When four of Santa's elves got sick, the trainee elves did not produce toys as fast as the regular ones, and Santa began to feel the pre-Christmas pressure.
Then Mrs. Claus told Santa her mother was coming to visit, which stressed Santa even more.
When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that two of them were about to give birth and three others had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where.
Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the floorboards cracked, the toy bag fell to the ground, and all the toys were scattered.
Now beginning to lose it, Santa went in the house for a cup of apple cider and a righteous shot of rum. But when he went to the cupboard, he discovered the elves had drunk all the cider and all the liquor as well.
In his absolute frustration, he then accidentally dropped the cider jug, and it broke into hundreds of little glass pieces all over the kitchen floor and when he went to get the broom he found the mice had eaten all the straw off the end of the broom.
Just then the doorbell rang, and a really irritated Santa marched to the door, yanked it open, and there stood a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.
The angel said very cheerfully, 'Merry Christmas, Santa! Isn't this a lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to put it?'
And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree. [!-- / message --]
