Pitter and Patter’s magical ChristmasBy Carl Egan, Aged 12, 6th Class, Ballyfermot, Dublin

Pitter and Patter, the baby raindrops, lived on the Land Of Cloud with their mam Splish. They loved living there, but every few weeks a few of their friends would disappear.

“Where do our friends go when they jump off the cloud?” Pitter asked his mom one day.

“Well” said his mom, “I think its time I should tell you the truth...People on Earth need water to survive and for their plants to grow. That’s where we come in. We go down and do that job for them. One day you and Patter will have to leave Land Of Cloud without me, so I can have more baby rain drops.”

Pittter and Patter began to cry at the thought of leaving their mother. “When do we have to go?” sobbed Pitter. “Oh not for a long time yet” replied mommy Splish. “I have something special for the two of you.”

“What is it? What is it?” asked the two excitedly. “Shush now, and go play. You’ll fi nd out when you are ready”. So Pitter and Patter ran off to play their with friends.

Long years passed and Pitter and Patter were now young teenagers. On the eve before Christmas Mommy Splish called the two boys and said time has come. Pitter and Patter didn’t know what to do. They wanted to stay with their mom, but they also wanted to see the outside world. Mammy Splish said good-bye to her boys and pushed them over the edge of the cloud.

Pitter and Patter were falling and falling. They couldn’t believe their eyes. They saw an ice skating rink with children skating, and hundreds of Christmas trees and decorations in hundreds of houses. They saw bright, sparkly, shiny lights, but best of all they saw the land covered in a fabulous white snow blanket. Pitter and Patter were laughing “this really is a magical Christmas.”

As they were falling, Pitter looked over at Patter. Patter was after turning into a beautiful snowfl ake. He was dazzling and his pattern was stunning. He looked down at himself and realised that he was the same. As they looked around they saw all their friends falling and turning into beautiful snowfl akes. So this is what mammy had in mind for us! We were kept for the best Christmas snow fall. ‘Yes’ replied Pitter, It was well worth the wait.

The Rescue!By Paraic O’Gorman, Aged 12, 6th Class, Kilmihil, Co.Clare

“10…9…8…7…6…” The Christmas stopwatch chanted. “5…4…3…2…1…Take off!” The sleigh jut-ted forwards. It raced across the Tundra and up onto the ramp. Suddenly the first two reindeer leaped off, followed by the next two, then the next two and finally the last two leaped into the air. The bright red sleigh fired off into the sky. A jolly voice rang out “Ho, ho, ho! On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Vixen, on Comet, on Cupid, on Donner and Blitzen”. Mrs. Claus looked around. Standing behind her was an army of elves, hundreds of them and none stood taller than her waist. To her right she could see the trainee reindeer all rearing up on their hind legs to get a better view of the sleigh as it glided away.

Mrs. Claus turned around. As second in charge to Santa she was now the boss. “Right, everyone inside! Department A, keep track of Santa’s co-ordinates. Department B, keep track of the gifts given in Europe. Department C, take the Americans. Department D, take Australia and Africa. Department E, take Asia. Come on! To your stations. Santa will be arriving in Russia soon”, she shouted over the elves. Slowly but surely the elves flowed into their departments.

Mrs. Claus was sitting in Santa’s office having a cup of cocoa when Bonzo, head elf of Depart-ment A, and Bono, head of Department C, came running through the door. “Ah, Bonzo and Bono, how’s the trip going?” Bonzo and Bono looked at each other. “Well”, started Bonzo, he was taller than Bono with a round red nose, “ we have a problem!” Mrs. Claus dropped her cocoa. “Where is he?” she asked. “He is currently in Canada” said Bono, who unlike Bonzo had a long crooked nose and big brown eyes. “So what’s the problem?” Mrs Claus half screamed. “Well … um ... you see … there was … a you know … a” started Bonzo. “A what!” she yelled. “A blizzard” finished Bobo.

