have one picked out,” laughed Santa.

“What is it? WHat is it?” shouted everyone, turning toward Santa.

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“Because his face is so shiny and he is so tiny, he reminds me of a Star, and Stars twinkle, so I’ve decided to call him Twinkle and he will be my number one helper,” continued Santa.

“He will ride with me on all of my trips to visit little children all over the world.”

Twinkle clapped his hands and jumped up and down. What a lovely surprise. At last he ad found a home, and people who loved him.

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The elves laughed and danced around the room – everyone was happy. And from that day to this, if you are lucky enough to get a glimpse of Santa’s sleigh as it passes your window, don’t be surprised if a little fellow with twinkling eyes and a happy smile peeks back at you.

And on Christmas Eve, if you are awakened by whispering voices in the living room, go back to sleep – because more than likely it’s Santa talking to his Number One Helper, telling him what presents to put under your tree.

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Now on his long journey to bring happiness to children around the world, Santa is no longer lonely.

The End

Dedicated to our children and theirs.

T. H. Walsh

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