Latest / Children's Hour / 12.6.25 - Part 2

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12.6.25 - Part 2 · Children's Hour

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Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Radio Eyes Charm's Story Hour as
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a reminder of Radio is a reading service intended for
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people who are blind or have other disabilities that make
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it difficult to read printed material. Today, we will be
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reading from various books on Christmas. Your reader today is Diane.
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Our first book is called The Christmas Cat and it
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was published by Dial Books for Young Readers and Imprint
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of Penguin Group Incorporated. It has a copyright year of
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twenty thirteen and the author of the book is Marianne McDonald.
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Jesus was beautiful like all babies, and like all babies,
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he cried the ninety was born. Nothing Mary did could
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comfort him. She wrapped him in a warm blanket, She
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fed him, she robbed him. Still he kept on crying.
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Every animal is table tried to turn to soothe him.
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Doves fluttered down from the rafters suddenly on the creaky
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stable door. They cooed and cooed, but they could not
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stop the baby from crying. The cow moved low, as
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she had done for her very own calf, but Jesus
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cried still louder. The donkey brayed a lullaby, but that
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made Jesus cry loudest of all. Then a curious kitten
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crept out of the shadows. Stepped by careful step, he
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edged towards Jesus, reaching Mary's feet, he crouched, wiggled his back,
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and pounced lightly onto her lap. Rubbing his tiny nose
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against the back of Mary's hand. The kitten showed that
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he too wanted his turn to soothe the baby. Mary
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opened her shawl. The kitten edged in and nuzzled Jesus's neck.
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Then he began to purr, a calm, contented purr that
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came from deep inside. Jesus's tiny hand touched the kitten,
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and his crime grew softer and softer and softer. Soon
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it stopped. The purring faded away too, and in the
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blessed silence that followed, every tired creature in the stable
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was soon sleeping soundly in the starlight. The babies grew
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close as two creatures can be. Before long, the kitten
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became a cat. Jesus watched him as he chased butterflies
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in the tall grass and climbed high in the fig tree.
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And when Mary put Jesus down to rest in his cradle,
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it was the cat's turn to watch over the baby
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and purr him to sleep. One day, an angel came
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to warn Joseph that terrible King Herod was looking for
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the baby Jesus. Jealous Herod had heard rumors about Jesus
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that this baby would one day be King Herod's soldiers,
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the angel said, were racing towards Bethlehem, hoping to find
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the baby Jesus and destroy him. To escape, the little
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family would have to flee on their donkey into Egypt.
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Ride away be safest to travel quietly at night, in
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the darkness, when the soldiers could not see them. Hurry, Mary,
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said Joseph. We must leave now, this very night. Rushing,
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Mary and Joseph packed and loaded what little they could
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on their donkey. Where is Jesus's cat, Mary asked, just
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before the sun went down. We must find him. So
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Mary and Joseph combed through the tall grass, searched the
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shadows near the fire, and looked high in the branches
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of the fig tree. But the cat was nowhere to
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be found. We can't leave him behind, cried Mary. We must,
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said Joseph. It's too dangerous to stay here even one
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day longer. So, just as the sun set on the
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hills behind Bethlehem. The little family set off on their journey.
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The desert air was chilly. Mary held Jesus close, hoping
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the rocking gate of a donkey would lull him to sleep.
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But Jesus needed his cat. He clinched his small fist
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and screamed. Campfires glowed on the nearby hillside. Were Hairds
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soldiers sheltering there with their swords. What would they do
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if they heard Jesus's christ? I wish that cat was
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with us, Mary whispered to Joseph, But Joseph only nodded,
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his eyes constantly scanning the horizon. But the cat was
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with them after all. To make sure he wasn't left behind,
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he had hidden in the basket, tied to the donkey's
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warm flank. When he heard Jesus crying, he woke up
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and began to well. Jesus shrieked with delight, reaching toward
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the basket with chubby arms. With one strong leap, the
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cat jumped into them. Sh sh whispered Mary as she
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cuddled the squirming, licking, loving friends together. When at last
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the two settled down, the cat again began to purr,
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the rithmatic rumbling as always soothed the baby, and Jesus
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fell sound asleep inside mary Shaw. He and his pet
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curled closer together, keeping each other warm, as the donkey
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carried them far from Haired's soldiers and their awful swords,
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far away to the safe land of Egypt. Love had
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saved them. The cat loved the baby Jesus as only
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a child's cat can, and Jesus loved him back is
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only a cat's child can. For all the cats and
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all the children everywhere, they were meant for each other
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from the very first Christmas night in the bright starlight.
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Our next story is called Toot and Puddle. I'll be
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Home for Christmas was published by Little Brown and Company,
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and it has a copyright ear of two thousand and one.
