The Best Christmas Ever 🐶🎊 Rewind | Kids Sleep Stories

[00:00:10] Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream.

[00:00:21] Okay, well we've managed to not yet mention the big festival featuring the jolly man in red and his reindeer on the podcast this year, but it's officially December and now there's no holding me back. So do you know what I'm talking about? It begins with C.

[00:00:40] We exchange cards and gifts with friends and family. It always feels like it's far away in the future and then suddenly it's here and all over far too soon.

[00:00:53] Yes, Christmas! I love Christmas. We got our lovely dog Sunny at Christmas three years ago and she really was the best Christmas present ever.

[00:01:04] Before we begin, a quick message for the grown-ups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy ad-free listening, unlock four bonus stories per month and much, much more, you can join Coco Club. Subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes. But now here's a quick word from our sponsors.

[00:01:25] If you loved the time-traveling antics of Potato and Beans in the Wild Wild West, I've got a great new podcast for you. It's called Mysteries About True Histories and it follows best friends Max and Molly on thrilling time-traveling quests.

[00:01:41] Using their maths and logic skills, they must outsmart pesky trolls and prevent chaos across space and time. It's full of adventure, clever puzzles and plenty of fun. Can they crack the code before time runs out? Join in on the fun every Thursday to find out. Follow Mysteries About True Histories on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your podcasts.

[00:02:07] Hey, sleepyheads. I'm Kelly, the host of Koala Shine, the perfect daytime adventure show for long car journeys, school runs and lazy Sunday mornings.

[00:02:16] I'm popping up here on Koala Moon because I've heard you want more Koala Kids stories and I'm here to deliver. Beep, beep, special delivery.

[00:02:24] Koala Shine is a tiny bit different from Koala Moon as it's designed for daytime listening.

[00:02:28] So, after a great night's sleep with a story from Abby, you can have a big old stretch and tune in to Koala Shine, joining your favourite characters on crazy adventures around the world.

[00:02:39] With new episodes every Friday, we'll follow Hector and Sunny on a daytime safari, explore the big city with Munchie the Raccoon and visit the circus with Super Soul.

[00:02:48] You'll also hear cool facts, jokes and learn about the world we live in.

[00:02:52] Plus, there's a chance for your voices to be featured on the podcast too.

[00:02:56] Koala Shine offers mindful fun entertainments on the move, designed to spark curiosity.

[00:03:01] Search Koala Shine now on your favourite podcast platform.

[00:03:04] And be sure to hit follow so that finding your next adventure is easy peasy lemon squeezy.

[00:03:10] Hope to see you there!

[00:03:11] Koala Shine!

[00:03:17] Tonight, we're soon going to meet up with a little boy called Noel and his little sister, Alfie.

[00:03:22] And find out why this Christmas is the best one Noel and Alfie have ever had.

[00:03:28] Before we begin though, let's make sure we won't be too excited to sleep.

[00:03:33] All these thoughts of Christmas are quite a weight making.

[00:03:38] So, let out a deep sigh and stretch your arms and legs a bit.

[00:03:45] Relax and go floppy as you take in a breath and then again sigh it out.

[00:03:52] Try to clear your mind by thinking about making all the different bits of your body go floppy.

[00:04:00] Start with your feet, your knees, travel up to your hips, your belly, onto your chest, shoulders, neck, arms, hands and face.

[00:04:21] Great, now you're all soft and relaxed and your mind is still and calm.

[00:04:29] Perfectly ready to listen to the best Christmas ever by Luke Prendergast.

[00:04:45] Noel peeped open an eye, just one and just a teeny tiny bit so that he could see what was occurring.

[00:04:56] It was still very dark, pitch black.

[00:05:02] He closed his eyes again and lay in the warm cocoon of his bed, feeling his heart thumping boom, boom, boom in his chest.

[00:05:14] Noel wondered what time it could be.

[00:05:17] How long had he been asleep?

[00:05:20] It felt like ages ago, practically years since his mum had tucked him into bed the night before and kissed him on the forehead and turned off the light.

[00:05:31] But maybe it had only been an hour or two.

[00:05:34] Maybe it had only been a few minutes.

[00:05:37] He didn't like the thought of that at all because even though it still seemed like it was the middle of the night, Noel didn't feel tired.

[00:05:45] Not one bit.

[00:05:48] In fact, it was wide awake.