“Colonel Krunch at your service, how may I help you?” said Colonel Krunch, the elf in charge of the Elf Army for Emergency Use Only or the E.A.E.U.O. for short. “I want you to round up every elf you’ve got. Get every sleigh into the air. We have to set our co-ordinates for Canada. Santa is lost in a blizzard”, Mrs. Claus ordered. “But why all the sleighs?” asked the Colonel. “Well Santa is a bit behind schedule, isn’t he?”

The E.A.E.U.O. room was a large concrete building. It had rows upon rows of sleighs, there must have been a thousand shining red sleighs all facing a pulpit up on a make-shift wooden stage. Be-hind this was a map of the world. A large red dot in the north of Canada indicated where Santa was. Colonel Krunch was up on the pulpit preparing his speech. Suddenly hundreds of elves burst through the door. Each was riding on the back of a reindeer. But they weren’t normal rein-deer. They were Dashers. The Dashers were the fastest and strongest reindeer in the North Pole, both on land and in the air. The elves led each of the Dashers to a sleigh and strapped them to it. Then the elves climbed in.

Everything was ready. The sleighs were lined up in an upside-down V pattern. Mrs. Claus and Colonel Krunch were in the front sleigh, which was twice as large as everybody else’s sleigh and designed to hold 3 people. The colonel was talking into a walkie-talkie. “Right men. On the count of three. 1…2…3…Go!!” The sleighs shot forward and rose into the air. “Keep formation men”, Colonel Krunch kept saying into his walkie-talkie. “Don’t branch apart”. The speed we were moving at was incredible. The Dashers were brilliant! The sleighs shot through the sky like hundreds of shining red bullets. Mrs. Claus looked over the side of the sleigh and saw a mag-nificent blanket of snow. It spread for miles around. She turned to the colonel. He was wearing a smart uniform with medals pinned across the front. “Where are we?” she shouted over the wind. “We’ve just passed over Nuuk in south Greenland,” he called back. “Southern Greenland already!!” she shouted “but it’s only ten minutes since we left!!”

It started to get colder. Wind started blowing in Mrs. Claus’ face. Snow started to fall. “Are we nearly there?” she shouted. She looked over at the colonel but she couldn’t see him. She couldn’t see a thing through the beating snow. Suddenly something started to beep. Mrs. Claus heard the colonel talk into his walkie-talkie. “Right men”, he said, “Santa is directly below us. We are ready to start to dip. On the count of three 1… 2… 3! Go!!!” The sleigh started to dip. The ground was heading towards them at an alarming rate. They were going to crash!!! At the last second the sleigh levelled and it stopped.

“Have all the presents been given to the right people?” asked Santa “Are all the reindeer safe? How’s Dasher, he had the worst fall?” It had been a week since the crash. Santa had just come out of a coma and was lying in a bed in a North Pole hospital. Mrs. Claus had come to visit him. “Everything is fine” Mrs. Claus approved. She had found him in his sleigh unconscious. “The reindeer are fine and the presents were all given to the right people.” Just then Colonel Krunch walked in the door. “At your service Santa, how may I help you?” he said. “I would just like to thank you for what you did”, Santa replied. “It was extremely brave”. “Don’t thank me, thank Mrs Claus”, the colonel said, looking embarrassed. “ She’s the heroine here”. “Well”, started Santa, “ I suppose it was you then Love. You have saved Christmas”.

Mrs Frost saves ChristmasBy By Mel Kavanagh aged 6½ & Alex Kavanagh aged 4½, Ovens, Co Cork

It was Christmas Eve. All of the children in Ireland were tucked up in their beds waiting for Santa to come with their presents. As Santa’s sleigh approached Ireland, Rudolph, Dancer, Prancer and the other Reindeers put the brakes on the sleigh and wouldn’t go any further. “Woah” said Santa, “What’s going on here?” Rudolph explained to Santa how his and the other Reindeers hooves get very sore every year when they have to land on hard roofs where there is no snow. There was never any snow in Ireland so this year they just would not do it! Santa rubbed his beard and thought for a little while. He didn’t want his Reindeers to be hurt but he also had a job to do to make sure all of the good children were rewarded with their presents. “Aha,” he said, “I have a plan! Come on Ru-dolph, Prancer, Dancer, Dasher, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen – we have a job to do and we can’t go home until it’s done!”

