Cosy Winter Stories

Join me for a 2.5-hour storytelling session, where you can enjoy three cosy Winter stories all combined into one long relaxation track. I hope you enjoy 'Christmas Eve in the Magical Castle', 'The Husky Sleigh Ride', and 'The Christmas Express to the North Pole'!

All accompanied by immersive sound effects and music

Transcript

A warm welcome to this very special sleep story,

Where you are the main character.

Tonight,

You will experience all the enchantment of Christmas as you are taken to one of the most magical places ever created.

Before we begin,

We will do a short relaxation session,

Preparing you for a good night sleep.

Please remember that there is no right or wrong here,

And there is no particular way that you should feel in these moments.

Each experience is as unique as us all,

So try to let go of any pressure you might be putting on yourself to feel certain things,

Or perhaps to fall asleep quickly tonight.

It doesn't matter if you do or you don't.

If you simply follow my voice and allow this story to wash over you,

Then you will enter a world of deep relaxation,

Where you can rest and recover.

So,

When you are ready,

Just feel the eyelids becoming heavier and heavier with each passing blink,

Until they gently close.

Remind yourself that this is your time to relax,

There is nothing left to do and nothing left to think.

The day is done now,

Whatever has happened is already in the past,

And here in this moment,

The future is beyond our reach.

So if thoughts arise about the day or the week that has been,

Or the days ahead of you,

Then acknowledge that these thoughts are completely normal and valid,

They are part of what makes us human,

Which is a wonderful thing.

But also kindly remind yourself that these thoughts or concerns are of no use to us now,

And tonight there is no need to engage with them.

They are simply thoughts,

As fleeting as shooting stars across a night sky.

You are safe tonight,

And you are protected,

You can be reassured by the fact that my voice and this story will never take you anywhere that is unpleasant.

Your sleepy cat is simply here to guide you on your own twilight adventures,

And to help you enter a world of magic and peace where you can be completely free.

And now,

We will do a short guided breathing pattern called 3,

4,

5.

This will allow you to slow down and relax,

Preparing your body and your mind for a wonderful,

Peaceful rest.

When you are ready,

Breathe in through the nose for 3,

Hold for 4,

And breathe out for 5,

Let all of it go now,

Again that's in for 3,

Hold for 4,

And release,

Blowing away the thoughts of yesterday,

Today,

And tomorrow,

Again in for 3,

Hold,

And let it go.

Continue to breathe in this way in your own time,

And with each breath out,

Allow your body to sink just that bit deeper,

Now,

Allow the breath to fall back into a natural rhythm.

Enjoy this new peace flowing through your body.

During your adventure tonight,

You will be surrounded by friends and loved ones,

These can be from the wizarding world itself,

Or they can be your own friends,

Family,

Or anybody that is special to you,

There are no limits here and no rules.

Now,

Imagine yourself dressed in the colours of your house,

Paint a picture of your wizarding self in your mind,

And be with this image and embrace all of the little details.

As you continue to relax and go deeper into a world of comfort,

You can allow your mind to and your imagination to unlock as we prepare to go on a magical journey and enjoy Christmas Eve at the School of Magic.

It is the morning of Christmas Eve and you are lying in your bed in your house dorm,

The soft sunrise is shimmering through your bed curtains which are the colours of your wizarding house,

The fireplace is still glowing from last night and gurgling gently,

Giving the room a perfect warmth.

Many oil paintings are hanging on the grey stone walls and the subjects of these paintings are beginning to wake up themselves.

All of the other beds are empty and the rest of your house must already be in the common room.

On each bedside table you can see piles of school books,

Some more dusty than others,

And scraps of parchment with unfinished homework are lying on the floor.

As you sit up,

You see that on your bedside table is a fresh mug of hot water with a small tack on the handle.

The tag reads,

A very merry Christmas from the elves of the castle.

Before you take your first sip,

Imagine the drink that you most desire this morning and then bring the cup to your lips.

You do as the note tells you and begin to taste your delicious morning drink.

You sit comfortably,

Drink in hand,

As your eyes wander around the room,

Taking in the beautiful wooden panels,

The old stone pillars,

The Christmas decorations and the small castle windows with beads of snow drifting by.

With a slow,

Deep breath,

You are reminded of the fact that this is your home.

The bedsheets are thick,

Warm and cozy and on a cool winter's morning like this one,

It is tempting to stay here all day,

Simply drifting in and out of a peaceful slumber.

However,

You have a very busy day ahead of you and so you decide to hop out of bed and get ready for the morning.

Once dressed,

You head out of your room and down the creaky wooden stairs.

You shuffle through the now empty common room and out of the portrait doorway,

Which swings open as you approach.

You make haste down the winding stone steps.

And through the long echoey corridors,

You know that the breakfast feast is about to begin.

As you get closer to the great hall,

You stop to admire the enormous Christmas tree in front of you,

Shimmering in a dark emerald and covered in a variety of enchanted decorations.

Among these,

You see a tiny cauldron bubbling on the bottom branch,

A wizard's wand in the middle casting miniature spells of different colors,

And a golden witch's hat perched at the very top.

The hypnotic smell of a breakfast feast is drifting out of the hall and your impatience gets the better of you as you push open the huge wooden doors and walk inside.

The great hall is full of life.

You can hear faint music echoing around the room.

Coming from the magical band in the corner,

And the endless floating candles are providing a glowing archway above you.

Across the enchanted ceiling is a golden sunrise with a gentle snow falling into the hall.

Many students and teachers are mingling together,

Even across different houses,

And they chat away about the recent term,

Their favorite wizarding sports,

And the Christmas Eve ahead of them.

One or two are reading the morning paper,

Playing card games,

Or trying out new spells.

There is the soft clang of dishes and cutlery as people enjoy their breakfast.

And further down the long wooden table,

You spot a few of your friends who are giving you a wide smile,

Beckoning you to join them.

You head over and join your friends as you begin to fill your plate with delicious food and your goblet with a refreshing drink.

You take in all the beautiful,

Festive details as you start to enjoy your breakfast.

Just then,

A rumor passes down the table that the great lake has frozen over,

And at midday,

There will be an ice skating party.

One of your friends mentions a special potion they are working on,

Which will keep the whole body warm on a cold winter's day,

And they ask for your help in finding their final ingredient,

The feather of a phoenix.

You glance over to the teacher's table at the end of the hall,

And you spot the pure white beard of the headmaster,

Who gives you a gentle smile with a twinkle in his eye.

You see his delicate hand wave his wand,

And suddenly,

A piece of parchment in the shape of a small bird is flying over to you.

You catch it out of the air above,

And as you unfold the paper bird,

Something falls out and is floating down to the table.

It is a single red feather mingled with gold and orange,

A phoenix feather.

You and your friend stare at each other,

Completely stunned.

You look back to the headmaster and give him a thankful smile,

But how did he know?

As the feast finally comes to an end,

You follow your friend out of the great hall,

The final ingredient in hand,

And they lead you down a thin,

Secret passageway to the right.

You are sure that you have never been here before.

As you reach the end of the passage,

You watch in amazement as a small wooden door appears out of thin air.

With a cheeky smile,

Your friend opens the door,

And you step inside.

The room is enormous,

As big as the great hall twice over.

It is filled with old chairs and tables,

Cabinets and paintings,

As well as piles of old books,

Large wooden boxes,

And old trinkets of gold,

Silver,

And copper.

You look up to see thick white pillars descending down from the ceiling,

But stopping halfway,

As if unfinished.

There is a deep,

Ancient magic here,

And already,

You can tell that this room has been enchanted for thousands of years.

