The Sleigh Verdict: You Voted, I Listened
Last Christmas, I asked you a rather important question. Should I swap my trusty sleigh for a flying DeLorean, complete with candy-cane stripes, fairy lights and a glowing red nose on the front?
I thought a few of you might write back. Instead, your letters arrived in sacks, then in sledges, and then Mrs Claus had to clear a whole corner of the mailroom just to fit them in.
What you told me
Some of you loved the idea. One letter simply said, “YES. With rockets.” Another asked whether the DeLorean could do loop-the-loops. It cannot, and I am far too old to find out.
But most of you were worried about one thing: the reindeer. “What would Rudolph do?” “Would Dasher be sad?” “Who would eat all the carrots?” Very good questions, every one of them.
The reindeer’s secret meeting
While I was busy reading, the reindeer held a meeting of their own in the stables. I was not invited. I only found out because Comet left the notes pinned to the stable door.
Dasher, who had been very keen on the DeLorean, gave a long speech about going faster. Then Rudolph stood up and said, quite simply, “But we’re a team.” Nobody spoke for a moment after that. Even Dasher nodded.
The verdict
So here it is. The sleigh stays.
My sleigh has carried me through blizzards and over oceans for more Christmases than I can count. It runs on Christmas spirit and the belief of children everywhere, and no engine on Earth can do that. Best of all, it comes with eight wonderful reindeer and one very bright red nose.
I did listen to those of you who suggested a few upgrades, though. The elves have fitted a spill-proof cocoa holder to the front seat, after what they call “the Norway incident”. They have also added a heated cushion for the long, chilly stretch over the Arctic. Dasher has been promised that he can lead the practice laps on windy days. He has stopped sulking. Mostly.
As for the DeLorean, it is now parked at the back of the workshop under a dust sheet. Buddy keeps popping in to “just check the tyres”. I am keeping a very close eye on him.
Thank you to everyone who wrote, drew pictures and sent in ideas. Reading them was the best start to the Christmas season I could have wished for. It also reminded me that listening to others is one of the kindest things anyone can do. The elves have already started on this year’s Nice List, and kind listening is exactly the sort of thing they look out for.
The cocoa holder still needs a name, by the way. The elves have been arguing about it all week, and so far nobody agrees on anything. I’ll tell you what they decide just before I set off on Christmas Eve.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have some cocoa to test.
Warm wishes (and a very cosy cushion),
Santa
For grown-ups: Paid members can ask Santa’s elves to add a child’s name to the Nice List, and help keep The North Pole Times running.