[00:05:51] There was no chance he was going to be able to fall back asleep.

[00:05:54] He was too fizzy with excitement because today was a very special day.

[00:05:59] A very special day indeed.

[00:06:03] Heard a noise, a creaking of a floorboard.

[00:06:08] He opened his eyes, both of them this time, and saw that his little sister, Elfie, had slipped out of her bed.

[00:06:17] Her dark, shadowy silhouette was treading lightly over the bedroom floor towards his bed now.

[00:06:25] Elfie? Noel whispered.

[00:06:28] It's still night time.

[00:06:31] Go back to bed.

[00:06:33] But she had already hopped lightly onto his own bed, making the mattress sag a little.

[00:06:40] It's not night time, Noel.

[00:06:43] Elfie whispered back.

[00:06:45] Look.

[00:06:46] And she pointed up to the clock on the wall, which in green neon numerals told them she was right.

[00:06:55] It wasn't night, it was morning.

[00:06:58] It was already seven o'clock.

[00:07:02] Noel felt a huge wave of relief move through him, and then another whizzing fizz of excitement.

[00:07:11] Elfie leaned down and whispered in his ear,

[00:07:15] Do you think Santa has been?

[00:07:18] He could see her more clearly now in the dawn light, leaking through the curtains.

[00:07:25] He gave her a huge grin.

[00:07:29] Just what I was thinking, he said.

[00:07:32] Let's go find out.

[00:07:35] Noel pushed back the covers and got out of bed, feeling the cold air on his arms and the cold floor beneath his feet.

[00:07:44] He and Elfie tiptoed across the room and out onto the landing, which looked exactly the same as it always had.

[00:07:52] This was the weirdest thing about Christmas, Noel always thought.

[00:07:57] Even when Santa had visited, the house looked exactly the same.

[00:08:04] So you never knew until you got downstairs whether he'd even been at all.

[00:08:10] They crept along the landing, held onto the banister, and stepped down a couple of steps, when suddenly...

[00:08:20] What do you two think you're doing?

[00:08:23] They turned around.

[00:08:25] It was their dad.

[00:08:27] He was standing there outside the bedroom door in his blue and red stripy pyjamas,

[00:08:34] rubbing sleep from his eyes with the heel of his palm, and looking down at them sleepily.

[00:08:41] It's Christmas morning, whispered Noel, careful not to wake his mum up if she was still sleeping.

[00:08:49] Oh, is it really?

[00:08:51] Replied his dad as if he had no idea.

[00:08:54] But then he gave them a cheeky wink.

[00:08:58] Elfie could barely contain her excitement.

[00:09:01] We want to see if Santa's been, she said.

[00:09:05] Well, we better go and check then, said her dad.

[00:09:10] Off we go.

[00:09:12] Noel and Elfie's dad followed them down the stairs.

[00:09:16] The door of the living room, where there was the fireplace Santa used as a way into the house,

[00:09:22] and the Christmas tree they'd all decorated at the beginning of December, was shut.

[00:09:28] When she got to it, Elfie paused and looked round at Noel nervously.

[00:09:33] He could tell that she was worried, in case this time, for some inexplicable reason, Santa hadn't been.

[00:09:45] Don't worry, Elfie, he said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

[00:09:50] I bet he's been.

[00:09:53] Come on, let's look.

[00:09:56] And with her big brother's words of encouragement, Elfie pushed open the door.

[00:10:02] It took a little while for their eyes to adjust, but when they finally did, Elfie gasped and put a hand to her mouth.

[00:10:12] He's been, she squealed.

[00:10:15] The living room was transformed from the way it had been the night before.

[00:10:20] The stockings, which they'd hung up empty above the fireplace the night before, were now full to the brim and spilling over with little presents.

[00:10:31] The small plate that they'd left by the fireplace with a couple of carrots and a mince pie so that Santa and his reindeer would have a snack to munch on during their long, long night of delivering presents all across the world was empty.

[00:10:47] Now there was just the empty tin wrapper of the mince pie and the end of a carrot with tooth marks in it, which one of the reindeers obviously hadn't wanted.

[00:10:58] And, best of all, under the Christmas tree, with its gold and red glittering baubles and its silver-winged angel perched on top, were lots and lots of presents.

[00:11:14] Big ones, small ones, wrapped in green wrapping paper and brown wrapping paper, spilling over each other, some of them tied up with string.