Your friend leads you through the maze-like room,

Telling you that this room is only usable for those who have great need of it.

You wander around a tall,

Chipped statue of an ancient witch,

And arrive at a small clearing of smooth stone.

On the floor rests a small,

Gray cauldron,

Bubbling away by itself.

Smoke rises from the cauldron in colors of green,

Blue,

Red,

And purple.

As you kneel down by the cauldron,

You drop the phoenix feather above it,

And as it floats down into the potion,

You are met by a wave of nerves and excitement.

The feather begins to dissolve,

And the bright green liquid starts to stir itself into a whirlpool,

Changing into a deep sapphire color.

The potion settles now,

And sits completely still in the cauldron,

Like an idle lake,

Undisturbed and peaceful.

It is ready.

Your friend pours it into two large vials,

And you decide to take just a sip to begin.

Instantly,

You feel a new warmth trickling down your body,

From the top of your head,

Through your neck and shoulders,

Down your back,

Across your legs,

And all the way into your toes.

You cork the vial and put it safely in your pocket as you leave this mysterious room.

You begin to run down the castle corridors now,

Your footsteps echoing through the stone tunnels.

You finally arrive at the front door of the castle.

It is 20 feet tall,

Made of solid iron with enormous circular handles.

The door is slightly open,

And through the gap,

You see a layer of fresh thick snow carpeting the castle grounds and glistening in the midday sun.

You run outside and leap into the snow,

Giving yourself permission to feel like a child again.

Despite being mid-winter,

The sun's rays provide a gentle heat on your face,

And your potion is working its magic as your entire body feels as though it is being warmed by a mini-fire from within.

You start to wander down to the lake and feel the cool,

Crisp air kissing your cheeks as the frosted grass crunches under your feet.

Over to your right,

The giant willow tree has a dusting of snow on its branches.

Then,

The tree gives an almighty shudder.

The snow falls off and disappears into a white mist as the willow's branches wrap around itself.

As you work your way through a small patch of trees,

You see a few of the teachers standing in a large circle on the frozen lake,

Gently waving their wands.

Right before your eyes,

The ice starts to form together,

And you watch in amazement as a stadium of ice is constructed before you,

Pillar by pillar.

At the entrance is a tall archway of ice with inscriptions carved across the top.

The teachers turn to you all with a shared smile,

And beckon for each and every one of you to go inside.

At the entrance is the headmaster,

Alongside the head boy and girl.

They are standing beside a large,

Bubbling cauldron that definitely smells like hot chocolate.

The headmaster calls you over,

That familiar mischievous glint in his eye.

I wonder if I might have a drop of that lovely potion you made,

Just to keep an old man warm at Christmas.

He did provide the final ingredient,

After all.

So,

You take the vial from your pocket and hand it over.

He takes a small sip,

And you see his whole face soften.

Simply wonderful,

He adds with a satisfied smile.

Then,

He removes the lid of the cauldron,

And you share a knowing smile,

As he adds the rest of the potion to the hot chocolate.

The head girl spoons a ladle of chocolate into a tall tankard,

And hands it over to you.

You enter the stadium of ice as the other students queue for their newly enchanted hot chocolate.

As you emerge from the archway,

You see an oval arena held up by huge pillars of ice,

And across the arena are hundreds of seats,

All of which are carved from ice,

But are covered with soft blankets.

There are powerful enchantments at work here,

And you can feel the magic in the air.

In the four corners of the arena,

Hanging from the top of the pillars,

Are the flags of each wizarding house.

As your gaze wanders around the stadium,

You take in the sapphire and grey,

The crimson and gold,

The emerald and silver,

And the yellow and black decorations strung all around.

Their colors seem brighter than usual.

The ice rink in the middle looks perfectly smooth,

Like a layer of blue silk.

You take the small walkway around the outside of the rink,

And find a seat amongst the rest of your house.

A few students have already taken to the ice and start to skate around the arena,

Laughing and joking as they find their feet.

Other students and teachers begin to cast magical spells,

And suddenly,

Bright blue spectrals appear from their wands,

Taking the form of their spirit animals.

The animals join in the festivities.

They gallop around the arena,

Jump over their caster's head,

And begin playing together.

If you like,

You can summon yours now,

Too.

You know the spell.

A stream of blue emerges from your wand and takes the shape of your favorite animal.

As you watch your animal join in with the others,

You feel a sense of comfort washing over you,

And you cannot help but smile.

And now,

A few of your friends are getting ready to go onto the ice.

You are hesitant at first,

But one of your friends kneels down and casts a quiet enchantment on your skates.

This is very advanced magic,

And for as long as you wear these skates today,

It will be impossible to fall.

You are met by a new confidence as you pull your skates on and head out onto the rink.

The soft breeze is refreshing on your skin,

But your entire body is warm and your feet are steady.

You skate at whatever pace you are comfortable with.

As you glide around the rink,

You see instruments sculpted from the ice,

Playing by themselves.

A soothing,

Hypnotic melody weaves through the air,

One that only adds to the enchantment.

And as you are skating,

You pass by couples dancing on the ice together,

Students playing games,

And the bright blue animals mingling amongst all of the action.

You give yourself permission to surrender to all of the magic that surrounds you.

And to embrace this feeling of complete freedom.

As mid-afternoon approaches,

There is an announcement from the teachers.

There will be a spontaneous trip into the nearby wizarding village.

There,

You can explore the many streets and taverns and shop to your heart's content.

And gradually,

Now,

Everyone begins to file out of the ice rink and back into the snow-covered grounds of the castle.

As a special treat,

The headmaster has arranged for magic sledges to take you into the village,

And you watch them racing up the hill towards you.

A small wooden sledge slides up to your feet and slowly turns itself around,

Ready for you to take a seat.

You get yourself comfortable on your sledge and hold onto the rope in front of you.

The sledge wiggles with excitement,

And in the next moment,

It sets off down the hill.

The sledge turns around the embankment along with all the others as you make your way to the village.

The sledge steers by itself,

But you can control the speed by using the rope in your hands.

You might decide to race one of your friends,

Or instead,

Coast along nicely at your own pace.

As you reach the bottom of the hill,

You can see the details of this beautiful village,

Gradually becoming clearer and more vivid.

It is a small but charming village,

With wood-paneled buildings that have thatched roofs covered in a layer of snow,

And warm yellow lights are illuminating the many windows.

You see two tall Christmas trees acting as a gateway into the village,

And far beyond the buildings are white hills in the distance.

It is the perfect picture.

You suddenly feel a sense of homely comfort and warmth as together you all enter the village.

The cobbled stone paths have a clear walkway,

With piles of snow shoveled on each side.

There are decorations going from house to house,

Which form a colorful canopy above you.

Many children are playing,

And witches and wizards are walking around the streets,

Or talking outside shops and houses.

In the very center of the village,

A brass band plays around a small fountain.

In one shop window,

You see a collection of broomsticks and wizards' clothing in the four colors of the different houses.

In another,

There are rows of potion bottles,

Bubbling cauldrons,

And smoking pots which are stirring by themselves.

Another window is full of small furry creatures with big welcoming eyes.

One of these in particular catches your attention.

It is the smallest of the group,

But by far the most excited.

It gazes up at you and hops around happily.

You pass the window of the sweet shop,

Filled with multicolored lights,

And a grand display of all your favorite magical sweets.

It looks like another world entirely.

As you approach the fountain,

You can hear the music more clearly.

And as you pass by the local tavern,

The door swings open,

And a blast of warm air hits you,

Coupled with the smell of their home-brewed butterscotch beer.

