HICCAPUFF HEATS UP CHRISTMAS – Susanna L. Hill’s 3rd Annual Holiday Contest

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Happy Holidays!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Folks are shopping and baking and trimming the tree. Me, I’m still in my PJ’s in the afternoon posting my entry for Susanna Leonard Hill’s 3rd Holiday Contest!

This year’s theme is to “Write a children’s story about a Holiday Mishap, mix-up, miscommunication, mistake, or potential disaster (a la Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer :)).  Your story may be poetry or prose, silly or serious or sweet, religious or not, based on Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate, but is not to exceed 350 words not counting the title.” 

So grab a cup of hot cocoa. I hope you enjoy my story…..

HICCAPUFF HEATS UP CHRISTMAS

Everyone in Christmastown buzzed with excitement. Everyone except Hiccapuff. A dragon with hiccups does his best to stay out of the way.

It was Christmas Eve, and Santa was ready for lift-off, but his nine famous reindeer weren’t. They were stricken with the rare reindeer sickness, SleepThroughChristmasItis. Santa’s reindeer were grounded!

“I’ll fly your sleigh, Santa!” shy Hiccapuff volunteered.

“You’re nothin’ but trouble, dragon,” snorted Jingle Elf, Santa’s pilot.

Hiccapuff nervously HICC-A-PUFFED, and torched a snowman.

Jingle rolled his eyes, “See what I mean!”

“He’s our only hope. Let’s fly!” shouted Santa.

WHOOSH. Santa flew down a chimney.

“HICC-A-PUFF!”

Jingle’s pants lit up! “OOH, HOT, HOT, HOT!” He scooted his butt through the snow. “Aim ’em somewhere else!”

Poor Hiccapuff hung his head and hiccupped off the ledge.

“He almost fried me, Santa!” Jingle complained.

“He cleared the streets of snow,” Santa smiled.

But Jingle’s grumbles were all Hiccapuff heard.

As they glided over the ocean, Hiccapuff noticed sad faces watching them pass.

“Ignore them, Hiccapuff,” Jingle snapped.

Instead, he HICCED some PUFFS, rocked the sleigh, and scattered tons of presents.

Eyeglasses settled on Old Whale’s nose. Octopus slid eight slippers on his tootsies. And Dolphin twirled in his tutu!

“You’ve wasted gifts! You’re nothin’ but…”

Santa interrupted, “Hush, there’s work to do.”

Hiccapuff thought Santa was disappointed in him. But Santa realized that the sea creatures should have been on his gift list all along.

They finished delivering presents, and as they soared home through the Milky Way, BOOM, BING, BANG…asteroids blasted the sleigh! Brave Hiccapuff mightily torched them to smithereens! But he got hurt, and the sleigh fell into the sea.

Santa and Jingle awoke in Christmastown. Dolphin and Octopus had towed them home. Old Whale swam poor Hiccapuff to shore on his broad back.

Everyone cheered when Hiccapuff opened his eyes. “Hiccapuff, you saved Christmas and us!” Santa exclaimed.

“I’m sorry I doubted you, buddy,” said Jingle.

The sleepy dragon sighed a happy HICC-A-PUFF… and almost singed off Santa’s beard!

“No worries, Santa. I found my aim tonight!”

Image- Mozartschildren.wordpress.com

If you’re in a gift-giving mood, would you please copy this link and put it on your calendars to vote (just once) for HICCAPUFF HEATS UP CHRISTMAS? Visit Susanna’s blog any time between Monday 12/16 and Wednesday 12/18 by 5 pm EST. You would help this girl have one very happy holiday!

Here’s wishing you and yours a healthy and happy holiday season!

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