As Miss Freda the Frog looked over her specs
She smiled at the children who sat at their desks.
In just a few moments the school bell would ring
And Christmas holidays would then begin.
Standing, she told them, "Put your books all away,
I hope that you'll all have a nice Christmas Day."
The children went home after school to get changed,
Then all met at Popsicorn Bog, as arranged.
"I'm just so excited!" laughed Reggie the Rat,
As he ambled to where his friend Tommy Mouse sat.
"Tomorrow my Daddy is getting our tree."
And Millie and Vicky declared, "So are we!"
"I hope you've all written your letter to say
What you'd like in your stocking this Christmas Day."
Said Millie the Mole, smiling. "I have sent mine;
I sent it last night...but I think there's still time."
Timmy and Tommy Mouse both said they had,
And Cyril the Squirrel gave his to his dad.
But Reggie cried, "I forgot! What shall I do?"
And Vicky the Vole groaned, "I forgot too!"
"Don't worry!" a voice called from inside the wood.
"He knows what you all want...he's ever so good!"
They all turned around thinking, who could it be?
"Who are you? Come out - so we can all see!"
"It's our friend the elf!" burst out Reggie the Rat,
As an elf dressed in green with a long pointed hat
Came out of the wood and smiling away,
Said, "Hello my friends! This is my lucky day!
I came here to find you, and here you all are,
I'm pleased I did not have to look very far!"
They sat down to hear what the elf had to say.
"We need lots of help, or there's no Christmas day.
You see lots of elves have come down with the flu,
And with many more presents to wrap left to do
I told him of you and our day in the wood,
So Santa has asked, would you help if you could?"
Well, Cyril the Squirrel and Reggie the Rat
Just looked at each other and started to clap!
While Timmy and Tommy and Vicky the Vole,
Danced in a circle with Millie the Mole.
"Can we help Santa? Of course we all can!
We will be happy to lend him a hand!"
"I'd like to go home first; I must ask my Mum,"
Said Millie the Mole, "for permission to come."
"We have to ask also," declared Tommy Mouse.
"But it's not very far to get to our house."
"Of course you must all ask, and I will come too."
The little elf smiled. "It's the right thing to do."
When all of the Mummies and Daddies had heard
There might not be Christmas, they said, "How absurd!
Not to have Christmas! That's never been done!
Of course you must go; I'm sure you'll have fun!"
As he turned to the elf Daddy Mouse said,
"Make sure they're not too late going to bed!"
Back in the wood they all wanted to know,
"How do we get there and when do we go?"
"We are going right now and we're going this way,"
With a flick of his fingers, there was the sleigh!
With six magic reindeer, they all climbed on board,
Then up and away with the reindeers they soared.
It didn't take long to get up in the sky
Near to the moon, they went ever so high!
Then after a while the reindeer came down,
And suddenly there they were back on the ground.
Then there was Santa Claus standing right there...
And all they could do was just sit there and stare!
Santa leaned back with his hands on his hips
And a little smile played on the edge of his lips.
"So you are the ones who found out the way
To the place in the woods where my little elves play!"
Well, Timmy and Tommy Mouse squirmed in their seat,
While Reggie the Rat just looked down at his feet.
Then Santa Claus laughed his loud, ho, ho, ho,
And carried on laughing, just letting them know
That he really was pleased that they had all come
To help with the work the sick elves should have done.
"Let's all go inside as I'd like you to meet
The rest of the elves that are still on their feet!"
The friends looked around; they still didn't know
Where Santa's home was - there was nothing but snow!
Then Santa, still smiling said, "Come, follow me,"
And opened a door that nobody could see!
They all went inside, and, WOW! What a sight
There were thousands of presents, all packed in so tight!
"Well now, my dear friends," Santa's hearty voice boomed
As they stood there wide-eyed in the toy-wrapping room.
"There isn't much time, and there's much to be done,
If we all pull together this race will be won."
"There are thousands of toys! Where do we begin?"
Gasped Reggie the Rat, as it quite baffled him!
Just then Mummy Claus bustled into the room
And called over to Santa, 'It's supper time soon.