The headmaster announces that you have time to visit one shop today,

After which everyone is to meet in the tavern.

Since it is Christmas Eve,

You are feeling a little indulgent,

And you decide to go with your friends to the sweet shop nearby.

The little bell rings as you open the door,

And you are greeted with a warm smile from an elderly man and woman behind the counter.

The place is busy with many students and customers.

As you wander around the store,

You can smell all of the sweets.

Chocolate.

The shelves are twice your height and lined with various colored packets.

There are mint chocolate mice,

Shrinking fudge,

Licorice wands,

Sherbet lemons,

Sizzling snowballs,

Pear drop popcorn,

And hundreds more fantastic treats,

All stacked neatly together.

The older woman approaches you with a kind smile.

She holds out a brown paper bag,

And as it opens,

A wonderful smell emerges.

You reach in,

Take out a smooth boiled sweet,

And ask what it is.

A brand new recipe,

She tells you.

This is the ultimate treat,

Designed to taste of whatever flavor you are most craving.

She thinks that she has finally perfected it.

You focus on the flavor that you would most like to taste,

And pop the sweet in your mouth.

Gradually,

You begin to taste this flavor that you desire,

And the longer you eat,

The stronger it becomes.

It is a weird but wonderful experience,

And you are met by a sudden tranquility flowing through your body.

As the sweet finally dissolves,

You are left with the simple feeling of comfort,

And you cannot help but beam from ear to ear.

Just then,

You look out through the square paneled windows and into the cobbled street.

Directly opposite you,

In the pet shop window,

You notice the same furry animal from before.

It is looking at you with its big,

Hopeful eyes,

And still hopping around,

Seemingly trying to grab your attention.

You are desperate to go over and meet this animal,

And you think that if you are quick,

You might just have time.

You thank the shopkeeper with a smile,

As you slip quietly away on your own and run across the street.

You enter the small pet shop,

Which has a dark wooden floor,

Tall wooden pillars,

And more traditional decorations.

The atmosphere is much calmer here,

And many of the animals are sleeping,

And the shop is only a few minutes from closing.

You can see the small animal hopping around excitedly,

And as you approach it,

It begins to call out happily.

You hear footsteps from behind,

And as you turn,

You see the kind face of the shopkeeper.

They walk past you,

Unlock the cage,

And gently remove the tiny animal.

They gesture for you to hold out your hand,

And they place the animal in your palm.

As you gently cup this small creature in your hands,

It begins to purr softly and curls up instantly.

Without another hesitation,

You pay the shopkeeper,

And place your new animal on your shoulder.

You hear a knock at the shop window,

And there are your friends,

Beckoning you to come outside.

It's time to visit the local tavern.

You walk back into the street and head over to the tavern.

Tiny flakes of white land on your face and your jacket,

As you shield your new companion from the snow.

As you push open the door of the tavern,

The warm air greets you,

And the smell of butterscotch beer is still as powerful as before.

When you arrive inside,

You come face to face with the headmaster,

Who has been waiting for you.

It seems you are a little bit late.

For a moment,

His eyes are stern,

And your stomach flutters with nerves.

But then his face softens,

And his cheeky smile greets you once again.

His eyes flick to your shoulder,

And he asks what you've decided to name your new friend.

He gives your animal a gentle stroke under its chin,

And then invites you to join him at the table,

Where you find all the other students beginning to take their seats.

The table is made of thick,

Enchanted wood,

And it stretches out to fit everyone on it.

Dotted around the tavern are oil lanterns,

And many candles float around the room,

Or hang from the walls.

A few wizards sit at the bar,

Ordering their regular drink.

Others are perched at small tables,

Reading a newspaper,

Or engrossed in some wizard's poker.

In the quiet corner of the tavern,

A solo musician plays a gentle tune,

Which rounds off this perfect atmosphere.

Many of the workers are bringing out large trays,

Packed full of slender glasses,

Like mini goblets.

In the glass goblets is a bright,

Shiny,

Orange liquid with a pearly white foam on top.

One of these drinks is placed in front of you,

And you enjoy the sweet smell rising from the glass.

You place the drink to your lips and take your first sip.

You are met by a wonderful,

Warming sensation,

Rippling throughout your body,

And the sweet texture of the foam is a delicious blend with the thick orange liquid.

As you enjoy your hearty drink,

You join in with the festivities,

The jokes and the conversations that are dotted around the table,

While your new companion takes a nap on your shoulder.

You cannot quite believe that this magical world is yours.

You smile in the comfort of knowing that you can return here whenever you need to,

And that this castle and these wonderful people will always be here for you.

In the next moment,

Word is passed around that it is time to head back to the castle for the Christmas feast.

Everyone begins to pack up their things and get ready to leave.

You leave the tavern now and walk back into the street,

Placing your furry friend in your top pocket to keep them warm.

The sun is setting now,

And as you look down the cobbled street,

You see the purple and red sky illuminated by the golden sun as it slowly sinks behind the thatched buildings of the village.

The many street lamps provide a collection of soft yellow spotlights guiding your journey back to the castle.

Your body feels warm and comfortable,

And the air is quite mild this evening.

As you walk back to the castle through the snow,

You reminisce on what has been a truly magical day so far.

You think back to the enchanted elven tea,

The breakfast feast,

Your potion making,

The ice skating party,

And your adventure into the wizarding village.

And then,

As you emerge over the top of the hill,

You see it.

Standing proud against the newly dark sky is the castle which you call home,

Backed by the infinite glitter of the stars.

Tall gothic towers of old but immaculate stonework are protruding from the main structure.

Long windows overlooking the castle grounds are pulsing with the soft light of the lanterns inside.

There are even colorful Christmas lights wrapped around many of the turrets.

The new moon sits behind the tallest tower,

And the sky is alive with silver stardust.

Seeing this castle in all of its festive glory,

You cannot imagine anywhere else that you would rather be.

This place is governed by a deep,

Ancient magic,

One that you know will always keep you safe.

It is a perfect sight,

And one that you will never forget.

As you arrive at the main doors,

They slowly open for you.

One by one,

You enter the castle,

And follow the group into the great hall.

There are now hundreds more decorations dotted around the hall,

And in the air,

You can smell cinnamon and apple,

Roasted vegetables,

And freshly baked mince pies.

Over to your right,

The enormous wood fire burns and glows,

Warming the entire room.

And,

All of the teacher's Christmas stockings are hanging down from the mantelpiece.

The enchanted ceiling above has now transformed into the night sky,

And you watch shooting stars passing overhead.

There are four big snowmen in each corner of the room,

Each one wearing the colors of their wizarding house,

Topped,

Of course,

With a giant Santa hat.

However,

It is the enormous Christmas tree that is the centerpiece of the hall,

And it pulses with a hypnotic golden green glow.

You cannot quite believe it,

Yet somehow,

This castle feels even more magical.

You take a moment to simply bask in your beautiful,

Festive surroundings,

And to embrace every little enchanted detail.

Gradually,

The group begins to take their seats,

And when everyone is ready,

The headmaster stands up and taps his wand three times on the pulpit.

Right before your eyes,

An entire Christmas feast appears in front of you,

And is spread all along the tables.

There is more than enough food for everyone three times over.

The great hall is filled with a new excitement,

Innocent laughter,

And pockets of conversation as the Christmas feast begins.

As you eat this comforting and delicious dinner,

You keep one eye on the desserts,

Ready for when you finish your main course.

Occasionally,

You pass a small piece of food to your new companion,

Who is sitting comfortably on your shoulder and taking in their new surroundings.