Santa pulled on the reins and the sleigh sped off in the direction of Jack Frost’s Castle. If anybody could make it snow Jack Frost could! When they got there the Castle looked magical. It was all sparkly with frost and there were icicles hanging from each window and turret. But the castle was in darkness. Santa knocked on the door. There was no answer. “Jack Frost, Jack Frost”, he called through the letterbox. Finally a light came on and Mrs Frost opened the front door. She was very cross because the knocking and calling had woken her up from a lovely dream but when she saw who was at the door she was delighted.

“Hello Santa”, said Mrs Frost, “shouldn’t you be delivering your presents tonight?”Santa told her his story about how he could not deliver presents to all the good boys and girls in Ireland this year. “How can I help?” she asked. “Well, it is actually Jack I was looking for!” said Santa I need him to come and make it frosty and snowy in Ireland.

“Oh no said Mrs Frost, Jack is in bed and is very sick with Swine Flu and he cannot go out frosting at all tonight”. “But we really really need him to save Christmas for the children” said Santa.

“Well, Santa” said Mrs Frost, “it has been a very long time since I went out frosting but as it is Christmas and as it is you who is asking, I suppose I can help”

“Oh thank you!” said Santa “Quick, go get your frosting wand and meet me at the sleigh”.

10 minutes later they were on their way, flying high over the sea back towards Ireland. Santa looked at his watch and said a prayer that they would have enough time but he had no need to worry as Mrs Frost got to work straight away frosting everything in sight. Before long everywhere was white as Mrs Frost did her work. The whole countryside glittered and sparkled. Santa thanked Mrs Frost for her hard work and brought her back to the Frosty Castle and her comfy bed.

As Santa approached Ireland again a soft snowflake fell onto his nose. Then more and more snow-flakes started to fall. Rudolf and the other Reindeers were very happy. They flew at lightning speed around the country to deliver all of the presents to the good boys and girls. When they arrived back to the North Pole, Santa just patted each of them and said “Thank you, good job.”

The next morning when the children of Ireland woke up they had a double surprise in store as not only had Santa delivered everything on their lists but they were also walking up to a White Christmas. But they would never know that it was Mrs Frost who had saved the day

The Elf that saved ChristmasAine O’Donnell, Aged 10, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary

Knock! Knock! Bang! Knock! Bang! Was the sound of all the elves hammers banging the nails into the wood. Each elf had to do a million little toy tables every day. There were all kind of elves - happy elves, sad elves, cheerful elves and grumpy elves. But I’m going to tell you about an elf that had to do all the work on his own before Christmas Eve.

There once was an elf called “Master Cleans A lot”. His name suited him a lot because every spare moment he had you could see him cleaning his hands or tidying his bed or cleaning out his ears (which were spotless) and for that reason all the other elves teased him. “Well I’ll show you all that one day I will save Christmas”. And that very next day that’s just what he did.

It was three days until Christmas Eve and all the elves were busy in the workshop. They were twist-ing dolls heads on their body and sewing buttons on teddy bears shirts. Then the big metal door opened. In came “Master Sneeze-A lot”. His name also suited him too for he always sneezed. “Ah-shoo! Mr. Claus has sent us.. Ahshoo! to see your work… Ahshoo!

While this was happening Master Cleans-A lot was showing Santa his new idea. When he came back to the workshop two hours later there was nobody there. There were half finished trains and one-wheel bikes. Mrs. Claus had a worried look on her face. All the elves are sick they have chest infections. “Oh how horrible!” thought Master Cleans-A lot. “All those germs… I couldn’t stand it”. “It’s up to you”, said Mrs. Claus “You are the only elf that isn’t sick” she said. “It is up to you to save Christmas”.

