The Story of the The Coldest Christmas Ever
This story took place on Christmas eve many, many Christmases ago in a land many, many lands away from here. The land was called Sweden. On Christmas eve in Sweden, Yule Tomten, who is a small gnome with a big red nose and a long white beard, a red suit and a red cap, gathers many toys and goodies for the children. He puts everything in his sleigh. He hooks his goat up to pull the sleigh. Off they go into the night to deliver gifts to all the children in Sweden who have been good that year.
On this coldest Christmas ever the snow was falling. The wind was blowing. The wind was howling. And the snow WAS coming down. It was so cold that the runners of the sleigh had frozen to the ground. The sleigh would not budge. The goat pulled and pulled and pulled but the sled would not budge. Yule Tomten pushed and pushed and pushed but the sled would not budge. The goat pulled while Yule Tomten pushed but the sled still would not budge. It was frozen solid to the ice and snow. Yule Tomten ran back to his hut. He took a long pole from his shed and ran back to the sled. He used the pole as a lever under the back of the sleigh trying to break it loose from the ice. He lifted and lifted on the pole. The goat pulled and pulled. Finally, CRRRRACK!!! The ice cracked and the sled was free. Off they went into the night to deliver their gifts.
The snow was falling. The wind was blowing. The wind was howling. And the snow WAS coming down. It was getting deeper and deeper. It got so deep that the goat could barely pull the sleigh. She was sinking deeper and deeper into the snow. Yule Tomten did not know what to do. He was not going to make it to all of the good children’s houses before Christmas morning.
Yule Tomten stopped the sled. He made his way around to the front to talk to his goat. He said, “My goat, my goat, the snow is too deep, the wind is too harsh, and it is far too cold. We will never make it to all the children’s houses if we keep on going through the snow.” The goat merely made her nannying sound but Yule Tomten knew that the goat understood. Yule Tomten reached into his pocket and pulled out his magical bag. He said to the goat, “If I sprinkle magical powder on your horns and you try with all of your might to run as fast as you can, you will be able to fly. You will fly and pull me and the sled behind you through the air. Then we will be able to get to all the houses on time.” The goat merely made her nannying sound again. Yule Tomten knew that she understood.
Yule Tomten reached into his magical bag. He pulled out some of the magical powder and sprinkled it on the goat’s horns. He chanted, “Magical dust, make this goat fly. For as you know, Christmas is nigh.” The goat’s horns began to glow with a magical light. The golden light filled the darkness of Christmas eve. In the glow of the light Yule Tomten and the goat became very warm. No more snow was falling. No more wind was blowing. No more wind was howling. And the snow WAS NOT coming down. Yule Tomten got back in the sled and hollered to his goat, “Away, away!” The goat started to run with all her might. She ran faster and faster. She put all of her strength into running. Her heart was almost bursting. Yule Tomten cried, “Away, away!” All of a sudden they started to take off from the ground into the sky. Yes, indeed, Yule Tomten and the goat were flying along with all the presents for the children. Off they flew into the night.
They flew from one town to another village and from one village to another hut. They flew from that hut to another village and from that village to another town. At each house the goat landed quietly in front of the door. The tomten tiptoed into each house, placed the special presents and goodies under the children’s beds and tiptoed back out to his sleigh. He did not wake any of the children for he knew that if they saw him it would ruin the surprise on Christmas morning. Yule Tomten and the goat continued from house to house until all the good children in Sweden had presents and goodies waiting for them when they woke up. And then off they flew into the night.
They flew back to their hut. They were both very tired. The glowing horns dimmed. The golden light faded. The warmth around Yule Tomten and the goat shrunk until it was gone. Once again the snow was falling. The wind was blowing. The wind was howling. And the snow WAS coming down. The goat pulled the sleigh on the ground for the last few feet to the hut. Yule Tomten was so cold. He ran inside his hut as fast as he could.
Then he remembered how hard his goat had tried. He ran back out into the cold and unhooked the goat from the sleigh. He brought the goat inside his hut so she too could warm herself next to the glowing fire that was waiting for them. It glowed orange and red and yellow. It made a hissing sound that warmed Yule Tomten. It made a sputtering sound that warmed his goat. After a few minutes Yule Tomten and the goat were warm enough to lie down to sleep. They fell fast asleep until next year’s Christmas eve when once again they will gather the presents and goodies and put them in the sleigh. Off they will go into the night.
The Coldest Christmas Ever by C. Walker ©03