You feel so lucky,

So grateful to be here tonight.

This truly is one of the most magical places in the world,

And one of the most magical places to spend Christmas Eve.

You know that you will treasure these memories forever.

As the great feast comes to an end,

You watch in amazement as all of the goblets and platters disappear out of sight,

And the tables are left immaculate,

Just how you found them.

You wave to the headmaster,

Bidding a warm goodnight,

As you join your friends leaving the great hall.

You slowly head back up the castle stairs and through the winding corridors,

Feeling warm,

Full,

And satisfied.

At last,

You reach your common room,

And the door is wide open,

As many people are filtering back inside.

You feel your legs and body grow heavy now,

And you are ready to sit down,

Ready to relax.

You wander over to a cozy-looking armchair and flop down with a sigh.

You get yourself comfortable and place your feet on a stool.

The chair is filled with soft cushions,

And you pull a nearby blanket over your legs.

You take out your wand and point it at the fireplace.

In a split second,

The fire is bubbling and providing a gentle heat in the room.

Someone comes over with a small silver tray of hot,

Festive drinks and offers you a mug.

You thank them with a smile as you take one.

You sit now completely relaxed and slowly let your eyes flick around the room,

As you reminisce on what has been a perfect day in the perfect place.

A few witches and wizards are sharing gifts,

Others are playing different games and sharing magical snacks.

You are invited to play,

But tonight,

You are in the mood to simply sit and watch.

It has been a long day after all.

On the other side of the room,

You spot a couple of your friends playing quite an intense game of wizard's chess.

Your furry friend has shuffled off your shoulder now and is perched on your lap,

Fast asleep.

You take this time to simply relax.

It is the perfect atmosphere and you give yourself permission to surrender.

As more and more people begin to head to their room,

The common area is becoming quieter and so even more peaceful as you continue to enjoy your seat by the fire.

By bit,

Your eyes begin to feel heavy and your body is comfortable and warm.

You think it might be time to head up to bed.

You take your blanket and bid those who are still awake a Merry Christmas.

As you climb the spiral staircase,

Your animal is still asleep,

Curled up in your hand.

When you enter the bedroom,

There is a soft glow from the oil lantern and a gentle fire is crackling.

You put your belongings under your bed and pop your new friend on your bedside table as you change into nice,

Comfy clothes,

Ready for bed.

You shuffle under the covers and gaze out of the nearby window that overlooks the castle grounds.

Outside the window,

The moonlight illuminates the snow-covered grass,

And in the distance,

You can see the frozen lake surrounded by trees and glistening in the starlight.

The moon and the stars are providing their own music tonight,

A soothing,

Sleepy symphony just for you.

You feel a soft fur touching your arm and you realize that your new friend has nestled themselves in the crook of your arm and fallen back asleep in an instant.

You lie here in this enchanted bed that feels as if you are lying on a cloud.

The memories of the day fill you with warmth,

Comfort,

And happiness.

And as you begin to imagine a Christmas day in the castle,

There is a new excitement for the coming morning.

This truly is the most magical place on Earth,

And it is your home.

Your eyes are closed now and you feel yourself drifting off more and more.

Your body is heavy and completely free.

Your mind is empty and full of joy.

You are safe and you are protected.

Your thoughts begin to fade as the magic of Christmas envelops you and you drift away into a peaceful sleep.

And as you go deeper and deeper,

Just feel your mind softening as you allow your imagination to unlock.

And bit by bit,

Your surroundings begin to change.

You are riding inside a small but comfortable sleigh in the middle of a snowy valley,

Surrounded by thick conifer trees.

Their evergreen needles shimmer through the thick dusting of frost that coats them.

Guiding you on your journey is a family of huskies,

Eight in total,

Pulling along your sleigh with complete ease.

They are wolf-like in their appearance,

But you can sense the innocence and mischief of newborn puppies.

The air is cool and crisp,

And you are wrapped in thick trousers,

A nice big coat,

And your favorite woolly hat and scarf.

Your thermal gloves send a beautiful,

Pulsing warmth through your hands,

And this fresh,

Healing air is enchanting to breathe in.

A series of mountain peaks ascend up into the sky,

Which is illuminated in a golden pink light,

As the last glow of sunset kisses the snow,

And a beautiful glitter sparkles all around you.

Your sleigh weaves gracefully through the valley,

And you allow yourself to take in this moment of pure peace.

As your eyes flick down,

You see a small wicker basket,

And inside,

You meet the bright blue gaze of another husky,

A puppy barely three weeks old.

They sniff the air with curiosity,

And their beaming eyes radiate purity and unconditional love.

As you meet their gaze,

Their tail begins to whack uncontrollably,

And their back paw thumps with excitement.

You reach down,

Take this precious puppy in your arms,

And bring them in for a warm hug.

This is Shiva,

And she will be your companion tonight.

You stroke her soft head,

And Shiva wriggles in your hands,

Trying to sniff your ear,

And you cannot help but chuckle at your lovely new friend.

And just then,

There is a new phenomenon taking over the sky.

You watch in amazement as the setting sun suddenly crosses paths with the rising moon,

Creating a total eclipse.

The world around you is plunged into a magical darkness,

And above you,

A bright silver ring pulses in the middle of the black sky,

And a single shooting star passes over it in slow motion.

You notice that there is a gentle tingling sensation running through you,

And as you embrace this new enchantment,

You can feel each and every muscle softening and releasing any remaining tension.

You cannot be sure,

But it feels as if your sleigh is lifting very slowly off the ground,

But since you are still enveloped by the darkness of the eclipse,

It is impossible to know.

In the next moment,

There is a flash of white,

And you find yourself squinting at the new light.

Bit by bit,

Your eyes adjust,

And you realize that your instincts were correct.

You are now soaring above the frosted treetops and between the high mountain peaks.

The new moon pulses above you as guardian of the twilight.

A sea of infinite stars pepper the black night,

And the constellations have never been clearer.

You rise up higher and higher,

Following a faint path of stardust,

And the huskies seem to gallop through mid-air as they take on their very own enchantment.

This land is blessed with the ancient magic of the old earth.

There is a beautiful serenity here,

Where time almost stands still,

And you are right in the middle of it,

Completely protected by the moon and the stars.

Little Shiva has fallen fast asleep in your arms,

And you hold her close to you,

Just inside your coat,

Allowing your body heat to keep her warm.

As you climb high above the mountains,

You are greeted by the sudden appearance of the northern lights,

Rippling in colorful waves on either side of you and following you on your flight.

There is a glistening emerald stardust flowing underneath the sleigh as a rich purple haze spirals around you,

And a soft blue weaves overhead,

Creating an ethereal kaleidoscope of color.

You can feel the deep enchantments within the aurora borealis,

And there is a new heaviness flowing through your body.

You breathe slow and deep and release any remaining thoughts.

These thoughts slowly fall away from your mind and drift back down to earth.

Bit by bit,

You watch them disappear from view,

As you allow yourself to completely let go,

And to be utterly free tonight.

Your eyes are soft,

And you are entering a wonderful,

Dreamlike state.

You stare in wonder as these majestic huskies continue to glide through the night,

And along this swirling,

Colorful stardust,

Guiding you on this unforgettable journey.

Below you,

The mountain peaks pepper the landscape,

Like mini meringues poking up through the wisps of cloud.

The forests are dense,

But through the occasional gaps in the trees,

You can see silhouettes of deer galloping through the wood,

And owls swooping across the night.

Illuminated by the spotlight of the silver moon.