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It was written by Holly Hobby. Dear, my dear Toots,
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said the ancient ant, this is for you. It is
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my lucky nut back in Woodcock Pocket. Puddle couldn't wait
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for Toot any longer. Christmas is only a few days away,
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and there was everything to do. Puddle signed all the
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cards married Christmas and Puddle he would have to wait
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until Toot returned before he could mail them too. Puddle
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and Woodcockpocket dot com subject Christmas putts Edningburg is having
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an ice storm. All flights delay, but don't decorate the
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tree without me. I'm on my way home somehow, your
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pal Toot p s, I'm full of Christmas spirits. Meanwhile
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at Woodcock Pocket, fruitcake is one of Toot's favorite things,
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said Puddle. How many do you think we need? Tulip asked,
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Christmas was only one day away. How can two possibly
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get home in time? Puddle said, he has to, said Tulip,
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jingle bells, jingle bells all the way. When Toot finally
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arrived in Boston, it was snowing and very late. Everything
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had come to a stop, even trains and buses and
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taxi camps. I promise, Puddle, I'll be home tonight too,
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thought Toot. Hiked far from the city. The night was
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cold and the snow was deep. He trudged on until
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at last he could go no further. Toot hugged himself
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to keep warm. There in his pocket, he felt the
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lucky nut. He'd forgotten all about that special gift. It's
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Christmas Eve, he thought, I wish I was home and
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wood Cock Pocket. It's snowing so hard. Puddle said. It's beautiful,
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said Tulip. If only Toots were here. Toot was startled
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by a tinkle jingling sound. As he peered into the dark,
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he saw faint light coming toward him. It twinkled and
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flickered in the snowy night. Where are you headed, Laddie
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woodcock Pocket, said Toots. Miles and miles from here. Climb aboard.
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The driver said, I know the way. The first snowfall
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had turned wood Cockpocket into a sparkling wonderland. Everything was ready,
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everything was perfect. But where was his friends? Then I'm home?
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You are You're finally here two Tota's friends of his
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adventure and how he finally got back to Woodcock Pocket.
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I love the slave rid, he said, felt like we
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were flying. I wonder who the driver was, said Puddle.
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Let's hang this on the tree, said Tout. What is that?
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Tuli asked. It's beautiful, said Poddle. This is great great
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ant PEG's lucky nut to Toad them, it wasn't easy
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to follow. Asleep on Christmas Eve, Toot Puddle said, do
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you hear a jingling sound? Too? Listened? Maybe? I think
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I definitely hear something, said Puddle, And I think we
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better go to sleep, Toot said. Right away. Puddle agreed.
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I'll count to twenty before Puddle count to ten. He
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and his friend were fast asleep. When they wake up,
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it will be Christmas. Our next book is titled four
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Friends at Christmas and it was published by Simon and
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Schuster Books for Young Readers and Imprint of Simon and
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Schuster's Children Publishing Division. It has a copyright year of
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nineteen seventy seven to two thousand and two and it
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was written by Tommy Depollo. It was wintertime and most
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animals were getting ready for the Christmas holidays, but some
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are getting ready for a long, long rest. Mister Frog
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always slept right through the winter most for But even
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though he always had a nice long rest and didn't
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have to bother with the snow and coat, he always
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missed Christmas, and Christmas always seemed such a joyous time
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of year. His three friends told him how wonderful it
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was to celebrate the happy holiday. Oh, Froggy, you would
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love it. Turkey, plum pudding, cany canes, lots of good
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things to eat, said Mistress Pig, Candles, angels, and Christmas trees,
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said Missy Cat, Yule logs, Christmas carols, and Santa Claus,
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added Master Dog. So mister Frog decided to stay up
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and celebrate Christmas too. He kept awake all through November.
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By December first, mister Frog was busy making Christmas list,
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playing a Christmas dinner menu, writing down as Christmas cards,
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and thinking about how he would decorate his house with
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holly and greens. And since mister Frog had never had
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a Christmas before, he wanted everything to be absolutely perfect.
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Mister Frog couldn't believe how exciting Christmas time was. But
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after all his planning and list making, he was very tired.
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Christmas is a lot of work, thought mister Frog. I
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think I'll just take a tiny nap here on the
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couch before I go to the store, he said. Mister
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Frog had a nice long nap and it was just
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what he needed for a busy day of shopping. But
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when the church bells rang out de nom d non,
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mister Frog jumped with a start. Goodness croaked mister Frog.
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I hope I haven't overslept, but he had. There were
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no turkeys left, no cranberries, no candy canes, no Christmas wreaths.
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In fact, all the stores were closed. Mister Frog couldn't
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even find a Christmas tree, and it was Christmas Eve,
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Poor Froggy. Mister Frog couldn't believe yet missed Christmas again.
