Santa's Workshop

“Where do you think we’re going, Kitty Marie?”

“Puppy Pete, I don’t know. I have been trying to keep my ears and eyes open and see if I can sniff out our destination.”

           “I sure do hope some nice little girl bought us. You never know these days when parents and kids point and click on a web site. They can’t select which animal they want.”

           “No, Puppy Pete. I know! I have some cousins in a boutique in Vermont. They sit on a shelf – or at least used to until a nice family bought the whole lot for their school play. But, at least, you can see faces that way.”

           “Sure can, Kitty Marie. I think I have a pretty unique nose. The others here are pretty cookie-cutter in my opinion. No offense guys!”

           “None taken!”

           “That’s us! The best stuffing and the cutest faces!”

           “Sure do!”

           “At least we are out of our plastic. That might help us.”

           “Or hinder us. We might be the first ones taken. Wait, someone is coming. Hide in the back.”

           “Ok, Joe, Santa’s orders. We have those two twins in Richmond, England, who want the Brookflower cat and dog. My goodness, these animals have really taken off this Christmas!”

           “Yeah, mate, can’t make enough of them! I think our whole bag will be filled with Brookflower! Could make a cake with it. Get it? Flour!?”

           “Sure…ok, let’s get one cat and one dog. I’ll just reach for…got them. Perfectly wrapped here.”

           “And, let’s see, I need four of them for a family with quadruplets in Maine. Let’s see my list here…Ram, Hedgehog, Lamb and Fish. I bet this family has one of each. Oh wait, a bear. Probably for the mom. Let me grab…yep, easy-peasy. All wrapped and ready for the sleigh.

           “All righty…back to the other elves! I think the porcelain workshop needs a little supervision tonight.”

           “Yep, I heard some breakage. Wanna make sure those pieces are packed well in the bag.”

           “Yo ho ho ho! 45-minute warning Elves!”

           “Oh noooo, Puppy Pete! Do you think we will have a chance this year? I have been on this shelf for a year – just after you, and just after last Christmas. I mean, you guys are my friends, but I want to go to a good home. And I want to stay with you. What do we do?”

           “Well, Kitty Marie, I think we need to cause a little commotion and force a choice. Looks like packing is not done. Surely some little girl somewhere needs a second or third or fourth stuffed animal. I am looking around and…”

           “Wait, are you thinking what I am thinking?”

           “Great Minds, Kitty Marie. Great Minds. On the count of three!”

           “One! Two! Three!”

           “And…it worked! Ok, be nonchalant, don’t look down, but here’s hoping! That doll schoolroom is well and truly spilt down there.”

           “I see an elf! He’s walking this way!”

           “Good luck, Kitty Marie!”

           “A bientôt, Puppy Pete!”

           “Well, well, what have we here? A little rumble in the zoo in our Brookflower Department, I’d reckon.”

           “I’m looking at my list…looks like I still need a few animals, so…perfetta! A little white Persian cat in a floral dress. And, oh, I see the Beagle right here. That one will be a score with the kids in Aspen as well.”

           “Pete?”

           “Yes, Kitty Marie?”

           “Wait, Pete? Why are you going that way?”

           “I don’t know, Kitty Marie!”

           “Oh gosh! We were so eager to leave, we didn’t plan this out too carefully! Peete!”

           “I love you Kitty Marie!”

           “I love you, too, Pete!”

           “Merry Christmas!!”

           “Alright, toys! All aboard!”

           “Elves, let’s synchronize our space watches. When I take off, you’ll have just enough time for a coffee break before I come back. Are the reindeer hitched?”

“Yes, Santa. All in gear. Rudolph’s nose is all set, too. You’re free to board, too. Oh, and the reservations in the Canary Islands are good to go.”

“On the count of M-i-s-t-l-e-t-o-e, then, let’s get this party started! With a hop, and a scotch, a hot chocolate, a sugar cookie and carrot, Merry Christmas!”

“Merry Christmas, Santa! See you soon!”

“Is that you, Kitty Marie?”

“What? Lilly? Lilly Lamb?”

“Yes, it’s me! It’s me! And Milo Moose is here somewhere. Milo?”

“I’m here! Sorry, just needed to crawl around Frosty here. Hey Kit!”

“Lilly and Milo, I am soooo happy to see you! Pete and I were trying to make it out before Christmas. I have no idea where I am headed. We always thought we’d go together. I guess the orders came in, but who knows whether we were ordered together or not. I mean, Pete could have been a gift for someone.”