Your journey takes you over the next mountain peak,

And as you emerge on the other side,

You are greeted by a flat,

White countryside ahead,

With a collection of little yellow lights in the distance.

Keen to investigate,

You ask your husky companions to fly a little bit lower.

Gradually now,

You begin to descend below the thin patches of cloud,

Halfway down the mountainside,

And you glide towards these ever-growing lights.

In the next moment,

You begin to make out the details of a small winter village,

Where wooden cottages are nestled in the snow,

And pulsing with a soft golden radiance from their windows.

In the middle of the main square is an evening market,

Bustling with life.

There are people trading their wares and selling homemade trinkets and goods.

You can hear the distant sound of chatter and laughter,

And there is the faint melody of a tavern song drifting up through the air.

All of the children of the village are gazing up at your sleigh,

Jumping up and down,

And waving excitedly.

But,

For some reason,

Their parents don't notice you.

With a smile,

You wave back down to the children,

And they give an enormous cheer,

As all of the sensible parents look around slightly perplexed.

Only the hearts and minds of imaginative children could see something so spectacular and magical.

Slowly now,

You begin to fly away from the village,

And you enter what looks like a portal of starlight.

You are met by a swirling spiral of silver glitter,

Creating a long tunnel ahead.

And,

Before you know it,

You are suddenly back above the clouds,

Leaving the distant village far below and gliding through the cosmos again.

The rippling aurora borealis greets you once more,

As the portal of starlight continues to guide your way.

There is a new weightlessness trickling across your body,

And you just give yourself this time to really feel all of these beautiful sensations gently washing over you.

You let go of any holding on and embrace this total freedom.

And just then,

As if by magic,

You watch the surface of the moon slowly appearing below you and singing its very own symphony of sleep.

You can see the different shades of silver and grey blending on the surface,

And the details of the huge craters become clearer,

Each one its own unique shape and size.

You feel the deep,

Deep magic of this ancient satellite as it pulses in a beacon of hope.

The moon is our guiding light,

And we treasure this beautiful orb more than any of the stars in the sky.

You allow the enchantment of the moon to cradle you as you just release everything.

There is no need to worry here,

And no need to think at all.

Right now,

You are at one with this wonderful cosmos,

And you can just simply be.

You feel a special comfort in the fact that you can return to this land,

Whenever you need to.

This is your new haven,

Your new sanctuary,

Where you can be at peace and bathe in the beauty of the stars.

Your body is relaxed,

Your mind is clear,

And your heart is happy.

Right now,

Nothing else matters.

The colorful glitter swirls around you,

And the starlight symphony acts as your very own lullaby.

And,

Slowly now,

You feel yourself begin to descend in a long,

Slow spiral,

As the huskies carry you back down towards the eternal Earth.

You find yourself smiling now,

And dreaming of a cozy place to rest your head.

You wish to relax by a crackling log fire,

And to be comforted by the soothing sound of a ticking clock as you drift into peaceful bliss.

As if hearing your thoughts,

This magical land begins to transform,

Granting your wish.

The colors of the aurora borealis fade to black,

And one by one,

The stars disappear.

The moon bids you a fond farewell,

And the crisp cold air is replaced by a new warmth.

Your surroundings merge around you,

And warp into a soft blur.

The frosted trees and the mountain valleys transform into a perfect log cabin,

Where a huge,

Soft sofa is waiting for your arrival.

The enchanted sleigh has disappeared now,

And you feel yourself going deeper and deeper,

Lower and lower,

Until,

At last,

You feel your weight sinking into this comfortable sofa,

And the sound of a rich,

Crackling fire and an old ticking clock greet you.

The lovely little Shiva is still with you,

Perched peacefully on your lap,

Giving a hushed snore and the occasional twitch of her leg as she dreams away the night.

All but one of the huskies have disappeared and returned back to their home.

Left with you is the beautiful Darcy,

Mother of the tiny Shiva.

Darcy's bright blue eyes look at you with an unspeakable kindness,

And she rests her head on your lap,

Offering her child one or two affectionate licks on her head.

You stroke mother Darcy and gently tickle under her chin.

There is a strong trust between the pair of you already,

And,

Hoping to ease her mind,

You promise to take good care of her little Shiva tonight.

Darcy responds with a low bow and a loving sniff of your hand.

Then,

She turns slowly,

And,

Content that her baby is in safe hands tonight,

She fades out of sight as if by magic.

Darcy will be back in the morning to spend some quality time with both of you,

But until then,

She has entrusted little Shiva to your care.

These wonderful huskies are the guardians of the moon and the stars.

Their magic runs deep,

And if one can be true to them,

Then there isn't a single wish that they can't grant.

You take a slow,

Deep breath and bask in the new warmth of the fire as your soft gaze flicks around the room.

There is a new snowfall outside your window,

And a cozy red rug lays at your feet.

The simple presence of Shiva warms your heart,

And you look forward to future days with this lovely little companion as you finally feel the magic of sleep creeping upon you.

A new heaviness washes over your forehead and across your brow.

With each passing blink,

It becomes more and more difficult to keep your eyes open.

And,

Bit by bit,

You feel yourself giving in to the temptation,

Until eventually you let your eyes gently close.

You enjoy the relief of finally allowing this heaviness to win.

There is a new warmth trickling over your face,

And you feel your mouth soften as your lips part slightly.

Your cheeks and jaw become loose.

All of the muscles in your neck and throat begin to unravel,

Like a soft butter slowly melting as all tension disappears.

The warmth moves into your shoulders and your back.

You feel your spine loosening vertebrae by vertebrae,

And all the muscles across your back and shoulders are giving in to the heaviness just that bit more.

You breathe slow and deep,

And you allow your belly to completely relax,

Expanding with ease.

And as you breathe out,

You can feel a new freedom filling your chest as you blow away any remaining thoughts,

Worries,

And tension.

There is no need to hold on to anything tonight,

This is your time to completely release.

You allow this new warmth to trickle down your arms,

As the muscles in your upper arms soften,

And your elbows become loose.

Your forearms completely relax,

And your hands and fingers tingle with delight.

Your legs become heavier,

Heavier,

And heavier,

As you feel yourself going deeper,

Deeper,

And deeper.

Your thighs are soft and free from tension.

The joints of your knees loosen and release completely.

Your calves begin to tingle with a wonderful warm vibration,

As you feel the muscles unravelling very slowly.

Your feet are heavy,

And your toes are pulsing with warmth.

Your whole body is entering a state of total tranquility,

And you let go of any desire to hold on.

You give yourself over to this beautiful warmth,

And allow yourself to be at one with your cozy cabin in the heart of this snowy,

Magical kingdom,

Where you have embarked on the adventure of a lifetime.

You have made memories here that will stay with you forever,

And the best part is that you are welcome back whenever you like.

Shiva will always be here to ease your mind,

And her husky family will be waiting,

Waiting to guide you once again over the moon,

Across the stars,

And through the majestic northern lights.

And maybe,

Just maybe,

There will be many more adventures with this mischievous puppy.

The magic of sleep awaits you now,

And a wonderful world of dreams will keep you safe tonight.

Tomorrow is a new day,

And you will meet it with a well-rested smile.

It is time for you to rest now.

Bit by bit,

You allow yourself to sink just that bit deeper.

You can let go,

And drift off into a peaceful,

Rejuvenating sleep,

In bed on a cool Christmas Eve,

Wrapped up warm in your duvet.

Right now,

You are finding it a little bit challenging to sleep,

And you find that your mind is distracted.

