Virtual Advent Tour stops here today

Today the Virtual Advent Tour stops here and I want to share with you my favourite childhood Christmas story. At Christmas 1974 when I was just 3 years old my Auntie, Uncle and cousin Sara gave me the new Twinkle annual for my Christmas present. I still have it! It’s pink and has a picture of a ballerina on the front and even though it’s old and battered now and some of the pages are cellotaped together, it is still one of my most treasured posessions. I know almost every story and picture off by heart even now and it’s such a trip down memory lane whenever I look at it (which is about once a year – in December).

Every Christmas Eve, just before I went to bed, I would crawl on my dads lap (Daddy Whisperer) in my nightie and dressing gown and suck my thumb while he read me the most magical story ever – Rosie and the Reindeer.

Even now, every year, my Twinkle annual gets its yearly outing round at my dads house (although I don’t sit on his knee sucking my thumb anymore you’ll be pleased to know ;))

 

Rosie the Reindeer

 

It was Christmas Eve. Rosie Scott was just about to go to bed. First, she put out milk and biscuits for Santa Claus and laid out carrots for his reindeer.

Later, Mrs Scott tucked Rosie in her bed. “If you go to sleep, morning will come all the more quickly,” said Mummy.

Later that night, Rosie heard a noise outside her window. She sat up in surprise.

 

Then she heard the noise again. “I must see what is making that noise,” she thought. She crept quietly to the window and looked out. A baby deer was pawing at the snow!

“Oh, the poor little thing,” gasped Rosie. “It must be freezing.” She put on her cosy dressing gown and slippers and went outside. The deer did not run away.

 

“Come on, pet. I won’t hurt you,” whispered Rosie. The deer let Rosie put her arms around its neck and gently lead it to the house.

Rosie tucked up the deer in a cosy blanket in front of the fire. “Now I will fetch something nice for you to eat,” she said.

 

 

Rosie gave the deer one of the carrots she had laid out earlier. “Where did you come from, little deer?” wandered Rosie. “I must tell Daddy about you.”

Then Rosie heard a strange noise coming from the chimney. She turned round and saw Santa Claus in the fireplace!

 

 

“Hello there, young Rosie!” said jolly Santa. Then he saw the deer. “Ah, I see you’ve found my baby reindeer. This is the fist time he’s been away from home.”

“He came with his Daddy who is one of the reindeer that pull my sleigh,” Santa went on. He led the deer to the door. “Thanks for your help. Cheerio!”

Next morning, when Rosie woke up, she thought she had dreamed about meeting Santa. Then she saw all her presents!

 

 

Rosie jumped out of bed and began opening her parcels. She was most surprised when she opened the biggest one. It was a toy reindeer on wheels.

“Why, it’s like the reindeer in my dream,” she thought. Then she looked at the gift tag. It was from Santa Claus! “I wasn’t dreaming afterall,” she gasped!

 

The End