[00:11:28] Elfie was already knelt beside the tree, picking up and inspecting the presents and saying,

[00:11:35] This one's for you, Noel, and this one's for Mum.

[00:11:39] And this one?

[00:11:41] Then, she picked up a box, wrapped in bright yellow paper.

[00:11:46] This one's for me.

[00:11:49] Presents later, said their dad, sternly but kindly.

[00:11:54] Take your stockings upstairs and jump into bed with Mum.

[00:11:58] She's waiting for you.

[00:12:00] I'll be up in just a moment.

[00:12:05] Noel and Elfie did just as he said, grabbing their stockings, his was blue, hers was yellow,

[00:12:11] and running up the stairs to jump into their parents' bed.

[00:12:16] It was a tradition in their household that they always opened their stockings that way.

[00:12:24] Their mum was sat up in bed, but she was still soft and sleepy and in the low, lamplight glow.

[00:12:32] Merry Christmas, kids, she said, opening her arms to hug them both.

[00:12:38] Merry Christmas, Mum, they said, nestling in on either side of her.

[00:12:44] Soon enough, their dad reappeared, bearing two mugs of hot tea for himself and their mum.

[00:12:53] Okay, guys, he said, time to tuck in.

[00:12:59] So, all together, as their mum blew the steam from her mug and sipped her tea noisily,

[00:13:07] they began to take presents, one by one, out of their stockings.

[00:13:13] There were bubbles and card games, an orange and an apple each.

[00:13:19] Elfie pulled out a stack of animal stickers that she'd had her eye on all year.

[00:13:26] And in the bottom of his stocking, Noel discovered a super cool pair of bright green gloves.

[00:13:35] Oh, yes, he said, trying them on.

[00:13:39] These will be perfect protection when it comes to time for making snowballs.

[00:13:46] At the thought of snow, he looked out the window, where the blue sky was cloudless and clear.

[00:13:55] I wonder whether there'll be snow this Christmas, he said.

[00:14:02] When they were done emptying their stockings, it was breakfast time.

[00:14:07] They all went downstairs in their pyjamas, and their dad turned on the radio so they could listen to Christmas tunes.

[00:14:18] Noel and Elfie loved it when their dad sang along, because he had such a deep and rumbling voice.

[00:14:25] And he held his belly and threw his head back when he sang, as though he was performing on the stage.

[00:14:34] They ate a delicious breakfast of toast and scrambled eggs and lots of fruit and berries as well.

[00:14:43] And because it was Christmas, which was an extra special day of the year, Noel and Elfie had a mug of hot chocolate too, with an extra spoonful of chocolate each.

[00:14:57] When they'd finished helping wash up all the plates, they stood at the door expectantly.

[00:15:05] They said, please, Elfie said.

[00:15:08] Is it present time yet?

[00:15:11] Their dad threw a dishcloth over his shoulder and rubbed his stubble thoughtfully.

[00:15:18] He looked at their mum.

[00:15:20] What do you think?

[00:15:22] He asked her.

[00:15:24] Do you reckon it's time?

[00:15:27] Hmm, said their mum.

[00:15:30] She looked up at the ceiling as though contemplating the question very deeply indeed.

[00:15:37] They knew she was only drawing it out deliberately.

[00:15:41] It was excruciating having to wait.

[00:15:45] Oh, okay then, she finally said.

[00:15:49] I guess it's time.

[00:15:52] Hooray, they cried.

[00:15:54] They all gathered around the Christmas tree, and Elfie handed out the boxes one by one,

[00:16:03] which was her favourite way of doing the Christmas presents every year.

[00:16:08] Their mum got a beautiful bracelet with little gemstones gathered up all around it.

[00:16:15] Well, thank you, Santa, she said, putting it on and looking at it admiringly.

[00:16:21] Their dad got a jumper the colour of dark red wine.

[00:16:27] Perfect, he said.

[00:16:30] Elfie got a craft set for making all kinds of fun decorations out of dried pasta and paint.

[00:16:38] Yay!

[00:16:39] She cried.

[00:16:40] And Noel got a stack of books about magicians who cast all kinds of crazy magic spells

[00:16:49] and have to team up together, despite their differences,

[00:16:54] to vanquish a dragon that was terrorising the land.

[00:16:58] He'd been wanting them all year.