Master Cleans- A lot went up to his room and thought about this. “It’s up to you”, remembering Mrs. Claus words. “You have to save Christmas”. He opened up his drawer. In a golden box was a lump wrapped neatly in Christmas wrapping paper. He slid his finger under the flap of the wrapping paper. There was a plastic bag with sparkling gold dust inside. Every Christmas Eve since he started working as an elf, his grandmother gave him a gift of fairy dust. He has been working for Santa now for two hundred years (elves live longer than humans you know). So he had loads of fairy dust, which he kept for emergencies only. He never used any of it yet. He got a book with the fairy dust. You have to chant a spell to make it work without it its just normal glitter. The elves teased him. They said “That’s only art glitter - fairy dust isn’t real”. “But it is real” said Master Cleans-A lot over and over again.

The next day he was on his own. It was two days until Christmas Eve and Master Cleans-A lot worked like he never worked before. He hammered the nails until they broke. He sewed and he nearly made a hole in the cloth and when he printed the pages of books the printer worked so hard it nearly caught fire! But with all the hard work he did still have a lot to do. He couldn’t do it all in two days. This was an emergency. He needed his fairy dust or all the children of the world will be so disappointed.

So the next break he got he crept into his bedroom and opened his drawer from where he took out the bag of fairy dust. Then he walked back to the workshop and sprinkled it all over the tools. He waited a moment. He then said the spell “two fives are ten, that’s the number of men you’ll work for, that tools will be no more and that four machines will be built”. After those magical words the tools bounced up and down on their tables. They bounced up and down ten times until they fell to the ground. Two minutes later they turned into four flat DVD players. Then in another two minutes they turned into microwave ovens and finally they formed into four big machines with two large buttons on each – one green and the other red.

He pressed the green button. There was a sound of metal grinding. He filled the machine with all the material that went into the toys they made in the workshop. Then two seconds later he saw four dolls, five tables and three wooden trains. A second machine then appeared and this was a wrapping machine. A big metal claw lifted up the toy and put a sheet of wrapping paper around it. A third machine appeared and folded the paper neatly and stuck the sellotape on in all the right places. A fourth machine wrapped bows around them.

Darkness began to fall and Master Cleans-A lot was getting very tired. He put his head on his pil-low for forty winks he thought but as his head touched his pillow he fell sound asleep. The next day, Christmas eve, was a busy one. Some of the elves were feeling better but they still couldn’t work. In the workshop the big machines were putting the last touches to the toys. When the clock struck 9 o’clock it was time to load the sleighs with all the toys. Master Cleans-A lot and any elf who felt better packed the sleighs. When they were finished they decided to have a party to wish Santa well on his long journey – he firstly headed for Australia because the children there woke up first. Then they waved Santa goodbye.

The next day was Christmas day. The elves decided to hold a special awards ceremony for Master Cleans-A lot. He was awarded a special gold badge of honour for commitment. This time all the elves didn’t tease him. They looked up to him proudly as “The Elf who saved Christmas”.

Amy’s ChristmasSarah Moore, Aged 7, Avoca, Co Wicklow

Once upon a time there was a little girl called Amy, she lived with her Mum, Dad and little brother Sean. Amy loved Christmas so much, she loved the songs, the Christmas trees and not forgetting the presents, so Amy made sure that she was a very good girl all year so Santa would not forget her.

This year Amy wanted something so special from Santa, she was looking for a little puppy. It was time for Amy and her little brother Sean to go to bed and her mum and dad kissed them both goodnight and to sleep tight. Amy fell asleep quickly dreaming of Santa and what might be left under the Christmas tree that night while all of Amy’s family were all sleeping - there was not a sound in amys house as everyone slept and nothing, not even a creature was stirring, not even a mouse!

