“Can the reindeer talk?” Hannah asked as they arrived at a massive warehouse. She stared up at the rectangle building — a building that hardly seemed suitable for anything to live in. “No, they can’t talk like people do,” Santa said. “But they’re excellent at communicating. ...

Hannah always had loved going to the mall and department stores at Christmas time; she enjoyed the way they always turned into magical winter wonderlands, and one of her favorite things to do was visit Santa at the mall every year. Now, even though she was actually right here in the middle of ...

Hannah couldn’t believe what she was seeing. How could it be that just a few hours ago she was a regular 10-year-old at home on a Sunday afternoon, and now she was standing at the massive red gates of the North Pole? She clutched her dad’s hand as they walked through them, and on his face ...

Max hugged Charlotte tightly before stepping back to look her in the eye. “You’ve grown up.” “I was grown up when you last saw me,” she said with a grin. He waved her comment off and smiled. “You know what it’s like at the Pole. Everyone is childlike. To me, you were just a ...

When her dad came home, Hannah sat in the living room, surrounded by piles of wrapping paper. Ten years’ worth of gifts sat in front of her, the oldest sent when she was just a baby, and they’d all been sitting in the attic closet for years. Yet somehow, each and every item was something ...

Editor’s note: This is part two of a 12-day fictional tale that will run through Christmas. Parents are encouraged to read aloud to their children. Charlotte stirred the sauce simmering on the stove, then checked on the chicken in the oven. As she tore up lettuce for the salad, her eyes ...