[00:17:02] Cool!

[00:17:03] Thanks, Santa!

[00:17:05] He whispered.

[00:17:07] They opened the rest of the presents under the tree,

[00:17:10] until the only ones left were ones that didn't have their names on.

[00:17:15] They were ones for their grandparents and for family friends,

[00:17:20] who would pick them up when they came over.

[00:17:23] All done, Noel said in a bittersweet tone.

[00:17:29] He was very happy with everything he'd got that year.

[00:17:32] He'd also got a brand new t-shirt, some socks,

[00:17:37] and a ginormous puzzle of the entire world.

[00:17:41] But it was always a bit sad when all the presents were finished

[00:17:46] and there was nothing left to open.

[00:17:50] One second, everyone, their mum said.

[00:17:54] She looked at their dad with a quizzical look on her face.

[00:17:58] I'm sure I saw something in the kitchen, she said to him.

[00:18:05] A box all wrapped up in red wrapping paper.

[00:18:09] Surely Santa can't have left a present in there, too.

[00:18:14] You know, said their dad,

[00:18:18] cocking his head and nodding at her in agreement,

[00:18:21] I think you're right.

[00:18:23] I think I saw one there, too.

[00:18:26] Should I go and check?

[00:18:30] I think you should, their mum told him.

[00:18:35] And while their dad went out of the room

[00:18:38] to look for this mysterious present,

[00:18:41] Noel and Alfie exchanged a glance

[00:18:44] that was rich with meaning.

[00:18:47] Another present?

[00:18:49] In the kitchen?

[00:18:51] What could this possibly be?

[00:18:55] They sat on the sofa,

[00:18:57] with their hands balled up in their laps,

[00:19:01] waiting impatiently for their dad to return.

[00:19:06] Soon enough, he did.

[00:19:09] And when he came back into the living room,

[00:19:11] he was carrying a box

[00:19:14] wrapped in bright red shiny wrapping paper,

[00:19:18] just like their mum had described.

[00:19:21] He pointed to the tag on top.

[00:19:25] It says,

[00:19:27] To Noel and Alfie,

[00:19:30] Merry Christmas.

[00:19:31] Love from Santa.

[00:19:34] Their dad put the box on the floor

[00:19:37] and stood back.

[00:19:38] Then,

[00:19:40] to their great surprise,

[00:19:42] the box suddenly moved.

[00:19:44] It twitched.

[00:19:46] And then a rustling sound came from within,

[00:19:50] as though there was something in there.

[00:19:54] Something alive,

[00:19:57] Noel thought as a little thrill went through his tummy.

[00:20:02] Noel and Alfie approached the box

[00:20:05] with bubbling excitement.

[00:20:07] The box rustled again.

[00:20:10] The siblings exchanged a wide-eyed glance.

[00:20:16] Together,

[00:20:17] they lifted the lid off the box.

[00:20:22] And out jumped the most adorably cute,

[00:20:26] black, curly-haired puppy.

[00:20:30] It jumped straight out of the box

[00:20:32] and into Alfie's lap,

[00:20:34] wagging its little tail

[00:20:36] and trying to kiss her face.

[00:20:38] Then it ran over to Noel

[00:20:40] and span in circles in his lap,

[00:20:43] trying to kiss him, too.

[00:20:45] The puppy had a bright red bow on,

[00:20:48] which matched the box identically.

[00:20:52] Hello, puppy,

[00:20:54] Noel said,

[00:20:55] and gave the little thing

[00:20:56] a scratch behind the ears.

[00:20:59] The puppy seemed to like this very much,

[00:21:02] for when Noel stopped,

[00:21:04] it nudged his hand

[00:21:05] as though asking him to carry on.

[00:21:10] Alfie had run into their mum's arms.

[00:21:13] A puppy!

[00:21:14] A puppy!

[00:21:15] She kept saying.

[00:21:17] I can't believe we have a puppy!

[00:21:20] Noel thought he had never heard

[00:21:23] his sister sounding so happy.

[00:21:26] What's his name?

[00:21:28] Noel asked,

[00:21:29] looking from his mum to his dad

[00:21:31] and back again.

[00:21:33] His dad shrugged.

[00:21:35] That's for you to decide, kiddo,

[00:21:38] he said.

[00:21:40] Noel looked down at the puppy in his lap,

[00:21:43] which was now looking back up at him

[00:21:45] with big, shiny button eyes.

