“‘Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.”
Dad sat in his worn-out armchair by the roaring fire, reading the famous Christmas tale to Jenny and Franklin. Jenny sipped steaming hot cocoa at Dad’s feet, listening intently as the story unfolded about Santa Claus and his eight reindeer on the roof. Franklin stared drowsily at the glow of the crackling fire in their fireplace. They loved Christmas Eve.
Franklin was beginning to nod off when a large gust of wind and snow suddenly blew through the chimney and down into their living room. The fire went out and Dad, startled, jumped from his chair. The three of them looked at one another curiously.
“What was that?” Jenny asked nervously, her eyes as round as sugar cookies.
“I don’t know but I better find out,” Dad replied. Then slowly and cautiously, he peeked up the chimney. He couldn’t believe his eyes!
A wolf was growling down at him.
“Aw, you! Just help me get out of here!” he growled impatiently.
Dad’s mouth opened speechlessly.
“What’s there?” asked Jenny cautiously. Jenny peeked over her dad’s shoulder. She screamed.
“What is it?” said Frank.
“It…it….it…is…a wolf!” Jenny said.
“There’s a whole pack of the people!” said the wolf grumpily. “Just help me get out of here.”
Dad finally found his words. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, well, it’s the night before Christmas, so…” The wolf stopped. “Wait, why aren’t you in bed?”
“Because we are reading our bedtime story,” Jenny answered.
“Every kid needs a Christmas bedtime story,” Frank added.
“Who are you?!” Dad said loudly.
“Well, I am Santa Claus,” said the wolf.
“Whoa!” said Jenny and Frank at the same time, excitedly.
“And when I was doing my errand of presents, a zap of light hit me and I turned into a wolf. I think tomorrow at Christmas I’m going to turn in to a wolf completely, and then Christmas will be ruined forever!” the wolf said, worriedly.
Dad had too much for the day. So he went to bed.
But Jenny and Frank had a mission to accomplish. First, Jenny got the chimney brush and Frank climbed on Jenny’s shoulders. They were worried that they might fall, because Frank wobbled.
Next, Jenny gave Frank the chimney brush and Frank put it up the chimney. The wolf grabbed on and Frank slowly climbed down with the wolf. The wolf jumped down out of the chimney.
“Now we must go outside and figure out how to save me,” the wolf said.
Jenny and Frank bundled up and slipped outside. It was snowing hard. They jumped on their sled and hurtled down the hill toward the forest.
When they were there, Frank pulled the sled. When they were in the heart of the forest, they saw a little light, far away. As they got closer, they saw a box. The wolf said that must have been the box that kept the magic.
Suddenly, a glowing light appeared and a person came out of the shadows, dressed like Santa Claus.
“Thank for giving me my magical power,” said the mysterious person to the wolf, meanly. “I used to be a wolf, but now I am Santa Claus and I can bring people whatever they want.
“You can’t do that. All you will give to the children is coal!” said Jenny.
Meanwhile, Frank had found a stick. They used it to pry the lid off the box. A light filled the forest. A huge bolt of light hit the wolf and turned him into Santa Claus. The mysterious person was now a wolf.
Jenny and Frank had saved Santa! Now they ran back home, and the real Santa Claus went on the roof.
“Merry Christmas!” he said joyfully as he flew away.
The End
Note: The pink section at the beginning was an extended story starter, written by the teacher!