turning the invisible instruction sheet around and around.
âBut, nearby, in the darkest, dankest cave, lived Mr. Mean, the Abominable Snowman,â Morwenna said.
Bobby played a few dark and threatening chords as Shayne stood up, lifted his arms and shoulders in a huge display of strength.
âIâm mean!â Shayne said. He looked at Morwenna. âHow am I mean? What do I do?â
âWhile Magala works day and night, trying to make a wonderful Christmas for children everywhere, Mr. Mean plans to destroy all the toys!â Morwenna said.
Bobby played even darker music.
Shayne walked over to Gabe, stared at him and picked up the imaginary bike. He threw it to the ground and then hopped up and down on it.
âThatâs what I always felt like doing with those instruction sheets,â Mike said softly, drawing laughter from all of them.
âDaddy, youâre so mean!â Genevieve said, delighted.
âAnd I just stare at him while he ruins Christmas?â Gabe asked.
âNo! Hereâs the thingâMr. Mean goes away all proud of himself for having taken care of Christmas. But, you see, Magala is a magic elf, and as soon as Mr. Mean is gone, he just puts the bicycle back together again, and he does it double time,â Morwenna said.
The children were delighted as Gabe tried to perform all his actions again in double time.
âSo, all the toys were ready to go, to be placed in Santaâs sleigh,â Morwenna said.
Gabe put his hands on his hips and nodded proudly.
âBut!â Morwenna said, and Bobby strummed out a dire musical warning.
âMr. Mean came in and stomped on the toys again!â
Big-armed and growling, Shayne grabbed the imaginary bike, tossed it to the floor and hopped up and down, his dramatic antics growing with each jump.
âAnd then what happened?â Connor demanded, clearly drawn in.
âMagala didnât have any presents for Santaâs sleigh!â Genevieve said.
âAh, but you see, he did,â Gabe told her.
âBut the bike is smashed to bits,â Connor protested.
âSmashed, yeah, broken. But all the pieces were there,â Gabe said, flashing Morwenna a quick smile.
âSo,â Morwenna said, âMagala the elf picked up all the pieces, and when the children awoke in the morning, they realized that they hadnât just gotten a presentâtheyâd gotten a puzzle, too. They just had to work together and connect the pieces.â
Genevieve, with wide and innocent eyes, leaped up and ran over to stand by the imaginary bike.
âMy dad could put it back together. Especially when heâs not being Mr. Mean!â Genevieve said.
âAh, yes. And thereâs the magic to the Christmas story,â Morwenna said. âWhen Mr. Mean realized that he couldnât break something that canât be seen or touchedâlike the love shared at Christmasâhe gave up being Mr. Mean, and he became Mr. Nice, and he went about the country, finding children who didnât have fathers, and helping them put all their toys back together again!â
Bobby strummed the guitar. âThe end!â he announced.
âThe end, and time for little people to go to bed,â Shayne said. âMorwennaââ
âAbsolutely, my beautiful little niece is in with me,â Morwenna said.
âAnd Iâll take Connor, andââ
âGabe can have the lower bunk in my room,â Bobby said.
âBut for nowâ¦youngâuns, to bed! Santa canât come if you donât go to bed,â Shayne said firmly.
âIâm not that young,â Connor protested, standing tall to prove his point.
âHeyâUncle Bobby worked hard on that tree. And your grandmother baked cookies for Santa. Youâre going to go to bed, and Santa is going to come,â Morwenna said. She was surprised when Connor looked at her, blushed, lowered his head and smiled.
âAlrighty,
âBut, nearby, in the darkest, dankest cave, lived Mr. Mean, the Abominable Snowman,â Morwenna said.
Bobby played a few dark and threatening chords as Shayne stood up, lifted his arms and shoulders in a huge display of strength.
âIâm mean!â Shayne said. He looked at Morwenna. âHow am I mean? What do I do?â
âWhile Magala works day and night, trying to make a wonderful Christmas for children everywhere, Mr. Mean plans to destroy all the toys!â Morwenna said.
Bobby played even darker music.
Shayne walked over to Gabe, stared at him and picked up the imaginary bike. He threw it to the ground and then hopped up and down on it.
âThatâs what I always felt like doing with those instruction sheets,â Mike said softly, drawing laughter from all of them.
âDaddy, youâre so mean!â Genevieve said, delighted.
âAnd I just stare at him while he ruins Christmas?â Gabe asked.
âNo! Hereâs the thingâMr. Mean goes away all proud of himself for having taken care of Christmas. But, you see, Magala is a magic elf, and as soon as Mr. Mean is gone, he just puts the bicycle back together again, and he does it double time,â Morwenna said.
The children were delighted as Gabe tried to perform all his actions again in double time.
âSo, all the toys were ready to go, to be placed in Santaâs sleigh,â Morwenna said.
Gabe put his hands on his hips and nodded proudly.
âBut!â Morwenna said, and Bobby strummed out a dire musical warning.
âMr. Mean came in and stomped on the toys again!â
Big-armed and growling, Shayne grabbed the imaginary bike, tossed it to the floor and hopped up and down, his dramatic antics growing with each jump.
âAnd then what happened?â Connor demanded, clearly drawn in.
âMagala didnât have any presents for Santaâs sleigh!â Genevieve said.
âAh, but you see, he did,â Gabe told her.
âBut the bike is smashed to bits,â Connor protested.
âSmashed, yeah, broken. But all the pieces were there,â Gabe said, flashing Morwenna a quick smile.
âSo,â Morwenna said, âMagala the elf picked up all the pieces, and when the children awoke in the morning, they realized that they hadnât just gotten a presentâtheyâd gotten a puzzle, too. They just had to work together and connect the pieces.â
Genevieve, with wide and innocent eyes, leaped up and ran over to stand by the imaginary bike.
âMy dad could put it back together. Especially when heâs not being Mr. Mean!â Genevieve said.
âAh, yes. And thereâs the magic to the Christmas story,â Morwenna said. âWhen Mr. Mean realized that he couldnât break something that canât be seen or touchedâlike the love shared at Christmasâhe gave up being Mr. Mean, and he became Mr. Nice, and he went about the country, finding children who didnât have fathers, and helping them put all their toys back together again!â
Bobby strummed the guitar. âThe end!â he announced.
âThe end, and time for little people to go to bed,â Shayne said. âMorwennaââ
âAbsolutely, my beautiful little niece is in with me,â Morwenna said.
âAnd Iâll take Connor, andââ
âGabe can have the lower bunk in my room,â Bobby said.
âBut for nowâ¦youngâuns, to bed! Santa canât come if you donât go to bed,â Shayne said firmly.
âIâm not that young,â Connor protested, standing tall to prove his point.
âHeyâUncle Bobby worked hard on that tree. And your grandmother baked cookies for Santa. Youâre going to go to bed, and Santa is going to come,â Morwenna said. She was surprised when Connor looked at her, blushed, lowered his head and smiled.
âAlrighty,
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