Snowy Morning Giggles
It is a snowy morning. Max is four. Max has bright eyes and warm socks. The house smells like cinnamon and pine. The lights blink soft and slow.
Tip-tap, tip-tap! A tiny sound moves under the couch. A small red shoe peeks out. It is Pip, the Christmas Elf. Pip is a happy trickster. Pip loves to play. Pip loves to make giggles.
Max hears a jingle. He looks at his cup. A candy cane sits in his milk like a silly straw. Max laughs. “Silly milk,” he says.
Mama smiles. “I think Pip is near,” she says.
Tip-tap, tip-tap! The spoons have bows. The bananas wear tiny stickers. The toy car has a bell. It goes ring-a-jing, ring-a-jing. Max claps. “Pip is funny,” he says.
Pip hides behind the curtain. Pip peeks. Pip wiggles. Pip has a plan. A twinkly, tippy-toe plan.
The Hat Switch
By the door there are two hats. One is Max's small red hat. It is soft and snug. One is Daddy's big green hat. It is woolly and wide.
Pip wants to switch the hats. Pip tip-toes close. Pip lifts the big hat. Pip lifts the small hat. Swap! Switch! Slip-snap! The small hat goes on Daddy's hook. The big hat goes on Max's hook. Pip pats both hats. Pip grins.
Max comes to the door. “Snow time!” he says. Daddy comes too. “Snow time!” he says.
Max grabs a hat. Daddy grabs a hat. They pop them on.
Oh! Max's hat is too big. It slips over his eyebrows. It slides to his nose. “I cannot see!” he says. He laughs and laughs.
Daddy's hat is too small. It sits like a cherry on his head. “Boop!” says Max, booping the tiny hat. Daddy laughs too.
Mama looks. Mama laughs. “Pip has been busy,” she says. “We can fix it.”
“It is okay,” says Daddy. “We can switch the hats back.” He lifts the small red hat and gives it to Max. Max lifts the big green hat and gives it to Daddy.
Pop! Max's hat fits snug and warm. Pop! Daddy's hat sits just right. All good now.
“Thank you, Pip,” says Max. “That was a funny trick.”
Behind the curtain, Pip covers his mouth. Pip tries not to giggle. But the giggle pops out. Hee-hee! Hee-hee!
Max waves at the curtain. “Come play, Pip,” he says.
Pip steps out. He does a tiny bow. He jumps into a mitten like a boat. The mitten slides on the floor. Swish, swish. Pip's eyes sparkle like tiny stars.
Max and Daddy and Mama make a little parade. Step, step. Ring-a-jing. They march to the door, then back to the tree. They sing a soft snow song. It goes, “Snow is bright, hearts are light.” Pip taps the beat on a button.
Starry Messages
After cocoa, the house is quiet and warm. The tree hums with little lights. Pip sits on the window ledge. Pip thinks about the day. He thinks about silly hats and happy laughs. His heart feels full and floaty, like a snowflake.
Pip takes a tiny card from his pocket. The card is shiny. The card smells like peppermint. Pip writes with a silver pen. Pip writes big and simple words:
“Dear Max,
Thank you for the fun.
Keep your hope bright.
Magic lives in kind hearts.
Love, Pip”
Pip sets the card by Max's cup. He rings his bell one soft time. Ring. Max hears it.
Max reads the card with Mama. Max smiles. His eyes glow like twinkle lights. “I have a message too,” he says.
Max takes a paper star. He draws a smile. He draws a tiny hat. He writes with help:
“Dear Pip,
Thank you for the giggles.
See you soon.
We hope and we shine.”
Max puts the star on the toy train. Chug-chug, the train rolls to the tree. Max whispers, “Go, go.” The star rides on. It slides under a branch and waits like a secret sparkle. With a happy sigh, Max sends his message.