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All of his hard work had been for nothing. Now
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he had no Christmas dinner, no Christmas decorations, and no
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Christmas tree. As he sat alone in his house, mister
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Frog wondered this three best friends were celebrating Christmas. All
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of a sudden, the door bell rang, dan a ling
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and mister Frog went to Sue who was there? Ho
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ho ho, Merry Christmas, said Santa Claus. Mister Frog was shocked.
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Santa Claus had just arrived at his house with a
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beautiful Christmas tree just for him. He invited Santa Claus
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inside and was just about to say thank you when
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the door bell rang again. Dane a ling ho ho ho,
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Merry Christmas, said Santa Claus. Mister Frog couldn't believe his eyes.
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There at the door was another Santa Claus with another
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tree just for him. Mister Frog invited the second Santa
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Claus in and was about to shut the door when
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the bell rang again. Dan a ling ho ho oh hoo,
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Merry Christmas, said Santa Claus. Mister Frog opened the door
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and there was a third Santa Claus with a third
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Christmas tree just for him. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas,
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mister Frog said to each Santa. And Surprise, surprise, surprise,
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said Missy Cat, Master Dog and Mistress Pig, taking off
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their Santa hats and beards. Mister Frog could not believe it.
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The three mystery Santas were actually his three best friends
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coming to wish him a merry Christmas. Let's hang up
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our stockings, said Master Dog. Here's the plum pudding, said
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Mistress Pig, and we four friends will be celebrating Christmas together,
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said Missy Caat. This is the best Christmas ever, said
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mister Frog as he gathered around his three friends and
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his three Christmas trees, and all four friends began to
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sing islent Night, Holy Night, all is calm and all
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is bright, And because mister Frog was there this time,
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it was indeed the best Christmas ever. Our next book
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is called The Night Before Christmas and it was published
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by Imagining Published in Corporation. This version is a copyright
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of twenty ten and it was written by Clement C. Moore.
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Twas the night before Christmas, went all through the house.
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Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The
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stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes
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the Saint Nicholas soon would be there. The children will
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nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar
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plums danced in their heads. And Mom and her kerchief,
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and I, in my cap had just said that our
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brain for a long winter snap went out on the lawn.
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There arose such a clatter, A sprang from my bed
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to see what was the matter. Away to the window.
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I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters, and
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threw up the sash. The moon was on the on
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the breast of the new fall, and snow gave the
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luster of midday. Two objects below. When what to my
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wondering eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh, in ate
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tiny reindeer, with the little old driver. So lively and
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quick I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick.
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More rapid than eagles. His coursers they came, and he
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whistled and shouted in all then and called them by name,
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now dasher, now dancer, now praying sir now vixen on,
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comet on, cupid on donner, and blisten to the top
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of the porch, to the top of the wall. Now
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dash away, dash away, dash away, all as dry leaves
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before the wild heard can fly when they meet with
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an obstacle. Mount to the sky. So up to the
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housetop the coursers they flew with a sleigh full of toys,
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and Saint Nicholas too. And then a twinkling I heard
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on the roof, the prancing and pine of each little hoof.
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As I drew in my hand and was turning around
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down the chimney, Saint Nicholas came with a bound. He
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was dressed on in fur from his head to his foot,
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and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
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A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
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and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
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His eyes, how they twinkled, His dimples, how merry, his
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cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry. His
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droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and
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the beer on his chin was as white as the snow.
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The stump of a pipe he held tight in his
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teeth and the smoke and encircled his head like a wreath.
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He had a broad face and a little round belly
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that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
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He was chubby and plump, a right sholly odelf. And
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I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself.
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A wink of his eye and a twist of his
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head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.
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He spoke not a word, but went straight to his
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work and filled all the stockings. Then turned with a jerk,
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and laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving
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a nod of the chimney, he rose. He sprang to
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his slate, his teen, He gave a whistle, and away
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they all flew like the down of a thistle. By
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I heard him exclaim, he drove out of sight, merried
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Christmas to all, and to all a good night. Our
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next book is titled mape On and Willow's Christmas Tree,
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and it is a Nancy Paulson book which is an
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imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group, and it has a
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kipy right year of twenty sixteen. The author is Lori
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Nichols Maple and Willow loved winter. Winter brought snow and
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also Christmas. Getting ready for Christmas hard work. Maple and
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Willow didn't mind. This year, Maple and Willow were getting
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a real Christmas tree. Choosing the right tree was the
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hardest work of all. But when the work was done,
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the girls were convinced their Christmas tree was the best
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Christmas tree in the whole wide world. The tree just
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fit inside their door. It's perfect, said Willow. I'm so
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glad we got rid of our fake tree, and it's
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my year to put the star on top. You look
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like Rudolph, said Willow. Why is your nose so red?