It's too late to start any wrapping tonight,
We will go to bed early and start at first light."
Santa agreed with what Mummy Claus said,
And rubbing his tummy said, "Time to be fed!"
Early next morning there were six sleepy heads,
Yawning and stretching, they climbed out of bed.
They looked for their clothes and saw they were gone;
Instead they found outfits in green to put on.
"What do I do look like?" asked Vicky the Vole.
"We all look like elves!" giggled Millie the Mole.
They all met for breakfast and when they were done,
Santa Claus said, "Now who wants some fun?"
"I do!" said Cyril, and the others did too.
"Then let's go and find something magic to do."
They marched down the hallway and then through a door,
Into the room that they'd all come here for.
There were toys on the tables and toys on the shelves,
And more piled up high just in front of some elves.
So many toys, more than they could believe,
To be wrapped up and sorted before Christmas Eve!
"Where do we begin?" Tommy asked with surprise.
"There are so many toys here in front of my eyes!"
Santa Claus smiled and said, "Come over here.
Can you feel your arms tingle as you draw near?"
Tommy Mouse stopped, and then tried to step back
But just then he found himself holding a sack!
"Where did this come from? What's wrong with my arm?"
Then he saw his friends also were filled with alarm!
"Don't worry," smiled Santa, "it's magic you know,
Just lift up your arm and watch everything flow."
They did as he told them, and suddenly...Wow
They were wrapping the presents and didn't know how!
Santa Claus began laughing. "Isn't this fun?
At the speed you are going, we'll soon have it done!"
The friends thought it magic, the best they had seen,
When an elf said it came from their outfits of green.
"These clothes that we're wearing have got magic sleeves
But they will only work - on those who believe."
The youngsters were puzzled. "Believe in what?"
"Believe in Santa! There are some who do not!"
"It's a terrible thing," another elf said,
"That so many children will go up to bed
And believe there's no Santa Claus coming tonight."
Then Millie the Mole gasped, "But that isn't right!"
"No," the elf sighed, "you can see how we feel,
But how can we prove to them Santa is real?"
Then Santa came over and with a sad smile,
Said, "This has been happening for quite a while.
You'll see lots of people dressed up to be me,
And it doesn't take long for the children to see
There can't be a Santa Claus in every store.
Then on every street you will see even more!"
"But you must do something!" declared Timmy Mouse.
"Why don't you just wake them when you're in their house?"
"Because they won't see me," was Santa's reply.
"You have to believe to see with your eyes."
"Well, I will believe for ever and ever,"
Said Reggie the Rat. "Because I am clever!"
Everyone laughed, and then Santa Claus clapped,
"It's time to begin; there are lots to get wrapped."
The wrapping was easy; they sped through the pile,
As presents kept coming, for mile after mile.
But with magical sleeves they'd soon get it done,
Never had wrapping before been such fun!
When they were finished they all looked around-
Not one single present was there on the ground.
Where had they all gone? They looked round the back,
And there was Santa Claus filling his sack.
With thousands of presents, some big and some small,
Tommy Mouse asked, "Is there room for them all?"
"This is my magic sack...come over here,
If you look closer, gold stars will appear.
Each one is a present, that's how they fit in."
The friends were amazed, and they started to grin.
"Have we got a present? Are they a star?"
Then Timmy said shyly, "I'd like a toy car!"
Everyone giggled, and then Santa said,
"It's time to go home and get ready for bed."
They all said goodbye to all their new friends,
And hoped they would see them once Christmas time ends.
Then, in Santa's sleigh, they flew up in the sky,
And waved to the moon as they went flying by.
Then they were home and with so much to tell
About the nice elves, and their costumes as well!
About all the presents, and Santa's big sack;
How toys became stars when they looked round the back.
Mummy and Daddy Mouse laughed at their boys,
And realised just how much they'd missed the noise!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Come on...Wake up you two!" Daddy Mouse said,
"There's a sack full of toys at the end of your bed!"
The two boys jumped up, shouting, "It's Christmas Day!"
And into their sacks they both dived straight away.
Each of the presents had its own special star,
Then Timmy Mouse shrieked, "I have got my toy car!"
