Seniors Situation Room by Dawn Ford – FICTION – Joey the Christmas Elf

One Christmas several years ago, I received a gift of a beautiful Royal Doulton China rose. A little card with this lovely poem was with it:

The Legend of the Christmas Rose:

Long ago, to Bethlehem, came Kings from far-off lands-

Bearing gifts of jewels and gold and myrrh in out-stretched hands.

Lowly shepherds, from the hills, little lambs did bring .

And Angels sang, as all proclaimed the birth of the New-Born King.

Unnoticed, near the humble crib, a tiny shepherdess pray’d

Weeping silent tears because no gift had she for the Babe.

And Lo, small lovely blooms sprang up as her tears fell to the ground,

And she hastened to the Hoy Child the loveliness she had found.

‘Little Jesus touched the blooms with His blessed hand-

The fragile petals flushed rosy pink –

And the Christmas Rose began!

To this Day when Christmas comes and at no other time of year,

The abundantly blooming Christmas Rose brings all its joyous cheer!

Author Unknown.

The Family Corner Restaurant at 9th. and Pitt Streets has a wonderful sign on the door which states:

What a nice invitation this holiday season.

Inside the restaurant Henry and staff have once again decorated the restaurant with wreaths, stuffed toys, holly, and even a huge Santa who moves and sings.

Pinky, one of the nice waitresses at the restaurant, is seen in this photo taking a moment beside the Christmas tree.

Nice festive atmosphere in the restaurant to celebrate Christmas.

The tenants of the Beek Lindsay Seniors Residence have started a Christmas Food Drive to benefit the Trinity Anglican Church Food Cupboard.

A big thank you to Linda Roach, Jeff Bates and Francine Ledoux for all their help.

Nice to remember others less fortunate .

I love to read the children’s letters to Santa in the newspapers.

A lot start out by admitting that they haven’t been all good all year but are trying. Some say, “Mommy says I was good”. Then a list of toys they would like followed by an assurance to Santa that they are leaving him with milk and cookies and carrots for the reindeer No wonder he is a bit chubby!!! How many cookies is that???.

I remember the days on Pediatrics at the Cornwall General Hospital at Christmas time. Santa would arrive, a great big guy in a white and red suit. Some of the kids would be frightened and try to hide under their beds. Others got very shy. Sometimes it is like that when you see kids going up to a store Santa and some of the parents have to push them a bit. It is so overwhelming for them, I guess, compared to just seeing Santa in a photo or TV movie.

I taught a Sunday School class at our church years ago to 4-5 year olds – so adorable. One Christmas a little boy asked, “Was Jesus born just like a baby…like my baby brother?”

“Yes, we are born like babies,” I replied.

” I didn’t know that” he replied. .” I thought we all came as we is.” 

Here is a cute joke from a reader:

A man in Ireland calls his son in London the day before Christmas Eve and says, “I hate to ruin your day but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing. Forty-five years of misery is enough”. “Dad, what are talking about?” the son screams.

We can’t stand the sight of each other any longer”, the father says. “We’re sick of each other and I’m sick talking about this, so call your sister in Leeds and tell her.”

Frantically, the son calls his sister who explodes on the phone. “Like hell they’re getting divorced”, she shouts. “I’ll take care of this”. She calls Ireland immediately and screams at her father. “You are not getting divorced. Don’t do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back and we will both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing. DO YOU HEAR ME?” and hangs up.

The old man hangs up his phone and turns to his wife. “Done! They’re coming for Christmas and they’re paying their own way!!”

Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year, Dawn

Editor’s note!

As a special bonus Dawn has written a children’s story entitled: Joey, An Elf in Love which we are publishing below!

Merry Christmas from everyone in the CFN Family!

Joey, An Elf in Love

by Dawn Ford

Copyright 2018 – All rights reserved.

Santa’s workshop was a very busy place with only a few weeks left before Christmas. Many elves were working at a long table putting the finishing touches to some toys.

Fred, working on a toy truck, looked across the table at his friend Joey who seemed so pre-occupied lately.