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Uh cut Maple sneezed all afternoon. Oh no, maybe you
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are a lurgy to the Christmas tree, Willow said, I
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hope not, Maple said, But when the girls went outside
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to play, Maple stopped sneezing. Back inside the house, Maple
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sneezing started all over again. She really was allergic to
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the Christmas tree, so the tree could not stay inside.
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At least we have an outside tree, said Maple. I
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wish you weren't allergic to Christmas, said Willow. I'm not
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allergic to Christmas, said Mabel just Christmas trees. While getting
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ready for bed, Maple said, well, I'm sorry I run
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you Christmas. I'm sorry you run Christmas too, said Willow.
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That night, Willow couldn't fall asleep. Willow felt sad about
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the Christmas tree. She felt even worse for hurting Maple's
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feelings than Willow god an idea. Getting ready for idea
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was hard work. Willow didn't mind. When all the work
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was done, Willow decided to wake up Ale and show
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her the big surprise. In There in the living room
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stood the best Christmas tree ladder in the whole wide world.
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It's perfect, said Maple. I know, said Willow, and she
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handed Maple the star to place on top. Our next
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story is titled Christmas Forever, Escape to the North Pole
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and it was published by Random House. It has a
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copyright year of twenty twenty four and the author of
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our book is Elisa Dunton. There once was a group
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of Christmas ornaments that all had different personalities. Mycroni was wacky,
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Star was fancy, Twirrel was sporty, Frosty was chill, and
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Odie was wise if a bit grumpy. But they shared
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one thing in common. They loved Christmas. They loved Christmas
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carols on repeat. They love stockings hung by the fire.
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They love fancy bows. Most of all, they loved trimming
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the tree with humans. There was just one huge problem.
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Christmas only happened one day year. That meant there were
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three hundred and sixty four days that were not Christmas.
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The Ornaments waiting in a box all year long. It
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was hot, it was smelly, it was endless. This year,
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the Ornaments did not want to go back in the
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smelly old box after Christmas. But what if they didn't
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have to? What if they could go to the North
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Pole where it could be Christmas forever? But how could
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they get to the North Pole. The Ornaments didn't have
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a car, they didn't have a plane, Macaroni, didn't even
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have shoes. They did have each other, that was the
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important thing. Maybe with a little teamwork they could pull
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this off. Together. They made a brilliant plan. When Santa
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came down the chimney, they sneak into a sleigh and
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hitch a ride back to the North Pole. On Christmas
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seve the Ornaments waded patiently for the family to go
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to bed. The youngest took her time saying good night,
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good night, Twirl, good night, Odie, good night Star, good night, Frosty,
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good night Macaroni. I love you more than a million
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cany canes. We love you too. Doesn't she have a bedtime?
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Oh dear. They would miss the little human, They would
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even miss the big humans, so they decide to leave
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a note, Dear family, we love you more than a
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million candy canes, but we are heading to the North Pole,
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where it's Christmas forever. We will cherish our memories and
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fun times. Love the Ornaments. The humans were all nestled
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snug in their beds. Not a creature was stirring, well
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except the Ornaments, who were on the move. There was
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just one little problem, the cat. The Ornaments had met
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the cat before, and they knew three things for sure.
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One cats are naughty. Two they take joy in torturing
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innocent ornaments. And three cats are very naughty. But there
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was no time to spare now or never Christmas forever.
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The journey was treacherous, it was terrifying, it was exhilarating.
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They made it. The ornaments Christmas dreams were finally coming true.
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But something was missing, Actually someone was missing. Where was
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Star The ornaments had a tough decision to make save
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their friend or eat Christmas cookies for breakfast all year long,
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soaking a hot tubful of hot cocoa every night, open
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presents every single morning. Oh boy, Christmas Forever sounded fun,
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but it just wouldn't be the same without the friend.
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Star were coming to save you. Luckily, the ornaments were
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braver than they looked and scrappier. Crash, the humans woke
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up to find the tree and ornaments scattered across the floor.
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They jumped into action to help their ornament friends get
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back on the tree where they belonged, And so Christmas
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started earlier that year, very early. Not that anyone was complaining.
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After all, Christmas Forever sounded pretty good, but being with
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ones you love was sweeter than a million candy canes.
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I still can't believe you came back for me. It
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wouldn't be Christmas without you, Star. That is all we
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have time for today, So it concludes our Children's Story
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hour for now. Please join us next time as we
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will read more stories, fables and fairy tales. Thank you
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for listening, and please stay tuned for the Lexing Harald
24:48
Leader here on Radio I