The Christmas that Santa’s sleigh bell was stolen was the quietest in the grotto for years – usually, there was so much noise, that everyone had to cover their ears ! Normally, no – one ever got any sleep, until Santa’s sleigh bell was stolen then Christmas didn’t make a single peep ! Now there was no sleigh bell which loudly rang, there was no more Carol singers that out – of – tune sang. No more bang … no more kerang … and no more clang. No more crash … no more bash … no more dustbin lids rattling in the trash.
So he’d remember, all December, Santa set his alarm clock, to get up at half past seven – but the Christmas when Santa’s sleigh bell was stolen, he didn’t get out of bed until almost eleven ! On Christmas morn, Santa awoke at dawn. He climbed into the sleigh parked outside on the lawn. Then, instead of his usual bell, he honked a foghorn ! The neighbours complained. “Keep quiet, out there !”, cried Gerome the Gnome from the garden shed windowsill, taking a pill (the last I heard, he’s sleeping still !). He couldn’t take anymore of the noisy uproar and, still in his favourite pyjamas that he always wore, he moved his mattress upstairs a floor. With all this merry – making, his head was aching and his ears were sore !
On Christmas morning, there was always a commotion as all the world’s children unwrap their parcels. Each packet makes a racket. But the Christmas that Santa’s bell was stolen, nobody seemed to know, if Santa was going to arrive at all, or whether he’d been caught in the snow ! But what could Santa do for the Christmas holiday, to tell the people he was coming and get out of the way ? The engine on his rather rusty, old sleigh, cranked into action, as Santa chugged on his way. Without a bell, no – one could tell, whether it the sleigh’s exhaust creaking, or Santa’s bones, as well !
First, to move the crowd, he hollered, “Ahoy !” out loud. He had a sore throat because of the cold, so Santa couldn’t cry out quite so bold. No – one could hear him and the people still blocked the road. Next, Santa blew a whistle, which people thought was a noisy bird … no – one thought to tell Santa he should turn the volume up by a third.
Especially at dinnertime, in the grotto, there was always a real hullaballoo. Often Mrs. Christmas used Santa’s bell, to tell everyone in the grotto if the turkey was ready when she’d finished cooking the stew. But without a bell to ring, what could she also do to make sure everyone sat together at the table at half past two ?. Santa gave her a flute – but not much “Toot !” came out when she blew. Then an inspiration in her mind flashed – she rushed to buy some symbols, which crashed when they were clashed. Now, once more Chrismtas bashed, along with the hot potatoes Mrs. Christmas in the kitchen mashed.
When the carol singers came to call, they announced their arrival, by ringing the bell in the Hall. But once it was stolen, no – one knew if they’d been at all !
“Without a din, Christmas can’t begin !”, exclaimed the Christmas fairy to the statues of Joseph and Mary. So Santa wired up the doorbell so he could easily tell – who was calling and what they were trying to sell ! On his way back to the fireside, Santa tripped and pushed the door open wide. In blew a chilly North wind, which knocked a picture frame of the wall and left Santa on his back, pinned down and spinned on the floor of the hall !
No – one knew who was the culprit who’d taken it, Santa only wished they’d shaken it a bit. To catch a crook, then he may have had a closer, second look. Santa did have another bell, but no noise came out, when it shook. He kept the replacement in the basement. So Santa considered having CCTV installed – but the thought of Santa himself being confused with a cat burglar left him utterly appaulled !
© Jacqueline Richards 2008
Jack and The Beanstalk Tall and Short Stories 