“What do you know, Joe?” he joked to Joey.

Joey looked up and said, “Not too much, Moe.”

“That’s not the answer. The answer is, “Not too much, Flo.”

“If I called you ‘Flo’ I’d get a black eye” Joey said.

Fred laughed. “Yes you would”.

“Joey, old cross patch Wilber will be around soon to check on our work and you haven’t even got the wheels on that fire engine toy. What’s up?”

“Well”, Joey replied, “I was just trying to think of something impressive to do.”

“Impressive? Why? Like, what for?”

“Well”, Joey said, “to impress Myrtle.”

“Myrtle?” When did that all start? You didn’t tell me.”

I think I’m in love with her. I was talking to my Mom. She thinks it is time I settled down and had a family.

My Mom said that if I have baby elves someday I should choose someone who would be a good mother. I think Myrtle would be one. She is so pretty, friendly and everyone likes her.”

Fred looked down the table where Myrtle and other girl elves were busy working on dolls.

“Whoda thought?” he said to himself.

“Joey, get those wheels done and we can go outside for a break and talk.”

Soon outside Joe told Fred of his plans to do some skiing on the hill outside the lunch room the next day to impress Myrtle. If I can impress her she just might want to date me. She hardly knows I exist now. And who knows,” he added, “maybe even marry me some day. You and Meg are marrying in June, you said.”

Fred knew it was useless to try to talk him out of it so he said,” “Why don’t you just ask her for a date?”

“No, she hardly knows me. I will do something to draw her attention and admiration, and then ask her.”

It was settled that Joey would ski down the little hill at lunch time the next day in his red ski outfit. Myrtle and the other girls were in the lunch room and often sat near the big window overlooking the hill.

Fred was outside watching Joey as he started to ski down the small hill. He was going really well but just as he neared the bottom, Joey fell. Plunk!! He rolled over covered in snow. When he got up and took his skis off, he walked over to where Fred was waiting for him.

“What happened? You were doing so great!”

“Look at this”, Joey said as he showed Fred an icy glove. “Someone must have dropped it and my ski slid over it and down I went. I hope Myrtle didn’t see me fall. “

“No” Fred said.” I checked and she was busy getting some food and not looking out the window. Nothing to worry about. ”

Joey was relieved.

The next day at the workshop, Joey said that he had been practicing skating and could do a few jumps. He wanted to know if Fred and his girl Meg would be going to the rink that evening to skate. He hoped to impress Myrtle with his skating if she was there. They agreed to meet at the rink the next evening.

Fred and Meg watched that evening at the rink as Joey skated onto the ice. He skated around, checking to make sure Myrtle was there. She was. He skated around the rink a few times and then started skating backwards very skilfully. After a few rounds of the rink, he leaped up into the air to do a turn…and fell down on his bottom. Red-faced, he got up and went to the area where Fred and Meg were standing.

“Do you think Myrtle saw my fall?” he asked.

Fred shook his head and reassured Joey that Myrtle had been off the ice getting something at the food table and didn’t see his fall.

“Whew!!” Joey said. “That is relief. I pinched my knee a bit on the fall. That’s enough skating for me tonight.”

The next day at the workshop, Joey announced that he was thinking he should do something intellectual, like giving a lecture to the elves during lunch on dinosaurs to impress Myrtle on his intellect. Fred said definitely not and talked Joey out of that one.

Joey was flattened. What to do to impress Myrtle?

Fred remembered that Joey could draw a bit. “What about painting? There is an art show Sunday – you could enter a painting.

Joey replied that he had never really done much painting, just a bit of abstract.

Fred said his sister Carla was an artist and if Joey wanted to come over that evening to their home, she might give Joe a few pointers about painting. She was too busy finishing up making dolls to paint but maybe she could lend him some so he could get started. Sunday was a few days away.

“Great idea” Joey said with new hope of impressing Myrtle. He could try an abstract maybe.

That evening, Clara showed Joey many things about painting on a canvas in oils.