[00:21:49] It stuck out its little pink tongue.

[00:21:54] I think we should call him Rudolph,

[00:21:58] said Noel.

[00:22:00] He looked at Alfie,

[00:22:02] who slipped out of her mum's arms

[00:22:04] and came over to look at the puppy.

[00:22:08] He doesn't have a red nose,

[00:22:10] she said, stroking his head.

[00:22:13] No, Noel agreed,

[00:22:16] but he did arrive on Christmas.

[00:22:20] Rudolph, said Alfie,

[00:22:23] rolling the word around her tongue,

[00:22:26] testing it out for size.

[00:22:29] Yes, she gave the puppy a scratch

[00:22:33] behind the ears.

[00:22:34] He's called Rudolph.

[00:22:36] It suits him perfectly.

[00:22:40] All afternoon,

[00:22:42] while their parents were preparing

[00:22:44] the Christmas dinner,

[00:22:46] Noel and Alfie played with Rudolph.

[00:22:48] Rudolph, he was a very clever puppy indeed.

[00:22:53] It didn't take him long at all

[00:22:56] to learn how to sit

[00:22:58] and how to lie down,

[00:23:00] especially when he knew

[00:23:02] there was the reward of a little treat

[00:23:04] if he did as he was told.

[00:23:07] At one point,

[00:23:09] Rudolph found one of their dad's old slippers

[00:23:12] and sat in the corner

[00:23:14] chewing on it happily.

[00:23:16] Tomorrow,

[00:23:17] we'll have to go to the pet store

[00:23:19] to buy some puppy toys,

[00:23:21] the dad said.

[00:23:23] Otherwise,

[00:23:24] none of us will have

[00:23:25] any shoes left.

[00:23:28] Soon,

[00:23:29] there was a ring at the door.

[00:23:31] It was their grandparents

[00:23:33] come to enjoy Christmas dinner

[00:23:35] with them.

[00:23:37] Merry Christmas,

[00:23:38] Grandma!

[00:23:39] Merry Christmas,

[00:23:40] Grandpa!

[00:23:41] They said,

[00:23:42] receiving kisses

[00:23:43] on their cheeks.

[00:23:46] Their grandpa

[00:23:47] was carrying

[00:23:48] a bag of gifts

[00:23:49] which he emptied

[00:23:50] under the tree

[00:23:51] and their grandma

[00:23:53] took the Christmas pudding

[00:23:55] she was carrying

[00:23:56] through to the kitchen

[00:23:57] to keep it

[00:23:59] somewhere safe.

[00:24:01] And who's this?

[00:24:04] Their grandpa said,

[00:24:06] kneeling down

[00:24:07] creakily

[00:24:08] to give the puppy

[00:24:09] a pat on the head.

[00:24:11] That's Rudolph,

[00:24:13] said Elfie.

[00:24:15] Isn't he perfect?

[00:24:18] Oh, yes,

[00:24:20] their grandpa agreed.

[00:24:22] Perfect.

[00:24:24] Just perfect.

[00:24:27] It wasn't long

[00:24:29] before dinner was ready

[00:24:30] and their dad

[00:24:31] called everyone

[00:24:32] to their table.

[00:24:34] They gathered around

[00:24:36] while their parents

[00:24:37] carried the food

[00:24:38] to the table.

[00:24:39] What a feast.

[00:24:43] Roast potatoes

[00:24:44] that were somehow

[00:24:45] both fluffy

[00:24:46] and crispy.

[00:24:49] Steaming bowls

[00:24:50] of broccoli

[00:24:51] and parsnips

[00:24:53] and carrots.

[00:24:54] Pots of thick gravy.

[00:24:57] Sparkling sauces

[00:24:59] of cranberry sauce

[00:25:00] and mashed

[00:25:02] Brussels sprouts.

[00:25:03] A Christmas special.

[00:25:07] This looks delicious,

[00:25:10] said their grandma,

[00:25:12] and everyone agreed.

[00:25:15] Before they tucked in,

[00:25:17] they all picked up

[00:25:18] their crackers.

[00:25:20] Noel pulled one

[00:25:21] with his dad

[00:25:22] and he won.

[00:25:23] He put on

[00:25:24] the red paper

[00:25:25] Christmas crown

[00:25:26] and picked up

[00:25:28] the key ring

[00:25:28] that had fallen

[00:25:29] from the torn cracker.