A single Christmas bell rests on your bedside table,

Gathering dust on its dull and slightly rusty exterior.

You pick it up and give it a shake,

Only nothing happens.

You cannot even remember where this came from,

Probably an old toy from years ago.

It is almost as old as you,

And for some reason,

You have kept it.

As you hold it in your hand,

You cast your mind back to childhood,

And you are reminded of an old Christmas poem.

T'was the night before Christmas,

When all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring,

Not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that Saint Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads,

And Mama in her kerchief,

And I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

You find it hard to remember any more of the poem.

You look at the bell in your hand and shake it again,

But still nothing.

Perhaps it is broken.

A burning question lingers in your mind,

A question that lingers in the mind of every grown-up on Christmas Eve,

Still clinging to fragments of childhood wonder.

Do you believe?

It's in the next moment that a bright golden light suddenly shines through your window.

In your room,

It's as if time has stood still,

And the night is holding its breath,

Waiting for a little bit of magic to arrive.

And then,

Far off in the distance,

You hear it.

A train.

There are no railroads nearby,

But there is no mistaking this sound.

The steady chugging grows louder,

And you hear a proud blast from the chimney.

You climb out of bed,

Shuffle over to your window,

And draw back the curtain,

Rubbing away some of the condensation from the frosted glass.

And there,

Glistening in the moonlight and backed by a falling snow,

Is a huge blue steam train,

With a giant snowplow on the front and a single spotlight in the exact middle.

Your house is silent,

And the other houses outside your window still have their lights off,

But surely others have heard or seen this train.

Something stirs in you,

Something you haven't felt on Christmas Eve for a long time.

Excitement.

Without another hesitation,

You quickly put on some winter clothes,

Place the Christmas bell in your pocket,

And race downstairs,

Eager to see what is going on.

You open your front door,

And step out into the stillness of the night.

The cool air kisses your cheeks,

And the snow-covered ground sparkles with delight underneath the full moon.

The trees stand still and proud,

Like silent sentinels dusted with frost.

You walk round the corner,

And are greeted by the navy blue train,

Pulsing with a magical glow around it,

And lined with a gold trim.

Reams upon reams of fairy lights are hanging in the carriage windows,

Warm and inviting.

There is a soft silver steam drifting up from the black chimney,

And the wisps ripple through the shimmering moonlight.

The train sits on a long stretch of railroad that continues on as far as you can see,

And there is a soft stardust radiating around it.

You know that these tracks were not there before.

The side door of the front carriage swings open,

And you are met by the kind face of the conductor,

Sporting a blue and gold uniform,

And a rather chunky moustache.

He tips his blue hat to you,

And you return a smile.

The conductor has an angelic and otherworldly presence,

And instantly you feel safe and protected.

With a deep but kind voice,

He greets you.

Well,

Hello there.

We weren't sure if you were coming,

But something told me to wait just a little bit longer.

Some people need more time than others.

You glance to the carriage windows and see many happy and excited faces looking down at you.

People of all ages.

And there you see your best friend waving at you,

Beckoning for you to come aboard.

Well,

We don't have all night,

The conductor says,

His kind eyes smiling.

Ticket,

Please,

And then we'll be off.

You hesitate,

Suddenly nervous.

You don't have a ticket.

The conductor clears his throat and taps his left breast pocket with a raise of his eyebrows.

You check your same pocket,

Gasp with disbelief,

And draw out the golden ticket.

And with black calligraphy,

You see your name,

Underneath which is written,

Round Trip to the North Pole.

You hand over your ticket and watch the conductor hole punch at lightning speed.

When he hands it back to you,

You see one word punched in capital letters.

Believe.

The conductor offers you a hand,

His eyes sparkling with magic and mischief.

You take his hand,

Allowing him to help you aboard.

And the moment you walk into your carriage,

The steam train gives a proud toot and sets off once again.

And gradually,

The magic of the train unfolds before you.

The first thing you feel is a beautiful warmth wrapping around you like a soft blanket,

Instantly comforting you.

The air is thick and mingled with old ancient enchantments.

And drifting by you is a collection of soothing smells.

Lavender,

Cinnamon,

And pine,

Roasted chestnuts,

Gingerbread,

And even hot chocolate.

The interior of the carriage is much bigger than it looks from the outside,

And it's as if you have stepped into another world entirely.

Along each side are rows of very comfortable looking armchairs,

Illuminated by hanging oil lanterns and the fairy lights in the windows.

You glance around the seats for the first time,

Taking note of all the other passengers.

You couldn't find a more varied group of people if you tried.

There were plenty around the same age as you,

Including your best friend,

Who as soon as you lock eyes,

Comes running over to you,

And you embrace with a familiar warm hug.

There are tiny tots holding their teddy bears,

Eyes aglow with wonder.

The older children are a bit more reserved,

But no less excited.

You see parents holding hands,

Younger couples,

Older couples,

And even a few grandparents basking in the nostalgia and gripping their tickets so tightly as if it were the most precious gift.

This group of people all share one thing,

Something unmistakable,

The spark of belief in their eyes.

You are reminded of your Christmas bell,

And you take it from your pocket and try it again.

There is a slight scratching sound,

The clapper scraping on the inside of the bell perhaps,

But nothing more.

Belief is something that has perhaps faded for you over the years,

And might be difficult to come by,

But all of that is about to change.

Your best friend leads you down the train,

And you arrive at two luxurious armchairs covered with blankets.

You take a seat and enjoy this new sensation of sinking as the cushions mould to your form perfectly.

You pull a blanket over your body and breathe a slow,

Satisfied sigh.

There is a new comfort and peace within you,

And you feel ready to surrender to this moment,

To let the train carry you off to a magical world.

Over to your right is a dark oak counter lined with polished brass,

Behind the counter stands the conductor stirring a bubbling pot of hot chocolate,

And you marvel at how your enchanted guardian can seem to be in multiple places at once.

One by one,

The conductor fills a collection of decorative mugs with the hot chocolate,

And places them onto a brass trolley.

Then he weaves his way down through the carriage,

And even as he turns and moves at pace,

The chocolate stays completely still in the mugs.

You and your friend both take a mug from the trolley with thanks,

And instantly you feel the warmth filling your hands,

And the irresistible smell wafting under your nose.

As you sit and sip this hypnotic,

Velvety drink,

You gaze out of the window,

And this is the first chance you have had to really take in the view.

The world outside is illuminated by the moon,

And silver stars pepper the night.

Endless rolling hills are carpeted with fresh snow.

Bare trees are dotted through the countryside,

Each one with their own little dusting of frost.

Occasionally,

You pass by rivers,

Streams,

And huge lakes now frozen solid.

The glow of the moon reflects off the ice,

Creating dazzling patterns that sparkle like freshly cut diamonds.

Across the land,

You catch glimpses of wildlife.

There are families of rabbits hopping through the shrubbery and finding shelter from the cold.

A parliament of owls glides over the trees,

A beautiful blend of grey,

White,

And brown.

Now and then,

Their luminous amber eyes flick towards the train,

Shimmering against the light of the moon.

Beside the train,

You see deer and stag galloping along the snowy banks,

And all of these creatures seem compelled to follow your journey,

As if they are fueled by the magic of the train and guarding you on your adventure.

As you continue to enjoy your drink and feel yourself relaxing even deeper,

You share a smile with your best friend,

Who tells you that recently they had stopped believing altogether.

They admit that they are not even sure if this moment is real or if it is a dream.

Either way,

They tell you they are so happy that you are with them tonight.

You nod in agreement,

Grateful for their company too.

