Merry,
Merry Christmas and happy holidays.
Happy,
Happy holy days.
I'm so delighted you're joining me right now for Blissberry Bear's Holiday Storytime.
My name is Timothy and sitting on my lap is Blissberry Bear.
Blissberry zoomed into my life 40 years ago from the Great Bear Constellation in his Blue Pearl Starship to tell children of all ages magical,
Mystical fairy tales of the heart.
Fairy tales that are fun,
Educating,
Entertaining,
Inspiring,
And written to help your children develop into their full potential in all ways.
They blend fantasy and reality with tips for helping you and your children successfully navigate daily life.
Today's Christmas tale is titled The Mystery of Santa Claus,
A teddy bear and snow queen Christmas.
The idea for it came from my brother Jeffrey,
Who's the co-author.
As you listen,
Use your imagination to create pictures of the words and bring the story to life.
Doing this builds or increases your creative imagination talents and skills the same way physical exercising builds your muscles.
Did you know your children's level of creativity,
A child's level of creativity is the basis on which their entire world and future success is built?
Listening to fairy tales just like this and creating your own pictures is the number one way to grow your imagination muscles.
I exercise my imagination muscles today by rewriting many parts of this story originally written at Christmas in 2018.
So light up your imaginations like the tallest,
Brightest lit Christmas tree in the world and create pictures in your mind as you listen.
Maybe you could even draw what you're imagining and get comfy too.
It's a fairly long tale.
Goldilocks might say it's papa bear long.
Once upon a silent Christmas Eve night,
Just past 10 p.
M.
Using the 12-hour method or 2200 hours using the 24-hour method,
Marianne was sound asleep,
Snuggled warm and cozy in her bed.
Before going to sleep,
She left goodies for Santa and his reindeer.
She also put red and white Santa Claus caps and scarves on her two kids,
A sheltered doggie and a seal point bingo kitty.
Glittery white lettering on the red scarves identified each one,
Teddy bear and snow queen.
Teddy bear,
Or shelty,
Looked like a miniature collie with very long light brown golden and white hair.
Snow queen looked like a little leopard with bright sky blue eyes,
A pure white chest,
Chin,
Belly and legs,
And lots of golden brown orange and white patches and markings on her tail,
Back,
Head and paws.
You know,
I've seen lots of dogs happily wearing caps and scarves,
But can you imagine a cat wearing a cap and a scarf?
Teddy bear and snow queen were curled up next to each other,
Snug and cozy in their bed,
Right at the foot of Marianne's bed.
Only teddy wasn't asleep.
His eyes were wide open.
In the softest,
Most quiet voice imaginable,
Teddy whispered,
Snow queen,
Are you awake?
Snow queen,
Wake up.
I can't sleep.
It's Christmas Eve and Santa Claus is coming.
Annoyed about being awakened from a sound sleep,
Snow queen softly hissed at teddy,
Go back to sleep.
I can't,
An excited teddy softly replied,
Now standing with his bushy tail wagging,
Santa's coming soon.
Snow queen,
With one eye now open,
Thought to herself,
Here we go again,
More dog nonsense I have to put up with.
And quicker than she could open her other eye,
Snow queen decided it was time to fill teddy in about the myth of Santa Claus.
Motioning with her head toward the bedroom door,
And using her softest voice,
Snow queen purringly invited teddy to follow her.
Together,
They tiptoed out of the bedroom on the tippy,
Tippy,
Tippiest tips of their tiptoes into the hallway.
Listen,
Teddy,
I really don't like telling you this,
But no,
Santa isn't coming.
Mom is Santa Claus.
Teddy,
Shaking his head back and forth sideways in total disagreement and objection,
Quickly replied,
No,
I saw mom putting out Christmas cookies and milk for Santa,
And there are bright orange carrots for his reindeer,
And she left a very long Christmas list,
A list that includes toys and treats for us,
And we have stockings hanging too.
There is a Santa Claus,
Snow queen,
You old buddy,
Duddy,
Kitty,
Buddy,
And everything is ready for him.
Snow queen,
With a big smile on her pink lips,
Shook her head in disbelief.
Teddy,
Teddy,
Teddy,
Wake up,
Brother,
Mom is Santa.
