Celebrating the Pure at Heart

My mum used to tell my brother and me stories, she bound us together with a golden thread , she was a wonderful story teller. We would sit together in an armchair that she called Dumfy the Comfy by the fire and she would read the messages that Father Christmas sent on the chimney, sparkly trails that only she could read. Every Christmas she would tell us a story about a little girl called Susan who desperately wanted a baby brother.

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Susan was so excited it was Christmas Eve, all the decorations were up, paper chains hanging everywhere, the lights on the tree twinkling with the promise of something good, something special, something extraordinay. Susan kept bouncing up and down on the bed and chanting 'Father Christmas is on his way, he's bringing me a baby brother.' She had prepared her doll's cot with fresh clean sheets and blankets  and put her favourite soft toy rabbit on the pillow.

Her mother and father smiled at her. Daddy picked her up and carried her to the window. 'Look up at the stars Susan,

He hugged the little girl, revelling in the sweet smell of her clean pyjamas and fruit shampoo,'don't be disappointed if Father Christmas doesn't bring a baby brother, maybe he'll bring a new doll, because I think he only has toys at the North Pole.'

Susan's eyes grew wide as she stared at her father, ' He's magic, daddy, he can do anything.'

He lay her down under the blankets and tucked her in. Mummy kissed her, ' Father Christmas only comes when everyone is fast asleep so close your eyes now and  I'll tell you a story.'

Meanwhile at the North Pole Mother Christmas was preparing hot chocolate in a flask and cheese sandwiches with pickle, Father Christmas's favourite. She tucked the picnic basket  by Father Christmas at the front of the sleigh, slipping in a shiny bar of chocolate and then gave him a kiss. 

'Have you got everything dear? Have you checked your list?'

Father Christmas sighed, 'The only thing I haven't got is a baby brother for a little girl called Susan who lives near London in England. I have got a puppy for a boy who lives in Scotland and a kitten for a girl in Wales but ..'

Mother Christmas hugged him, 'Have you got a nice doll you can give her? Nobody has ever asked for a baby brother before.' Father Christmas sighed, 'I don't like disappointing the children, I don't know what to do.'

Father Christmas cracked the reins and the bells jingled merrily as they flew up into the bright night sky. He waved back at Mother Christmas and started on his journey. He flew across the Atlantic Ocean to America, then on to Japan and China, down to Australia and New Zealand, up to India the across to Turkey where he had a lot of relations, then on to Europe. As he flew over London he looked down at all the beautiful parks and decided this was the best place for his picnic. His load was much lighter and he glided into Hyde Park narrowly missing the Serpentine. He got out and gave the reindeer their nose bags of carrots and hay then got back into his sleigh, poured himself a cup of hot chocolate and took a bite out of his sandwich. All was quiet and still. A shooting star swept across the sky, Father Christmas felt the magic of Christmas Eve envelop him like a warm velvet cloak. He lost his balance as Rudolph lifted up his head with a sharp movement.

'What is it Rudi? Can you hear something?

In the deep stillness of the night Father Christmas heard a whimpering noise. He crept out of the sleigh and walked towards a bush where the sound was coming from. He gazed down in amazement as he saw a little boy holding out his arms to be picked up.

'Hello little fellow what are you doing here?' Father Christmas took him back to the sleigh and wrapped him inside his warm red cloak.

Now Father Christmas can understand what children say even before they are old enough to talk, what we would have heard as 'gagaga' Father Christmas understood to mean, 'I am lost and nobody wants me and I need a home.'

Father Christmas wished Mother Christmas was there because she always knew the right thing to do but then he remembered Susan's letter. He took the letter out and checked the address. Susan lived near London! He would take the baby to Susan !

He quickly finished his sandwiches and hot chocolate and set off.

Rudolph knew exactly where to go because he remembered taking Susan a toy rabbit the year before.

Father Christmas crept into Susan's bedroom, sprinkling magic dust as he went, he put special wishes into Susan's parents' bedroom and when he saw the little cot prepared next to Susan's bed he gently laid the baby down and drew the blankets round him and smiled broadly as watched the baby snuggle up to the toy rabbit

He gave a deep sigh of satisfaction and rushed back to the sleigh. He hadn't much left to do, the kitten for Wales and the puppy in Scotland and then home! He was so eager now to get home and tell Mother Christmas about the baby brother he had found.

On Christmas morning Susan's mother and father were woken to the joyful noise of Susan singin 'I've got a baby brother! I knew he'd bring one! Oh thank you Father Christmas, thank you.'

They ran to Susan's bedroom and laughed with delight as they saw her cradling a dear little baby. Thanks to father Chr'stmas's magic wishes they became the happiest family in England.