The Big Trip

Boomer saluted. "Right away, Santa!"

Boomer hitched Olive in the lead.

A dozen elves gathered up the scattered toys. Another dozen brought the ones left over in the toy factory.

The sleighs were quickly loaded.

Boomer sprinkled Mrs. Claus’s reindeer with the magic sparkles.

For a moment the reindeer rose and floated on air. Mrs. Claus’s team was now ready to fly.

"Up and at ‘em, Olive!" whooped Mrs. Claus. "Ho-ho! Ho-ho!"

Santa winked. "You’ve got the words, my dear, but, well, the tune needs some work."

Then with a merry "Ho! Ho! Ho!" and a "Ho-ho! Ho-ho!" Santa and Mrs. Claus whooshed off into the twinkling stars and over the moon.

The elves jumped up and down and cheered the two sleighs in the sky. "Yippee! Yippee!"

A few toasted each other with mugs of hot chocolate.

As she led Mrs. Claus’s team, Olive held her head up high.

All the boys and girls got their presents on time and they were delighted.

So was Olive. And she did such a super job that from then on she made the Big Trip with Mrs. Claus every Christmas Eve.