Christmas Fairy by Titania Woods Read Free Book Online Page A

Christmas that she hadn’t heard about.
    Lindsay nodded. ‘Yes, of course! Why, whenever Santa comes, he –’ Suddenly she stopped, her hands flying up to her mouth. ‘Twink, that’s it! Santa!’
    ‘Who’s Santa?’ asked Twink.
    Lindsay’s green-brown eyes grew wide. ‘Santa Claus! Don’t you know? He’s the spirit of Christmas!’
    Wonder tickled across Twink’s wings. ‘He is?’
    ‘Yes!’ exclaimed Lindsay. ‘Santa can do anything . All you have to do is wait up tonight and ask him to take you home again, and he’ll do it, I know he will!’
    Twink gaped at her. ‘You mean he’s coming here ?’
    Lindsay’s words tumbled over each other as she explained about the red-suited, white-bearded man called Santa – also known as Father Christmas – who travelled to every human’s house on Christmas Eve, delivering presents to all the children.
    ‘ Flying reindeer? ’ Twink felt as if her eyes might pop out of her head. She had never imagined such powerful magic!
    Lindsay nodded vehemently. ‘Yes, and the one who flies at the head of the sleigh is called Rudolph, and he has a red nose . . . though that bit might just be a story.’ She made a face. ‘My friend Sarah says it’s all a story, but she’s wrong. Santa comes every year, he really does!’
    Hope fizzed through Twink like sparkling dew. ‘But Lindsay, why haven’t we fairies ever heard of Santa Claus?’ she asked.
    Lindsay shrugged. ‘Maybe he’s just for humans. But Twink, I’m sure he’ll help you as well – he’s ever so kind!’
    Twink spent the rest of the day in an agony of anticipation. Wouldn’t night-time ever come? The minute hand on Lindsay’s clock was creeping as slowly as a snail!
    But at last it arrived. After Lindsay’s mother had said goodnight and closed her daughter’s door, Twink flitted across the room and hovered near Lindsay’s pillow. ‘I’m going to sneak downstairs now,’ she whispered.
    She rubbed cold hands against her skirt. It frightened her to go downstairs when Lindsay’s parents were still awake, but she didn’t dare wait. What if Santa came and she missed him?
    ‘I wish I could come with you,’ Lindsay whispered back, propping herself up on one elbow. ‘Oh, Twink, good luck! I really hope Santa takes you home.’

    Twink sat hidden in the Christmas tree, tapping her wings together nervously. When would Santa come? And what on earth would she say to him when he did?
    Lindsay’s parents were sitting on one of the sofas, staring at a large box in the corner. Though Twink had kept carefully out of view as she sneaked through the room, she soon realised that she could have flown straight past them, singing and doing barrel rolls. They were far too entranced by the box to notice anything else!
    Twink gazed in wonder at the box’s moving pictures. Was it magic or something else? She had never seen anything like it! The figures in the box moved and spoke so fast that it made her dizzy.
    Finally Lindsay’s father stirred. ‘Is it time for Santa yet?’
    Twink jerked upright. It was really true, then! If even Lindsay’s parents believed, then there must be such a being!
    Lindsay’s mother glanced towards the stairs.

    ‘Lindsay might still be awake,’ she said.
    Lindsay’s father stretched out his legs. ‘Well, Santa can’t come if little girls are still awake, can he?’ The two of them fell into silence again, so that the only sound was the box.
    Twink’s heart galloped. Santa must be on his way right now! All she had to do was wait.
    The story on the box ended, and another one began. Despite herself, Twink’s anticipation turned to yawns. She’d hardly got any sleep the night before, when she’d stayed up so late trying to contact Bimi, and now her eyelids felt as heavy as boulders.

    Stifling another yawn, Twink nestled against the prickly branch and tucked her wings against her back. She wouldn’t go to sleep, she promised herself drowsily. Not without meeting Santa. She