Somebody came down the chimney and he ate the biscuits and drank all the milk that Amy and Sean had left out. Santa then checked his list and found that Amy was such a good little girl all year and her brother Sean was good most of the time, so Santa put their presents under the tree - a doll for Amy with a lovely pink dress and shiny red shoes and train set for her little brother Sean, then Santa wrote Amy a note saying

To Amy

Im so sorry but I could not leave a puppy but i am leaving a special present so you can practice looking after a puppy and then, maybe your Mum and Dad may get you one for your birthday. I would love if you can now have a look inside the shiny red box!

Lots of love From

SantaThe next morning Amy woke up so early and she was so excited she ran in and woke her brother and then they both ran in and jumped on their Mum and Dads bed shouting for them to wake up! wake up! wake up!

They all went down the stairs and ran into the sitting room and Amy ran up to the tree and looked all around and she said that Santa was so good - look at all the presents! She found her doll and loved her then she found the note from Santa so she ran up to her Mum and Dad with the note and the box. Look! look! she said and Amy took the lid off and inside was a Nintendo and a puppy game... She did get a puppy after all her mum said was Santa so clever!

Amy and her brother mum and dad enjoyed the rest of the day she loved playing with all her toys especially her Nintendo and the puppy game. Amy went to bed that night so tired and so happy. She kissed her Mum and Dad goodnight and told them that this was the best Christmas ever and she couldn’t wait to show her friends the letter that Santa had wrote to her because Santa does not write notes to everyone!

Jenny’s Christmas WishEmma Kenny, Aged 10, Edenderry, Co Offaly.

Knock! Knock! Knock! … Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells … ‘Merry Christmas’ … ‘Ha ha ha’ … Beep! Beep! So many kids outside playing in the snow. All except for one, that one was Jenny, Jenny Brooks. Jenny had no friends at all, only her dog Buttons. Buttons loved Jenny and Christmas, they were his two favourite things in the whole wide world. ‘Com’on Buttons’ Jenny called, Jenny and Buttons were going out to play in their front garden and it was very cold, the snow looked like vanilla ice cream and the wind was blowing. Jenny’s brown soft hair was waving slowly in the wind and Buttons couldn’t wait to go out and dig up all the snow and then jump in it. They ran over to the deepest, snowiest part of the garden and started playing in the snow. They were having lots of fun laughing and messing around.

They were having such fun until the populars came over and crushed their fun. The populars were bullies and they were always mean to Jenny. They started calling Jenny names and called Buttons a mutty runt but Buttons couldn’t stick it, he barked and growled at them and chased them off. Then Jenny’s mum called them in for the night. Jenny walked into her room, it was freezing but she didn’t care, she was really happy, but only because she was excited that tomorrow night Santa was coming. She loved when Santa came. Before Jenny went to bed, she drew a picture of Santa and his reindeers, she put the picture under her pillow hoping that Santa would come and take it tomorrow night when she was asleep.

That night Jenny had a nightmare that Buttons got robbed. She woke up with fright and her heart was beating like a drum kit, she looked at her clock and it was 8.30am. She ran downstairs as fast as she could and called scarily “BUTTONS, BUTTONS”, but Buttons didn’t come. Jenny kept calling and calling , she ran to the front door skidding around and her mum wasstanding there worried. When Jenny looked at her mum, her mum said ‘ I’m so sorry Jenny, but your dad and me can’t find Buttons and we’ve looked everywhere’. Jenny looked outside and seen her father calling Buttons but he wasn’t there. Her mum said to her softly that at 7.00am they had let Buttons out to go to the toilet and she came in to put the kettle on and make some coffee for her dad before he went to work, and when she walked back to the door and Buttons was gone. ‘We ran outside and couldn’t find him’ Jenny’s mum said. So all day, Jenny went to ask everyone around had they seen Buttons but they hadn’t seen him anywhere since yesterday.