[00:25:31] He then

[00:25:32] pulled one

[00:25:33] with his grandma,

[00:25:34] which he lost.

[00:25:36] He helped her

[00:25:37] put her golden crown

[00:25:38] on her head

[00:25:39] and then

[00:25:40] she leant over

[00:25:42] and whispered

[00:25:42] in his ear,

[00:25:44] you can have

[00:25:46] my present too

[00:25:47] and slipped him

[00:25:49] a miniature pack

[00:25:50] of playing cards.

[00:25:53] Soon enough,

[00:25:54] everyone had

[00:25:55] a Christmas hat

[00:25:55] on,

[00:25:56] in a variety

[00:25:57] of different colours,

[00:25:59] red,

[00:26:00] blue,

[00:26:01] green and gold,

[00:26:03] and their dad

[00:26:04] read out a joke

[00:26:05] that had fallen

[00:26:06] out of the cracker.

[00:26:08] What do snowmen

[00:26:10] wear on their heads?

[00:26:13] Everyone looked around.

[00:26:15] No one had a clue.

[00:26:19] Do snowmen

[00:26:21] wear on their heads?

[00:26:23] Their grandma asked.

[00:26:24] Ice caps,

[00:26:26] said his father,

[00:26:28] and they all

[00:26:28] fell about laughing

[00:26:30] before tucking

[00:26:31] into their food.

[00:26:33] At the end

[00:26:34] of dinner,

[00:26:35] Narl fed a tiny

[00:26:36] piece of carrot

[00:26:37] to Rudolph

[00:26:37] as a special

[00:26:39] Christmas treat.

[00:26:41] What do

[00:26:43] we want

[00:26:44] to do now?

[00:26:46] asked their grandpa.

[00:26:48] Once all the plates

[00:26:49] had once again

[00:26:50] been washed up,

[00:26:51] the leftovers

[00:26:52] stowed away

[00:26:53] in the fridge

[00:26:54] and the dishwasher

[00:26:56] put on.

[00:26:58] Noel and Alfie

[00:26:59] only had one thing

[00:27:01] on their minds,

[00:27:03] present time.

[00:27:05] The family

[00:27:06] gathered once again

[00:27:07] in the living room,

[00:27:09] but this time

[00:27:10] with grandma

[00:27:10] and grandpa too.

[00:27:12] It was getting late.

[00:27:15] Outside,

[00:27:16] the winter sun

[00:27:17] was already setting

[00:27:18] and the sky

[00:27:19] was a purpled

[00:27:20] twilight.

[00:27:22] There was still

[00:27:23] no sign of snow

[00:27:24] though.

[00:27:27] Alfie handed out

[00:27:28] the gifts

[00:27:29] once more.

[00:27:30] Grandma

[00:27:31] opened a lovely

[00:27:33] purple cardigan

[00:27:34] and grandpa

[00:27:35] got a book

[00:27:36] about golf.

[00:27:38] Alfie

[00:27:39] got a lovely

[00:27:40] raincoat

[00:27:41] from her grandparents

[00:27:42] with a pattern

[00:27:43] of daisies

[00:27:44] all over it.

[00:27:45] Finally,

[00:27:46] Noel opened

[00:27:47] his present.

[00:27:49] It was a Christmas

[00:27:50] movie

[00:27:51] about a grumpy

[00:27:52] man

[00:27:53] who doesn't

[00:27:54] like Christmas.

[00:27:56] I bet

[00:27:58] he'll like

[00:27:58] Christmas

[00:27:59] by the end,

[00:28:00] Noel said.

[00:28:02] Well,

[00:28:04] said his grandma

[00:28:05] with a chuckle,

[00:28:06] shall we find out?

[00:28:09] And so

[00:28:10] the whole family

[00:28:12] nestled down

[00:28:13] to watch a movie.

[00:28:15] Their dad

[00:28:16] dad and grandpa

[00:28:17] sat on armchairs

[00:28:18] with cups of tea

[00:28:20] and Noel

[00:28:21] and Alfie

[00:28:22] snuggled up

[00:28:23] on the sofa

[00:28:23] with their mum

[00:28:24] and grandma.

[00:28:26] Rudolph came in

[00:28:28] to join them.