The Christmas cookies she baked,
Along with the milk and carrots,
Are all a trick to make us believe there is a Santa Claus.
Follow me into the living room,
And I'll prove it to you.
The living room was so,
So beautifully decorated.
The Christmas tree sparkled with ornaments,
Lights,
Candy canes,
Pine cones,
Angels,
And much more.
Three stockings hung from the fireplace mantel.
Marianne's,
Snow queen's,
And teddy bear's.
The Christmas cookies,
Carrots,
Glass of milk,
And a long,
Very long Christmas list,
Sat on a small table by the tree,
Awaiting Santa.
With his nose pressed right up against the glass of milk,
Teddy asserted,
See,
Snow queen,
I told you,
Everything is here.
Santa will be coming,
So we've got to get back to bed.
He won't come if we're awake.
Don't worry,
Teddy,
Replied a consoling snow queen,
Sitting calmly at Teddy's side.
We'll be back in bed soon enough,
But first,
Let me explain how I know there is no Santa Claus.
Oh,
Okay,
A worried Teddy agreed,
But you must make it quick,
Because we really,
Really,
Really must get back to bed.
Santa knows when you are sleeping,
And he knows when you are awake.
Before snow queen began explaining why mom was Santa Claus,
She put one paw on Teddy's shoulders to brace him for the bad news he was about to hear.
Teddy,
Would you agree that last year you were good,
And I was naughty?
Oh,
Yes,
Snow queen,
I was so afraid you were going to get a sock with nothing but a big lump of black coal,
But I didn't,
Did I,
Teddy?
I got the same things you did,
Treats and toys,
And those treats and toys had price stickers from stores on them.
We cats are the Inspector Clouseau's of the universe.
Nothing escapes our keen awareness,
Nothing.
Do you really think Santa Claus shops at stores?
Teddy,
With one paw to his lips,
Thought long and hard before responding.
Of course not.
Everyone knows Santa Claus has his own workshop at the North Pole.
He has elves and helpers,
And everything comes from his workshop,
But just because stores sell the same things Santa Claus makes and gives away on Christmas doesn't mean Santa doesn't exist.
And what about the tags having different store names on them,
Asked Snow Queen.
Teddy responded quickly.
That's easy.
I don't remember seeing any store tags.
You just made that up.
Now let's go back to bed.
Santa Claus won't come if we're awake.
Boy,
Oh boy,
Snow Queen thought to herself.
It's going to be a lot harder than I imagined convincing Teddy that mom is Santa Claus,
But Teddy deserves the truth.
Okay,
Teddy,
Snow Queen continued as she jumped on the couch.
Will you agree that Santa,
And only Santa,
Is allowed to eat those cookies and drink that milk?
Of course,
Replied Teddy.
Then you need to engage your dog guard instincts and stay up all night to guard the Christmas cookies and milk until Santa arrives.
This will prevent mom from sneaking in,
Eating the cookies,
Drinking the milk,
And pretending to be Santa Claus.
Teddy did not think this was a good idea.
But Snow Queen,
Then Santa won't come because I will be awake.
Don't worry,
Replied Snow Queen.
I have everything figured out.
Suddenly,
Teddy got a sick,
Queasy feeling in his stomach as he thought to himself.
Usually when Snow Queen says she has everything figured out,
We get into a lot of trouble,
A whole lot of trouble.
Cats are so mischievous,
Especially Snow Queen.
Snow Queen,
With her uncanny Inspector Clouseau sense of knowing things even dogs can't sense,
Knew when Teddy had finished his inner dialogue and continued.
You'll stand guard over the Christmas cookies and milk while I take a nice long nap on this beautiful,
Soft,
And comfy couch.
And then you,
Before Snow Queen could finish,
Teddy interrupted.
You know we're not allowed on the couch.
I can't believe you're being naughty on Christmas Eve.
Quit worrying and let me finish,
Snow Queen snipped.
When you think you hear Santa,
His reindeer,
Or even sleigh bells,
You wake me up immediately and we'll dash back to bed and pretend to be sound asleep.
If there is a Santa,
He'll come in,
Eat the Christmas cookies,
Drink the milk,
And take the carrots to his reindeer.