Jenny went and sat on her front step feeling very sad, she was looking down the road hoping Buttons would come home, and she saw the populars coming. She was about to turn around and run in before they called her names again but it was too late they saw her and started calling her names. Jenny was about to start crying but thought of how buttons had chased them off the day before so she walked out to the gate very angry with her two fists closed and gave them a taste of their own medicine. She walked up to them and started to answer them back and told them they were mean bullies. Jenny stood up to them and chased them off herself. Then her mum called her in for dinner, they had Buttons favourite food, Chinese, but Jenny couldn’t eat it. She was too sad, tears flooded down her face, she was angry and scared. She slammed her hands on the table then got up and walked away. Her mum followed her up the stairs but Jenny wasn’t in her room, she was in the hall sitting on Buttons’ fluffy red and blue bed. She was crying hoping he would come back. Her mum tried to tell her that her dad was still looking for Buttons and making posters to hang up around where they lived.

Jenny was still really sad and said ‘This is the worst Christmas ever’. Jenny’s mum told her it was time for bed cause Santa would come tonight. Jenny got up slowly and walked into her room. When she was sitting on her bed she saw a shooting star out her room window, she closed her eyes really tight and made a really big wish.

‘Dear Santa for Christmas all I would like is my dog Buttons back. I really wish he was here for Christmas.’

Jenny got into bed and her mum gave her a kiss on the cheek and said ‘Goodnight Jenny’. Jenny had no dreams that night, not good dreams nor bad dreams. She woke up at 5.00am and ran into her mum and dads room and said ‘It’s Christmas’. They walked downstairs into the sitting room to see what Santa had brought and guess what, Buttons was sitting in the middle of the floor wagging his tail and he had a note stuck to his back saying

‘Dear Jenny, you’re a very lucky girl. After I heard you’re wish last night I was watching out to see if I could see Buttons anywhere and I found him wondering around crying cause he was lost. I think he will be so happy to see you.

P.S. I got the picture you drew of me and the reindeers and I think that someday you will be a brilliant artist.’

Jenny ran over and hugged Buttons real tight and said to her mum “This is the BEST Christmas ever. My wish came true”.

The Magic DustBilly Rankin, Aged 7, Mountmellick, Co Laois.

Once upon a time in Santa’s workshop before Christmas a terrible thing happened! The Elves caught the flu but it wasn’t just any flu, it was REINDEER FLU! Santa and Mrs Claus were very upset so Mrs Claus went to town on a reindeer to visit the Chemist. When she asked for some medicine they told her they didn’t have any so she went home empty handed.

The days went by and the Elves didn’t get any better and Santa didn’t know what to do. On Christmas Eve Santa was up in the attic getting his suit and he found a bag of old magic dust. He went down to the workshop and he put some of the magic dust on the Elves’ benches and all the tools started to make the toys by themselves!

Christmas was saved and all the good boys and girls got their presents!

Chris’ Sleigh RideLisa Heneghan, Aged 12, Kilmaine, Co Mayo.

It was Christmas Eve and Chris had nowhere to go because he lived in a foster home with all the otjer kids, who were all younger than him. That night, he sat out on the balcony and cried be-cause he had always wanted to have a family dinner instead of eating it alone. Suddenly there was a flashing light and before his eyes stodd Santa Claus himself.

‘My my, why are you out here on this bitter cold night all by yourself?’ sighed Santa. ‘I have noth-ing better to do for i have no family’ cried Chris. ‘If you stop crying perhaps you could come for a sleigh ride!’ Santa said. ‘ARE YOU SERIOUS?’ cried Chris with delight. ‘Well, that depends a whole lot on whether you stop crying or not!’ laughed Santa.

And so it was Santa, Chris and all the reindeers were off giving out all the beautiful presents. Chris stared at every house in disbelief as Santa made his way down the chimney. When they were all done Santa said he had one last mission to do. Chris had some crazy ideas running through his head of what it could be.

Eventually the landed at their destination. ‘Who’s house is this?’ asked Chris. ‘Mr and Mrs Philips’ Santa said. ‘My last name is Philips too’ sighed Chris. ‘Yes, I know Chris, for these are your parents’ boasted Santa. Chris stared in utter disbelief. ‘Come on then, jump out, you have always wanted a Christmas dinner with your family’ laughed Santa. ‘But what shall i say to them?’ wondered Chris. ‘You leave that to me... ’ said Santa as he led him into the house. ‘Thanks for the sleigh ride’ said Chris.

