Hello Bows!

Holly Elf--Santa's Chief Wrapping Elf--was worried. Somehow all the bows for all the presents disappeared! Santa, Gizmo Elf and Bernard Elf all came to help her.

Right now, Santa was taking them across Santa's Village at The North Pole, away from The Wrapping Room. "You said you were talking to Waldo just before the ribbons disappeared?" asked Santa. Waldo Elf was the strangest elf ever to wear curly-toed shoes. He wasn't a bad elf. He just didn't see things the way other elves--or anyone else for that matter--sees things.

"I was talking to him about a Christmas Carol," said Holly. "Deck the Halls."

"Let me guess," said Santa. "He didn't know what some of the words meant?"

"That's right," said Holly.

"Oh, dear," said Bernard Elf.

"This explains a lot," said Gizmo Elf.

"I don't understand," said Holly. "Did I do something wrong?

"Ho ho! No, not at all," said Santa. "But we have to be careful about what we say to him."

They were almost to the Great Banquet Hall, where Santa, Mrs. Claus, and all the Elves gather on Christmas day to celebrate. "I'm guessing that you explained that 'Deck the Halls' meant to decorate?"

"Yes, and then I was about to tell him that 'boughs of holly' meant branches from the holly bush, when he ran out," said Holly.

Santa smiled. "That sounds like Waldo." He paused at the door. "You might sing 'Deck the Halls with boughs of holly," but what Waldo hears is..." and Santa swung open the doors.

Inside the great room, every inch of every wall was covered--in bows! Large bows, small bows, green bows, red bows, polka-dotted bows...and way in the back, at the top of a very high ladder, was Waldo, putting one last bow on the wall.

"Deck the Halls with bows of Holly!" said Holly Elf, laughing.

"You're Holly, and these are your bows," said Bernard.

"And this hall is certainly decked," added Gizmo.

After they all had a good laugh, Santa and the elves removed all the bows from the walls, and Holly was able to wrap all the presents just the way they always do at The North Pole!

Keep reading The North Pole times for more fun adventures!