The Winter of Candy Canes (A Sweet Seasons Novel) by Debbie Viguié

will win prizes, gift certificates, and this life-size gingerbread house!” He waved his hand toward the gingerbread house in the middle of the maze.
    A roar of approval went up from the gathered referees.
    “So good luck, enjoy the season, and happy hunting.”
    “Wow! It's like the whole Willy-Wonka-golden-ticket thing,” Sue said after the noise had died down and referees not working in the Holiday Zone began to disperse.
    “Yeah, except there's only one candy cane,” Josh said.
    Candace could see Becca a little ways away, hopping from foot to foot in excitement.
    “We better watch out for Becca,” Candace said, mimicking something she had been told before she knew the other girl.
    “I bet you Becca finds the golden candy cane,” Josh said, following the direction of her stare.
    “That's a bet I'm not taking. Of course Becca will be able to ferret out her key to sugar,” Candace said.
    “Gib looks worried,” Josh said, referencing one of Becca's co-workers from the Muffin Mansion.
    “He should be. We all should be,” Sue said.
    Martha, one of the supervisors, hopped up onto the box vacated by John, and someone handed her a bullhorn. “Okay, elves with me; everyone else scatter!”
    “That's our cue,” Sue said. “See you later.”
    As referees streamed out of the area, Candace saw John Hanson going booth to booth to shake hands with the various vendors. He stopped in front of her mom's booth. One of them must have said something funny, because they both burst out laughing.
    Five minutes later Candace stood with the other elves in a cluster around Martha.
    “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, this is the big leagues. Elf duty is difficult, challenging, and one of the most visible jobs that a referee can do. You'll be pushed to your limit daily. I need you to give one hundred percent to this job. Are you with me?”
    Candace bobbed her head along with the others.
    “Good. Now here's how it works. You'll be broken into four groups. Group A will handle line control. Those of you with previous line experience will fall into that category. Group B will get kids onto Santa's lap and off. Those with ride-loading experience will fall into this group. Group C will handle the prize disbursements. Those of you with vending experience will fall into this group. Group D will handle the photography merchandising. Those of you with store experience will fall into this group. Is there any one unaccounted for? No? Good.
    “Group A, report to the front of the queuing area. Group B, congregate around Santa's chair. Group D to the merchandise booth. Group C with me.”
    Candace, Lisa, and half a dozen others followed Martha to the area just to the left of Santa's chair.
    “Okay. During slow hours, only one of you will be working at a time, and you'll be on this side,” Martha explained. “When it gets busy there'll be two of you, one on each side. Santa and the elves handling the kids are on the red carpet areas. You stay on the green carpet areas.”
    Candace looked down and saw where the carpet changed colors. That shouldn't be too difficult.
    “This is very important,” Martha stressed. “You stay on the green carpet. It's not your job to guard Santa. Group B is doing that. You're Group C. It's your job to guard the candy and the presents.”
    “Don't you mean distribute them?” one elf asked.
    “I said
guard
, and I mean
guard
,” Martha said with a cold stare. “You will also distribute, but don't forget to
guard
.”
    She picked up a basket filled with candy canes. “Every person who walks through here gets a candy cane — kids, teens, parents, whoever. Now, you will see here, behind the ropes, stacks of presents.”
    Candace looked, and, sure enough, there were dozens of presents wrapped in gold, silver, or candy cane paper. She didn't remember seeing anything like that when she was a kid.
    “Now, presents are to be distributed sparingly — one or two an hour. Use your best judgment on who to give them to.