After a few moments of thinking,
Teddy nodded his head with approval saying,
This is your best plan ever.
He then curled himself up neath the Christmas tree,
Determined to keep a watchful eye.
He tried and tried to stay awake,
But as Christmas Eve turned to early Christmas morning,
He fell sound asleep.
Waiting till Teddy was sleeping ever so soundly,
Snow Queen slinked off the couch,
Sauntering towards some bells hanging low on the Christmas tree.
Suddenly,
As Snow Queen silently sprang back onto the couch,
Teddy sat straight up.
Did I hear bells ringing?
Yes,
I did.
Santa Claus is coming.
He leaped over to the couch and slobbered a big,
Long lick of his tongue on Snow Queen's leopard-patterned face.
Snow Queen,
Snow Queen,
Wake up,
Wake up,
Santa's coming.
Snow Queen,
Pretending to be sound asleep,
Didn't budge an inch,
Even when Teddy slobbered another long lick across her face.
Teddy pleaded,
Please,
Snow Queen,
Wake up,
Wake up.
Santa won't come if we're not tucked in our bed,
Sound asleep.
Finally,
Teddy had to give up.
He raced lickety-split toward his bed.
With one eye open and a big grin on her cute face,
Snow Queen watched Teddy's mad dash to the bedroom.
Teddy's back legs almost slid out from underneath him as he rounded the living room corner.
I sure hope Snow Queen stays asleep so Santa Claus comes in.
He's so close.
Teddy reached his bed just in time.
He closed his eyes as tight as he could.
He held his breath so Santa wouldn't hear him panting from hot-footing it to bed so fast.
His keen ears heard noises coming from the living room.
He thought he heard a ho-ho-ho just before hearing cookies being eaten and milk being drunk.
Teddy could not wait for Santa to leave and get back in the living room to wake up Snow Queen and prove to her that there was a Santa Claus.
Then there was silence,
Total silence,
Dead silence.
Santa must be off to his next house,
Teddy surmised.
Springing from his bed,
He sprinted into the living room.
Snow Queen,
Snow Queen,
Wake up.
Santa was here.
Wake up,
Wake up.
Pretending to be surprised and groggy from being awakened from a deep sleep,
Snow Queen slowly lifted,
Slowly lifted her head and mumbled,
What?
Santa was here,
Snow Queen.
Santa was here.
He really was.
Look,
Look,
All the cookies and milk are gone and the carrots too.
I knew there was a Santa.
I just knew it.
Well,
Well,
Teddy,
Snow Queen replied,
I guess you were right.
Now let's go back to bed before mom wakes up.
Taking sheer delight that Santa was Santa and that mom was not Santa,
Teddy had a big grin on his face as they meandered back to bed.
With a devilish grin on her face and so content with the cookies and milk swashing around in her belly,
Snow Queen followed Teddy back into the bedroom,
All the while congratulating herself over and over as each paw kissed the floor.
My plan worked.
Later that morning,
Just before they would pounce on their stockings,
She planned on telling Teddy the truth,
That she made Teddy stay up and get so tired he would think the bells she rang on the Christmas tree were from Santa's reindeer and that she had eaten the cookies,
Drunk the milk and hidden the carrots under the couch cushion in such a way that no one would find them.
She was sure all this would prove to Teddy once and for all there was no Santa Claus and whatever was in the stockings had come from mom and the same store she got treats and toys for them all year long.
The rest of the night passed quickly and it wasn't long before Teddy and Snow Queen heard Marianne's joyful Christmas voice calling,
Teddy Bear!
Snow Queen!
It's time to wake up!
Santa has come!
Wake up!
Just like the eager doggie was,
Teddy sprang to his feet and sprinted out to see what gifts Santa had put under the tree and in his stocking.
Just like the precocious cat she was,
Snow Queen got up slowly.
She stretched.
She took her time.
When she finally meandered into the living room,
Teddy had already torn the colorful paper and ribbons off one of his gifts and had his stocking on the floor.
There were new doggie toys,
Dog bones and treats scattered everywhere.
Snow Queen!
Look what Santa left under the tree and put in my stocking,
Teddy excitedly exclaimed.
Snow Queen sarcastically shot back.
See any store tags?