But somehow,

You just know in your heart that this is no dream.

The train plows on through the night.

It does not stop.

It does not falter.

You know that nothing can find you tonight,

And you are completely safe here.

Once again,

You are greeted by the conductor,

The overseer of this magical journey,

Who is stopping by to chat with the passengers.

He starts to tell you fascinating stories about the North Pole,

Painting vivid images with his words.

Your imagination runs wild with pictures of a frosted road illuminated by candy cane street lights and lined with houses made from gingerbread.

You are told stories of the enchanted elves who live at the pole inside the gingerbread houses and who work for the big man himself.

They start and end their day with a cheery song,

And they use their powers to help craft the toys and presents for all the children and grown-ups around the world.

The elves are treated to delicious feasts created by the magic of Mrs.

Claus,

And together they all live in perfect peace and harmony.

The conductor's voice is hypnotic,

Following the rhythm of the train,

And his descriptions are so colorful and detailed that you can almost taste the sweet candy cane street lamps and the rich gingerbread,

And almost hear the laughter and the music of the elves,

And feel the magical kiss of the North Pole wind.

Everyone is captivated by his words.

The children stare wide-eyed,

And one or two of the older passengers are wiping away a happy tear.

The train is alive with excitement,

Wonder,

And joy.

And,

Gradually now,

Outside the window,

The bare trees slowly transform into huge Christmas trees of fir and pine.

Each tree has a collection of colorful Christmas lights,

Which gives the impression of a multi-colored galaxy shimmering across the endless snowy landscape.

In front of the train,

You see two giant walls of ice with a seemingly paper-thin gap in the middle.

You glance at the conductor,

A slightly nervous feeling in your stomach,

But he simply smiles,

Tips his hat,

And tells you to hold on tight.

Instantly,

The train seems to elongate,

Stretching up high,

And a weightlessness washes over you as you feel yourself lift just an inch or two from your chair.

And then,

The train enters this tunnel of ice,

And outside the window now is nothing more than a bright turquoise glow,

As if you are suddenly underwater.

Before you know it,

The train morphs back to its original shape and emerges from the icy tunnel.

And as you swoop down into the North Pole village,

You are met by the most beautiful sight.

There are the candy cane lights lining the streets and twisting in red and white,

Exactly as described.

You see rows upon rows of perfectly crafted gingerbread houses,

Each with their own unique frosting on their roofs and different sweets and gumdrops dotted throughout.

Across the land,

You can see beautiful ice sculptures sparkling with stardust.

In the middle of the village is a landing pad with glowing lights of red and white that create the outline of a Santa hat.

Behind this is the biggest Christmas tree that you have ever seen,

Decorated with colorful baubles,

Pulsing fairy lights,

And handcrafted trinkets and ornaments clearly made by the elves.

And perched at the very top is a vibrant silver star keeping watch over this magical place.

The train grinds to a slow and steady halt and announces its arrival at the village.

From your window,

You can see many of the elves coming out of different workshops,

Cheering and waving towards the train.

You share an excited look with your best friend and you allow yourself to enjoy this moment,

To really see everything that is unfolding before you.

The conductor leads everyone off the train and one by one,

The passengers head out into the cool,

Crisp air.

As you are about to leave,

You check your pocket and realize that your Christmas bell has gone.

You cannot find it.

Before the panic sets in,

The conductor places a hand on your shoulder and his kind eyes instantly reassure you.

He tells you there is no need to worry now,

It's bound to be on the train somewhere.

You leave it with me,

I'll find your Christmas bell.

In the meantime,

We don't have long here in the North Pole,

So go and explore to your heart's content.

You step down into the soft,

Crunchy snow and take a slow,

Deep breath in as you take in every little detail of your new surroundings.

A brass band of elves plays in the village square and the music carries with it a Christmas nostalgia.

It is familiar,

Yet somehow new.

A huge crowd has gathered to welcome you.

Many of the elves are still working and you can see some tightening the wheels on toy trains,

Fixing jewelry on bracelets and necklaces,

Or filling rows of candles with melted wax.

Others carry stacks of wrapped presents,

And orderly queues are forming from the entrances of different workshops,

All meeting together at the landing pad.

With a bubbling excitement,

You walk over to the landing pad with your friend,

Following a line of elves with a new intrigue.

And you are positively overwhelmed by all of the magic that envelops you.

And just then,

The landing pad opens,

And rising up from the darkness is a huge,

Glistening sleigh,

Sparkling in red and gold.

The sleigh itself is empty for now,

But it is accompanied by nine beautiful reindeer.

The reindeer stand two by two,

And as you work your way along the line,

You read their little golden name tags.

There is Dasher and Dancer,

Prancer and Vixen,

Comet and Cupid,

And Donner and Blitzen.

And at the front,

Leading with his shiny red nose,

Is,

Of course,

Rudolph.

After all these years,

All those times you left him carrots on Christmas Eve,

You are finally meeting him.

You are speechless.

Rudolph's gentle eyes flick to meet yours,

And you offer him a stroke on the top of his head.

You know he has a long and busy night ahead,

But you make sure to whisper your address into his ear.

In the next moment,

One of the elves taps you on the arm,

And they gesture for you and your friend to follow them,

As they shuffle quickly away in the direction of a huge workshop,

Made,

Of course,

From gingerbread.

Inside the workshop,

The brass band fades to a low hum,

And you are met by a warm,

Crackling fire,

A ticking clock keeping perfect time,

And a whole host of elves working away on the final presents.

This particular workshop is focused on toys.

There is a huge conveyor belt moving very slowly,

And different elves are appointed at different stations.

At the far end of the belt,

You see a clear tube blowing down letters to Santa.

The head elf takes the letters and begins to call out a present list.

Then,

A large group of elves start to build and create all of the presents from scratch,

Carving and gluing wood,

Or welding together metal or plastic.

Once finished,

They are put on the belt and moved along to the more artistic elves,

Who paint and draw the necessary colors,

Designs,

And logos.

Next comes the durability test,

And these elves take miniature hammers and tap in certain parts of the toys,

Making sure that everything is safe and well made.

From above,

A handful of elves are working on electrical circuits,

And dropping them down for any of the electronic devices.

Finally,

The toys arrive at the official testers,

And this is arguably the best job of them all.

And it is appointed to those elves who are closer to retirement.

You see the older elves now,

With tufts of gray hair and thick spectacles,

Trying out different toys.

Wooden horses,

Board games,

Consoles,

Remote control cars,

Doll houses,

Instruments,

And much more.

After each toy is tested,

It is wrapped up and placed back on the belt,

Which takes them over to a large cart,

And when full,

This will be wheeled out to the sleigh.

It truly is a marvel to behold this workshop,

And to get a glimpse into the magic.

Gradually,

You watch the last few toys being wrapped,

Labeled,

And moved along the belt to the now full cart.

Your best friend runs over to help the elves,

As they push it slowly but surely out of the workshop,

All humming a happy tune in celebration of a Christmas Eve well spent.

But it's then,

As the elves and your friend are just leaving the workshop,

That a very tiny present falls out of the cart.

It tumbles and rolls all the way past you,

Coming to a stop at the other side of the now empty workshop.

You run over and pick up the present,

Determined to find the elves and your friend,

And return it to its rightful place.

As you leave the workshop,

The village is even busier.

The brass band plays on,

And you can see many of the other travelers who came with you on the train,

But not your best friend.

You weave through the crowd,

Trying to shuffle to the front,

But as you nearly get there,

The whole village falls silent,

And a new magic starts to swell in the air.