[00:28:29] He curled up

[00:28:30] on the floor

[00:28:31] by the side

[00:28:32] of the sofa

[00:28:32] and promptly

[00:28:34] fell asleep.

[00:28:37] They turned

[00:28:38] on the television

[00:28:39] and began

[00:28:39] to watch

[00:28:40] the movie

[00:28:41] together

[00:28:41] and as they

[00:28:43] watched,

[00:28:44] Noel noticed

[00:28:45] Alfie's eyes

[00:28:47] beginning to

[00:28:47] drift

[00:28:48] shut.

[00:28:49] It had been

[00:28:50] a long day,

[00:28:52] a day

[00:28:53] full of love

[00:28:55] and Christmas

[00:28:56] cheer

[00:28:56] and presents

[00:28:58] and food.

[00:29:01] Watching

[00:29:02] Alfie

[00:29:03] fall asleep,

[00:29:04] Noel

[00:29:05] realised that

[00:29:06] he was tired

[00:29:07] too.

[00:29:09] His eyes

[00:29:10] drifted

[00:29:11] around the

[00:29:12] room.

[00:29:13] He loved

[00:29:14] his family

[00:29:15] ever so much,

[00:29:17] his mum

[00:29:18] and his dad

[00:29:19] and his

[00:29:20] grandparents

[00:29:22] and his

[00:29:23] sister,

[00:29:24] Alfie.

[00:29:25] There was no

[00:29:26] one in the

[00:29:27] world he loved

[00:29:28] as much

[00:29:28] as her

[00:29:29] and he

[00:29:30] absolutely

[00:29:32] loved

[00:29:33] Rudolph,

[00:29:34] the latest

[00:29:35] member of their

[00:29:36] family.

[00:29:38] Noel

[00:29:38] let the

[00:29:39] warm feelings

[00:29:40] of love

[00:29:41] and comfort

[00:29:42] sink into

[00:29:43] him.

[00:29:46] As his

[00:29:46] eyes

[00:29:47] drifted

[00:29:48] across the

[00:29:49] window,

[00:29:50] he noticed

[00:29:50] something

[00:29:51] outside.

[00:29:53] Light

[00:29:54] flakes

[00:29:55] of white

[00:29:56] snow

[00:29:56] were drifting

[00:29:58] slowly

[00:29:59] down from

[00:30:00] the sky.

[00:30:02] Soon

[00:30:03] they would

[00:30:03] accumulate

[00:30:04] on the

[00:30:05] grass

[00:30:05] and cover

[00:30:06] it in

[00:30:06] a thick

[00:30:07] layer

[00:30:07] of snow.

[00:30:10] So,

[00:30:11] he thought,

[00:30:13] tomorrow

[00:30:13] they could

[00:30:15] make

[00:30:15] snowmen

[00:30:16] and he

[00:30:17] could use

[00:30:18] his new

[00:30:18] gloves

[00:30:19] to make

[00:30:20] snowballs

[00:30:20] with.

[00:30:22] For a

[00:30:23] moment he

[00:30:24] thought about

[00:30:24] pointing out

[00:30:25] the snow,

[00:30:27] but Alfie was

[00:30:28] asleep and he

[00:30:29] didn't want

[00:30:29] to disturb

[00:30:30] her.

[00:30:31] She'd

[00:30:32] see in the

[00:30:32] morning that

[00:30:33] it had

[00:30:34] snowed

[00:30:34] overnight.

[00:30:36] So,

[00:30:37] Noel snuggled

[00:30:38] down next

[00:30:39] to his

[00:30:39] mum and

[00:30:41] let his

[00:30:41] eyes drift

[00:30:42] close.

[00:30:44] He was

[00:30:45] very sleepy,

[00:30:47] very sleepy

[00:30:49] indeed.

[00:30:51] And as he

[00:30:52] drifted off

[00:30:53] to the

[00:30:54] sound of

[00:30:54] the film

[00:30:55] and the

[00:30:56] low chatter

[00:30:57] of his

[00:30:58] mum and

[00:30:59] grandma

[00:30:59] speaking,

[00:31:01] Noel had

[00:31:02] only one

[00:31:03] thought

[00:31:04] on his

[00:31:05] mind.

[00:31:06] This had

[00:31:08] been,

[00:31:08] without a

[00:31:10] doubt,

[00:31:12] the best

[00:31:13] Christmas

[00:31:15] ever.