“Sure could have been. Milo and I had our tags twisted together. I don’t think the Elves knew it. We were just grabbed together. I mean, one of us was ordered, and one wasn’t. Jimmy Elf was trying really hard to untwist us, but, when the 15-minute warning horn was blown, he just took us both. He’s new, you know.”

“Oh my, little Pete. I hope he will be ok! I don’t even know his address to write to him.”

“Hey, Kit, don’t worry. Santa usually gets in touch with us via our PawTrackers a few times a year to give us updates on each other. I’m sure he’ll let us know where to find each other.”

“Oomph! We just stopped. Oomph again. Wow these journeys are rocket-fast.”

“You know it, Kit! Do you remember Bonnie Bear and Ronnie Ram?”

“I sure do!”

“Well, they ended up in Paris last Christmas and, from there, to a little cottage in Normandy. Super sweet kids, I understand. They told Santa that, as soon as they left the workshop, by their calculations, they were in Paris in seconds. Hardly enough time for an in-air snack. Wait, we stopped again.”

“OH my, Kitty Marie! Milo! I think he is looking for us. I sense it. Here come the Elf Slides. Those are what the Elves use to coax the toys in the back of the bag out.”

“Jimmy! I need the train, the doll tea set, Lilly Lamb, Milo Moose, K…”

“Wait, I cannot hear him! Lilly!”

“Bye Kitty Marie!”

“No, Lilly, look! Kit is coming with us!”

“Yes, I’m here! Oh my goodness! All of us three! Together! I sure wish Pete were here!”

“Woof!”

“Peetttteee! Peeetttttteeee”

“Kitty Marie!!!!!!!

“Where wererreeee you?”

“I was on the other side of the bag! What luck!! Hey Milo! Hey Lilly!”

“It looks like we are all stopped on the roof of the same house! It sure is snowy here!”

“It’s Snowmass! Hooray! My favorite spot! Well, from those tales the Elves tell!”

“Brace yourself! Going down that chimney is going to be a bear. Hope they left that flue open!”

“On the count of chocolate: Choc – oh – lit!”

“Wow, what a magical house! So decorated for Christmas! Who goes where? Well, I guess Santa will place us. The sun will be up soon, so we will probably be placed in a hurry.”

“Guys, let’s wave and thank Santa for the journey! Bye Santa! Merry Christmas!!! Thank you!”

“Thank you little ones! I’ll be in touch! Merry Christmas! I love you all! You’ll love your new home! Twin Girls! Amy and Annie. 5 years old. I’m onto the next country!”

“We love you! Yippee!”

“Ok guys, Milo, Kitty Marie, Lilly, let’s huddle a bit while we wait for the kids on Christmas morning. There are some cookies over there that Santa didn’t eat. Let’s grab a handful.”

“Hey, it’s Little Bonnie and Little Ronnie! Fancy meeting you here!”

“Definitely, Milo! The kids’ dog asked for some friends for Christmas, so we’re pretty excited!”

“I bet!”

“And look! Polly Piggy and Barry Bunny! Wow! What luck!”

“Hi guys! Extending paws over here!”

“Yummy cookies! Wait I hear footsteps. It’s a little early. 5 am or something. Maybe the family gets up early to ski. Make sure to look like toys. Well, the kids will get it.”

“Shhhhhh.”

“Mommy! Daddy!”

“Mommy Daddy!”

“Woof, woof Woof! WOOF!”

“Ok, Peanut, ok…slowly on the stairs, all We want to all be in tact for skiing with Gramma and Grampa and the hot chocolate after-party. Wait for us kids!”

“Moll, do we all want to have breakfast first?”

“Grant, look at the kids, Peanut, I think we can open a few things first. They are just about to round the corner to the LIVING ROOM I CAN’T KEEP UP WITH THEM!”

“Kids, make sure to share!”

“Mommy, Daddy! This is the best Christmas ever! Look what Santa brought us!”

“Mommy! It’s Pete! And Kitty Marie!”

“Daddy! Look, I got Lilly and Milo!

“Well, Grant, would you look at that! The famous Instagram pairs in our house!”

“Molly, I am looking, and I feel like a kid again. Peanut, here Little One. Look here…there’s even a little toy for you from Santa…it’s a miniature Bonnie Bear. And a miniature Ronnie Ram! Santa never forgets anyone!”

“No, he doesn’t, Mommy!”

“No Daddy! He never forgets!”

“Santa would never forget our Brookflowers!”

“He remembered! He remembered. Guys, on the count of Sugar Plum Pudding Candy…”

“Oh Pete, you are too wonderful…I think it should be on the count of Pete, Kitty Marie, Lilly, Milo, Bonnie and Ronnie! Polly and Barry! Ready?”

“Woof!”