And then,

The most wonderful Christmas spirit fills your heart as you see them.

Appearing from behind the huge Christmas tree,

You see Santa and Mrs.

Claus.

They are waving to the crowd and shaking hands with Santa.

Santa is completely magnetic,

And the whole village stares in awe.

Santa Claus is larger than life.

His shimmering red suit glistens against his flowing white beard.

His half-moon spectacles rest on the bridge of his nose,

And his bright blue eyes twinkle with kindness.

As he waddles over to his reindeer,

Chuckling away,

The silver bells on his big black boots jingle gently.

And with each jingle comes a fresh bout of snowfall.

A gentle murmur starts to fill the crowd again,

As the excitement for the Christmas Eve delivery grows.

Mrs.

Claus is much smaller than big plump Santa,

But she is as equally charismatic.

You even overhear one of the elves telling another that one year,

Santa was in bed with the flu,

And so they were commissioned to make a fake beard for Mrs.

Claus.

She took out the reindeer on that Christmas Eve,

Laid out the presents,

Enjoyed the sherry,

The milk,

The mince pies,

And so forth,

And all of the children were none the wiser.

As Santa approaches the sleigh,

The elves put the last couple of presents in the sack,

Which is now filled sky high,

And Mrs.

Claus casts a magic spell as the bag is sealed shut.

With urgency,

You step forward and call out Santa's name,

Holding up the lost present high above you.

The gathering crowd falls quiet,

And the twinkling eyes of Saint Nick meet yours.

Well,

It appears I am missing one present.

Would you please step forward and bring it to me?

I'm afraid my legs don't work like they used to.

With all eyes on you,

You slowly step up to the landing pad,

Walk past the reindeer,

Until at last you are standing in the middle of the village,

Face to face with Santa Claus.

He smiles at you through his thick beard,

His eyes alive with mischief and magic.

Hmm,

It's very good of you to bring this present to me,

But I think perhaps you should check the label.

You glance down at the tiny wrapped ball in your hand and turn over the tag hanging from it.

It is your name.

You look to Santa,

Eyes wide with amazement,

And he gives you a wink.

In the crowd,

You suddenly spot the conductor and your best friend,

Both of whom are gesturing for you to open it.

You tear open the wrapping and reveal your lost Christmas bell.

It looks brand new.

The silver shines like never before.

The rust has disappeared and you can actually see your reflection.

For a split second,

You could have sworn that in the reflection,

You saw yourself as a child,

Eyes wide with wonder and enchantment.

Then,

Santa asks you the all-important question.

Tell me,

Do you believe?

You hold the bell to your ear,

Give it a gentle shake and hear the most wonderful jingle.

This is the only answer you need.

You throw yourself into Santa's arms and share a warm embrace,

And the crowd goes up in a rapturous applause.

You realize now that this is what magic feels like if you just let it in.

You are a believer.

And now,

Santa places a hand on your shoulder and whispers to you.

Remember,

This bell rings for those who believe.

Keep it close and it will keep you safe.

Let it be a reminder of this wonderful Christmas Eve and never stop believing,

Especially in yourself.

In the next moment,

Santa floats himself up into the air and lands perfectly in his sleigh.

He kisses Mrs.

Claus and then waves to the adoring crowd as bit by bit,

His sleigh lifts off the ground and the reindeer ready themselves.

His call echoes across the village now,

And you stare up in wonder as you see Santa starting his midnight adventure.

Now Dasher,

Now Dancer,

Now Prancer and Vixen,

On Comet,

On Cupid,

On Donner and Blitzen,

To the top of the porch,

To the top of the wall,

Now dash away,

Dash away,

Dash away all.

There is a thunderous applause,

Cheering and even some weeping coming from the crowd of elves.

And visitors,

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

You are met once again by the kind face of the conductor,

Who asks if you are ready for one final spark of magic.

He clicks his fingers and the world around you starts to move in slow motion.

The colors blur,

The details of the village are fading,

And the image of the Christmas Express is greeting you.

The world comes into focus again,

And you are back aboard the Express,

Side by side with your best friend and in your two luxurious armchairs.

As the train pulls away from the station,

The conductor gives a warm smile and tells you all get yourself comfortable folks,

It's a nice long journey back home,

The perfect time for some sleep,

Don't you think?

You gaze out of the window and wave to all of the elves who are still cheering and celebrating.

You look across the village and try to take in all of the lovely little details.

The train ventures back through the two cliffs of ice and eventually emerges once again into the rolling countryside,

Which is still illuminated by the moon.

And still covered with fresh untouched snow and dotted with pulsing Christmas trees.

High above you,

A single shooting star blazes across the sky,

And you wonder if this is in fact Santa Claus making his way around the globe and bringing joy to millions of boys and girls.

The beautiful repetition of the train lulls you into a deep comfort.

You still feel the excitement of the evening and the events that have unfolded,

But you are greeted now by a new tranquility,

One that comes with the promise of a restful sleep and magical dreams.

You let the cushions of your seat form to your body again,

Supporting you in all the right places and almost cradling you as the train gently rocks from left to right.

You take the bell from your pocket one last time and give it a gentle shake,

Remembering Santa's words as clear as day,

Never stop believing,

Especially in yourself.

All through the carriage now,

The passengers begin to settle down and get ready to sleep.

Some people are enjoying another hot chocolate or looking out of the window curled up on their armchairs.

Your best friend offers you the sleepiest smile you have ever seen,

And you watch them drifting,

Drifting,

And drifting,

Until at last their head drops and a gentle snoring begins.

Outside your window,

The moon is composing its own hypnotic symphony.

This melody,

Coupled with the soothing sounds of the train,

Brings you even deeper into relaxation.

You feel your eyes growing heavy,

And each blink is slower and slower.

As the express carries you home,

You know that tonight you will be guarded by the magic of the North Pole,

The moon and the stars,

And of course,

This wonderful train.

You know that your dreams will be pure and beautiful,

And that tomorrow you will awake feeling refreshed,

Renewed,

And energized.

The wonder of the night is sending you off to sleep,

And as you drift deeper and deeper,

You allow the Christmas poem to fill your mind again,

To see if you can remember it all,

Now that you are a believer.

Twas the night before Christmas,

When all through the house,

Not a creature was stirring,

Not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St.

Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads,

And Mama in her kerchief,

And I in my cap,

Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.

When out on the roof there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutter and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the luster of midday to objects below.

When what to my wandering eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St.

Nick.

More rapid than eagles his courses they came,

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name.

Now Dasher,

Now Dancer,

Now Prancer and Vixen,

On Comet,

On Cupid,

On Donner and Blitzen.

To the top of the porch,

To the top of the wall,

Now dash away,

Dash away,

Dash away.

All as dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle,

Mount to the sky.

So up to the housetop the courses they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys and St.

Nicholas too.

And then in a twinkling I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head and was turning around,

Down the chimney St.

Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes how they twinkled,

His dimples how merry,

His cheeks were like roses,

His nose like a cherry.

His drawl little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke encircled his head like a wreath.

He had a broad face and a little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.

He was chubby and plump,

A right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word,

But went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings,

Then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod,

Up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh,

To his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim,

Ere he drove out of sight,

Happy Christmas to all,

And to all a good night.

Reviews

Amazing story telling. Soothing voice. Never fails to help me fall asleep. And if I wake during the night calms me again easily back to sleep Will come back again for this and any Sleepy Cat sleep stories or meditations. Thank you. 🙏💕

This was perfect! With your soothing voice and the stories that you narrated, it put me to sleep in no time! Thanks! I'll keep listening to hear more.