And so it was that Chris was reunited with his family and lived happily ever after.

My Magic SnowmanKelsey Daly, Aged 10, Crumlin, Dublin 12.

I love Christmas, its the best! My favourite Christmas was when i was six, that was four years ago. It was Christmas Eve and i was in bed but i couldn’t sleep. I had a feeling that someone was out-side so i hopped out of my bed and stared out my window... but there was nothing there. I got back into bed and i looked at my window sil and it was all white - it was snowing!

I hopped out of my bed (again) and go my coat on, then ran down the stairs and out the door. There was snow everywhere and i LOVE snow. I built a snowman and I named him snowflake. I was getting cold so i decided to go back inside. The next morning it was Christmas morning and when i looked out the window, the snowman was still there. Usually snowmen are gone within a day, but this one wasn’t - I knew there was something strange about Snowflake. I ran downstairs and opened my presents and i had gotten a snowman’s hat. ‘Mam, is there such a things as a liv-ing snowman?’ I asked my mother. ‘Don’t be silly’ my mother replied.

I don’t know why i got a snowman’s hat for Christmas and i wondered and wondered... why didn’t i get a doll, instead i got a snowmans hat, i thought. I went outside to play with my snowman and give him his hat. ‘Hi’ i heard a voice say... ‘Who said that?’ i replied... ‘Me’.... ‘Who’s me?’ i replied.... ‘Your snowman!’ the voice replied. ‘MY SNOWMAN?!’ i replied... ‘Yes’ Snowflake re-plied.... ‘Are you cold?’ I asked... ‘Yes’ nodded snowflake.... ‘Do you want my Christmas present?’ i asked... ‘Really??’ replied snowflake.... ‘Yeah, here you go’ as i handed him my snowmans hat. ‘Santa will be so proud of you’ said snowflake.

Three days later and Snowflake was still there. We played chasing, hide and seek and many other games - Snowflake won on hide and seek! My Mam thought its was wierd and later that day i went back inside and watched Spongebob while my mam lit a fire because it was still snowing and getting very cold - the fire was lovely and hot. About an hour later when i looked out the window Snowflake had disappeared into the snow. I ran outside and heard a whoosing sound and then something in the wind said ‘Goodbye’ - I knew it was Snowflake and from then on, i always believed in living snowmen and magic!

One Magical ChristmasEmma Moore, Aged 9, Naas, Co. Kildare

One day a little girl called Lucy Loo was very excited because she was going to see Santa Claus. Lucy’s Mam said ‘Come on, were going to see Santa Claus!’ and Lucy shouted with enjoyment and she got into the car and they drove off.

A little later Lucys mother said ‘We’re here’ and Lucy got out of the car and got in the queue. The line got smaller and smaller and soon Lucy was up next. Santa asked Lucy to come here and sit on his lap and then asked what would she like for Christmas. Lucy said she would like a doll and a buggie. Santa told Lucy to make a Christmas wish before she went to bed on Christmas Eve.

It was Christmas Eve and Lucy was goign to bed but before she did, she went into the sitting room and made her wish. Lucy wished that she could see Santa tonight. After she had made her wish, Lucy went to bed.

One hour later Lucy woke up and heard a bang on the roof. She got out of bed and went down to the sitting room. Lucy saw Santa Claus use his magic to go down the chimney and then he was in the sitting room. Lucy tapped Santa on the back and Santa turned around and told her that her wish had come true!

Lucy brought Santa into the kitchen to get some milk and cookies and some carrots for the rein-deer. Santa told Lucy ity was time to go back to bed, so Lucy went back to bed. Santa then left and went to the next house.

Thye next morning came and Lucy woke up and went to the sitting room to play with her toys. Lucy’s Mam woke up and cooked a big dinner for everyone.

Lucy and her family had a wonderful Christmas!