Not a one,
Replied Teddy,
Not a one.
Laughing to herself,
Snow Queen saundered over to her stocking and gave it a tug.
Suddenly she sprung straight up into the air,
All four feet lifting off the ground at the same instant as her stocking hit the ground with a resounding thud.
Dirty black dust spewing everywhere.
Coal,
Snow Queen howled,
Not knowing if she was surprised or shocked.
That's okay,
Snow Queen,
Teddy comforted.
I'll share my toys and treats with you.
Let's go play.
Still stunned,
Shocked,
Surprised and confused too,
Snow Queen agreed.
Okay,
Let's get out of here.
But before we do,
I'm going to prove to you once and for all that there is no Santa Claus.
Listen,
Teddy Bear Buddy,
I rang the bells on the Christmas tree so you would wake up and think Santa was coming in.
I ate the cookies too and I totally loved lapping up every drop of that delicious white milk nectar.
And last but not least,
I hid the carrots you thought Santa took for his reindeer.
Those carrots are my foolproof proof that you can actually see for yourself that mom is Santa.
Follow me over to the couch.
Snow Queen sprung onto the couch and pointing with one paw urged Teddy to dig down deep in the crevice of the couch right here.
You'll find the carrots.
You'll see where I put them.
You'll see there really is no Santa Claus.
Just to prove Snow Queen was trying to con him into believing Santa didn't exist.
When it was obvious that he really did,
Teddy played along.
After burying his nose deep into the crevice of the couch where Snow Queen pointed,
Teddy with a gigantic grin came up asking,
What carrots,
You crazy cat?
There's not even a crumb,
Let alone a single carrot down here.
Snow Queen,
Wondering if Teddy was now trying to trick her,
Dove deep into the crevice where she hid the carrots.
To her complete and utter amazement,
Astonishment,
And dismay,
The carrots were gone.
How could they be gone?
No one knew where I hid them,
She pondered to herself.
Not wanting to lift her head out of the crevice and face,
Teddy,
Snow Queen,
Froze in silence just like she did before pouncing on a mouse.
Teddy,
Wanting to play with his new toys,
Barked,
Don't you get it,
Snow Queen?
There is a Santa Claus.
Quit trying to tease me.
I got presents and you got nothing but coal.
Santa really does know who's naughty and who's nice.
Now let's go out and play with our new toys.
I'll share mine with you.
With that,
Teddy picked up one of his new pull toys and dashed outside.
Snow Queen slowly followed Teddy,
Still pondering this very unexpected and confusing turn of events.
I know I ate the cookies.
I know I drank the milk.
It was so tasty.
I thought I was only catnapping,
Keeping a watchful eye on all that was happening in the living room.
So how did that coal get in my stocking?
And how did those carrots disappear?
Only I knew where they were.
As she got to the door,
Going out to the backyard,
Snow Queen glanced up at Mom,
Who was standing in the doorway.
With a glimmer in her eye that would make Santa Claus proud,
Mom whispered,
Now do you believe in Santa Claus?
Maybe there really is a Santa Claus,
Snow Queen mumbled as she headed towards Teddy.
As Snow Queen and Teddy pulled at opposite ends of the pull toy,
Each trying to pull the toy from the other,
Snow Queen muttered,
You know,
Teddy,
I was only trying to play a joke on you.
There really is a Santa Claus.
It really was Santa Claus who ate the cookies,
Drank the milk,
And fed the carrots to his reindeer.
Don't you think I know that,
Snow Queen?
Your practical jokes are one of the things I love most about you.
But when it comes to Santa Claus,
There's no joking.
He is real and he loves everyone.
Merry Christmas with love,
Light,
And blessings of infinite wonders from Teddy Bear and Snow Queen,
Mom and Santa,
My brother Jeffrey,
And me.
And as Blissberry loves to end every tale with wishes for your everlasting happiness and peace,
With prayers for peace among all people,
And with great love and great respect for your individual adventure in life,
Blissberry and I love you from the bliss and love of our one heart.
Merry,
Merry,
Merry Christmas,
And happy,
Happy,
Happy holidays,
Happy holy days,
Decorated with rainbows,
Sparkling blessings,
Blessings,
Blessings.
