Grandma Lu Tells The Children About A Magic Train

After Marlee's daddy took charge of things and took Stashia home, Grandma Lu went into the kitchen and grabbed a cookie and a cup of hot chocolate. "Boy, things were pretty crazy around here today, that's for sure. I wonder if anyone wants to hear a story." She took her cup and her drink and headed for the Daycare room. Some of the babies were sleeping, but many of the older children were awake. Marlee and Andy were putting finishing touches on the Christmas trees. Grandma Lu smiled and started thinking of some of the babies she had seen shopping at the little store down the street. They were all decked out for Christmas and helping their moms with their shopping. Someday those little ones would be here helping decorate Christmas trees and hopefully listen to her tell her stories.
"Well, I have a fun story to tell the children today. Hopefully, they will like to hear one. I feel like sitting in my easy chair. It's been awhile.
When Grandma Lu walked in the sitting room she was so very pleased. There sat her old easy chair waiting for her with an old quilt that a friend of hers had used a long time ago. "How thoughtful of my friends. They know how much I loved her." She sat her book down in the chair, then she went to look for Marlee and her friends. Today they all were ready for a story. Oh, Grandma Lu was tickled. They all went back to the sitting room. Grandma Lu picked up her book and asked a question. "Who believes in Santa Claus?" Along with the chatter and giggling she began her story with her familiar grin that she always wore when she began one of her fun stories.

"Well once upon a time there was a little boy that didn't know if he believed in Santa or not. Some of his friends had said they didn't believe anymore. He laid in his bed on Christmas Eve waiting to hear the jingle of Santa's bells on his sleigh. It seemed like he waited a long long time, but he didn't hear a thing and finally fell asleep.
Far away, James and Ginny were on a magic train! Yes they were. They had gone back to the far away land where they lived for Christmas. Their parents said, "Let's go for a train ride. Won't that be fun? Guess what, we can wear pajamas if we want to." Well, they decided that they wouldn't do that, but it was fun to think about. Have any of you ever been for a train ride? No, well I am sure that someday you might. I was six (6) years old the first time I got to ride in a train. Oh, it was so much fun. Lots of my school friends went along that day. Nowadays they have really fast trains that you can sleep in or go clear across the country.
Well anyway, the train that Ginny and James were on was so much fun. They could have hot chocolate, and even color pictures. And.. guess what, they even saw Santa Claus! Yes they did. The train went right to the North Pole where Santa Claus has a great big city where oodles and oodles of Elves help make all the Christmas gifts for the children all over the world.
Do you see the picture of Santa handing Ginny a jingle bell? I wonder if that is from his sleigh. James got one too. The story goes that once you hear Santa's bell you will always believe in Santa and his Elves.
Grandma Lu told the children that the little boy had a dream while he slept. He dreamed that he rode on that magic train. He also had received a bell from Santa Claus. Well, that poor little boy lost the bell because he had a hole in his pocket. Oh dear. Well, Grandma Lu read on and on and finished the story by telling the children that the little boy that we shall call Chris, actually received the bell in a pretty wrapped box under the Christmas tree. He was so happy. Guess what, only he and his little sister could hear the bell ring. No one else could. Oh, that sounds like Christmas magic, doesn't it?
Grandma Lu told the children that there was a legend (an old old story told to many people for many many years) that said that as long as you can hear Santa's sleigh bells there is a Santa Claus.

 Grandma Lu kind of made things up as she went along, but the children loved the story whether it was true or not. Imagining such a fun story is so much fun at Christmas, isn't it?
Well, it was fun for Ginny and James and their parents too, but there was something happening on their train that they had no clue about. The two (2) secret agents boarded that train. They stayed there even after Ginny and James got off and went home. The secret agents were bound for Marleewood! They would arrive very soon. I can't wait to see what happens!