She showed him the kind of strokes that each brush could give, how to take care of them, how to spread on the oil paint and how to blend it. She even had an extra canvas to give him. He was all set.

The next few days Joey worked on his painting. He started with the top foreground of a few dark blue smudges here and there for the sky with a few dark black and white streaks for clouds in a night sky.

Then a soft round white spot which he blended in for a moon effect. Down further he dabbed on some red and white spots and then some various shades of beige and brown with a tiny red smudge : all to represent Santa in his sleigh with his team of reindeer and Rudolph’s shining red nose.

Further down more dark blue for night sky and then dabs of white and green for trees. He smudged on various colours for roof tops and snow covered hills. The colours blended well and he was very happy with his creation of Santa and his team flying through the night sky. A mosaic of beautiful hues.

At the Art show, many elves had their work on display. There were so many gorgeous paintings that Joey felt a little sheepish exhibiting his little abstract. Fred, Meg and Carla loved Joey’s painting and reassured him that it was beautiful. Joey didn’t see Myrtle in the crowd anywhere.

The judges looked at each painting and awarded a First Prize in the Abstract section. …to Joey. He was stunned but everyone was so happy for him. Santa and Mrs. Claus came to view his painting. Mrs. Claus loved it so much she asked if they could have it for their living room. Mrs. Claus said that there was something familiar about the painting but she didn’t really know what. Joey was delighted to give his painting to them.

Just as Santa and Mrs. Claus were leaving, Santa said to Joey,” Best to you and Carla.” Joey thanked him but at first was a bit confused about Santa mentioning Carla . He put the remark down to the fact that Santa must have known Carla had helped him. Santa always knew everything.

The next day at work, Fred reminded Joey that there would be a party on Friday because Santa would be leaving that evening. There would be a dance and maybe Joey could dance with Myrtle. Joey told Fred that he was a bit rusty and had two left feet when he waltzed. Fred invited him to come over the next evening and he and Meg would go over the waltzing with him. Joey agreed. When Joey got there, Fred’s sister Carla arrived home and the four of them practiced waltzing. He and Carla even tried a few jitterbug and jive steps and some boogie also. By the end of the evening Joey felt his dancing had improved and he was ready for the party…and Myrtle.

The evening of Santa’s departure to take the toys to the children around the world, the elves gathered near the sleigh and team of reindeer who were ready to fly with Rudolph in the lead. Santa and Mrs. Claus put in a few last minute toys in his bag and then he went around and thanked all the elves for their hard work all year long making toys. As he passed Joey he said, “All the best to you and Carla.”

Joey was surprised. Then he thought that maybe Santa must have thought Myrtle’s name was Carla. Joey had always thought Santa knew everything but Joey realized that it must not be so.

Santa got into his sleigh. He said, “I always want to say , like the Lone Ranger, ‘HI HO Sliver! Away’! So tonight I will say, ‘HI HO Reindeer! Away’!” And the reindeer rose and flew through the sky. The elves watched until they could not see Santa and the team any longer. They went into the hall for the party.

Joey said to Fred and Meg, “I am going to ask Myrtle to dance right now!”

And he did. She was delighted and the two danced together around the floor to a beautiful waltz number. They danced several dances and then Joey took her back to her friends at a table.

When he found Fred and Meg he said, “The one I tried to impress is the wrong one. The one I didn’t have to impress is the right one.”

Fred was shocked. “You mean Myrtle is not the right one? After all our hard work!!! Who is the right one?”

Joey said, “Carla. And I am going to ask her to dance now.”

Fred and Meg watched in stunned silence as Joey went to Carla and asked her to dance. They danced and they danced until the wee small hours of the morning.

In June, Chapel bells rang out in Santa’s Village as two couples exchanged their wedding vows: Fred and Meg and Joey and Carla. It was a joyous day.

About a year and a half later, that Christmas morning, Joey looked down into two little cribs that held his new-born twin little elves, a son Sam and a daughter Susie. He hugged his wife Carla and said, “I am the luckiest and the happiest elf in the North Pole, my love.”

And he was.

Santa was right after all.

The End

Merry Christmas.