Terrific Task Tuesday 3

Christmas is coming, The geese are getting fat… And your old elf pal Toomer Hardly knows where he’s at!

YO! What a week! I’ve been here, there and everywhere since I wrote my last report for you. You know that feeling when you wake up in the morning and you don’t even know which country you’re in? No? Well, take my word for it, it can get a bit confusing.

I haven’t heard back from Santa since I sent off last week’s report – I do hope he’s alright… Christmas is getting so close now, I can smell it and I’d hate it to arrive without the boss around. Who would do his job? I mean, if they asked me, I could put a false beard on and I do a great impression of his voice, but it would never work… It would be great fun, but I think the fact I’m three foot two would give the game away slightly, don’t you?

I know you’ve all got two questions for me – you’re wondering how many of the 2017 tremendously terrific tasks I’ve recorded this week and you’re asking yourselves how on earth I got to be so good-looking!

Well, the answers are 1) one thousand, five hundred and one terrific tasks (I made four digits!) and 2) I don’t know, I guess it comes naturally…

As I type this, I am eating sushi, looking up at the towering skyscrapers of the famous city where I am this Tuesday. There are neon lights and signs written in a language I can’t even try to read (and I know my elf ABCs!). It’s a country that loves making computers and electrical gadgets, so I might invest in a robotic elf hat warmer while I’m here.

Can you guess where I am?

Yo from Tokyo – the capital of Japan!

I came here to visit a special little girl called Niko. I’d heard that she does some terrific tasks all year round and not just at Christmas-time, which is great to hear. I’ve got strict instructions from the boss to only record children who do good deeds all the time… Anyone who thinks Santa’s only watching at Christmas must be barmy!

Niko lives in one of these skyscrapers and, although it’s in the city, her family don’t have a lot of spare money. It’s a nice apartment, but because it’s in the centre of town it costs a lot in rent.

Niko was at school when I spotted her doing the terrific task that I want to tell you about. Her teacher was passing round a collection tin for the class to give to a charity helping children in poorer countries. Other children were putting in notes and cheques, but Niko reached into her purse and pulled out her lunch money. It wasn’t as much as the other children, but it meant so much more because it was all of the money she had. How generous! Sometimes the simplest terrific tasks are the kindest.

Ahh! Terrific tasks like that give me a warm glow all over!

Until next week, keep making me glow…

Toomer PS. It’s nearly Christmas!! Did I say that already?!!!