Santa's Littlest Elf

“The year Santa asked me to be one of his elves was incredible, he had never used a fairy girl as an Elf before. Fairies are so small and playful, it was thought we wouldn't be of much help. But that year Santa needed me, Holly Fairy, to help him out. It was the proudest time of my life!”

“As you know, Santa delivers gifts to millions of children around the world every Christmas. Every year there are more and more children added to Santa's List. It had become a clerical nightmare! The age of computers greatly improved that problem for Santa, but the year I was asked to be one of Santa's elves, the computers weren't working!”

That year Santa and Jack Frost had a bit of a disagreement. Santa put in a request for three inches of newly fallen snow for Christmas Eve, but that isn't what he got. Jack Frost, instead, unleashed everything he had on December 1^st. The snow started flying in blizzard proportions. Jack had convinced the North Wind to blow its winds at hurricane forces. Everything at the North Pole was covered in snow and ice. By December 3^rd the phone lines and internet were down and would stay down the entire month of December!

The different departments at the North Pole were having trouble communicating with each other. Messages now had to be delivered by hand, instead of the internet, taking precious time away from already busy elves. The elves were starting to get testy, fighting among one another. After breaking up an elven fight for the umpteenth time Santa was at the end of his rope.

“These fights have got to stop!” Santa complained, “We will never get everything ready by Christmas Eve at this rate.”

Santa slumped on his workbench, trying to think of a solution to this problem. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a movement. He looked up to see Holly Fairy carrying a cookie.

“Mrs. Claus thought you might need a little something, Santa,” Holly said as she handed the sugary heart-shaped sugar cookie to Santa.

“Why thank you, Holly, but how do you come to be in the kitchen with Mrs. Claus today?”

“Her kitchen elves have been dispatched to help the toy elves, so I offered to bring this cookie to you.  Mrs. Clause is worried about you, Santa.”

“That was very kind of you, Holly...say...that gives me an idea. How would you like to come to work for me, Holly?” Santa said with a twinkle in his eye.

“Me...you want me to help you Santa?”

You could see how proud the little fairy girl was at even the suggestion she could be of help to Santa.

“But how could I help you Santa? I'm too small to do much of anything.”

“Well, Holly, I was thinking that you get around pretty fast with those wings of yours. Would you be willing to deliver messages between my departments?”

Holly's green eyes grew wide and a smile graced her pert little face. Straitening her holly green dress she bowed.

“I would be honored, Santa!”

“You can start right now. Would you please deliver this list to the elves in Doll Central?”

“Of course, Santa, right away!”

And off Holly flew, her auburn hair streaming behind her. She made it to Doll Central in seconds. The elves there were happy to see that their message nightmare had been solved. They quickly dispatched Holly to the Clothing Department with a list of doll clothes that were needed. From there Holly was sent with a list of buttons that needed to be manufactured by the elves in Manufacturing. And so the day went for Holly, zooming back and forth between departments till her wings could fly no more.

Stopping in the kitchen, hoping Mrs. Claus could spare a little something for her to eat, Holly landed in a heap on the table.

“Oh my, Holly, you look exhausted!” Mrs. Claus exclaimed.

“I am, I've been working very hard for Santa. I'm his newest Elf,” Holly said proudly.

“A sweeter, more hard-working Elf I've never seen. I'm so proud of you, Holly!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Claus. Might there be a few cookie crumbs you could spare? I'm awful hungry.”

“Why, Holly, you can have a whole cookie!”

“Oh, I think a whole cookie would be too much for me, but thanks, Mrs. Clause.”

Holly ate some cookie then flew off to her bed on the shelf, inside one of Santa's old hats. She was asleep the minute she lay her head down on the soft fur. She slept all the way to 8:00 am the next morning when Cuckoo Clock and old Grandfather Clock warned her it was time to get to work. Then off she flew eager to work for Santa. And so the days of December marched by, the wind still blowing, the snow falling, the temperatures dropping, and Holly flying.

At last Christmas Eve arrived. The quotas had been met just in the nick of time, no thanks to Jack Frost. The elves were loading the sleigh with Santa's bag. The reindeer were being harnessed up to the sleigh. Rudolph had been informed that he would indeed be needed this year. In the middle of all that bustling activity, Holly flew to Santa with his list of deliveries.

“I want to thank you, Holly, for the fine job you have done for me this Christmas. I could never have done it without you.” Santa praised his bow-like smile widening.

Holly blushed at Santa's praise.

“Thank you for giving me this chance to prove that Fairies can be helpful, Santa. It is my proudest achievement.”

Flying up to Santa, Holly placed a little kiss on his cheek, it was Santa's turn to blush.

“Ho Ho Ho! You'd better watch that, Holly, Mrs. Claus will get jealous.”

“And so that is the story of how I, Holly Fairy, became Santa's Littlest Elf.”

Reviews

[Debbie Barry]

That's such a sweet story! You always do a great job with fairies. Thanks for the smile!

[Wendy Seames Garner]

Thank you, Debbie, always happy to give out smiles!