Operation Santa Clause

Sean and Aoife’s Grand Christmas Eve Plan to Catch Santa!

It was Christmas Eve, and preparations for the big day were being completed. Sean, always the curious scientist, was six and held the responsible position of being the oldest. His little sister, Aoife, was four and a half and loved to follow her big brother Sean everywhere he went. Sean and Aoife had a big plan for Christmas this year — they were going to try and catch Santa Clause when he was delivering their presents! Big brother Sean was busy telling Aoife all about what her part of the plan would be, which he now called ‘Operation Santa Clause’ when they heard their mother calling them.

“What are you two whispering about?” asked Mammy suspiciously.

Nothing!”… was the all too quick reply from both children.

Everyone was in the kitchen. “Sean,” his mother said, “will you carry this cake and drink into the sitting room. It’s for Santa, he might need a snack when he arrives later tonight”. Sean’s mother then turned to Aoife and said, “And here are some carrots for the reindeer to nibble on”. “Now….” their mother continued, “make sure you leave them beside the Christmas tree where Santa can see them…..and then it’s straight off to bed for the two of you!” she called after them, as they were already excitedly running out the kitchen door.

“OK!” shouted back Sean and Aoife.

“Hmmmmm,” thought their mother. “They’re being far too helpful….they’re definitely up to something!”

With the snacks carefully placed beside the Christmas tree, Sean set about carrying out his grand plan…. “Operation Santa Clause”. From under his jumper, he took out some sticky tape, a chocolate bar, and an ornamental bell that he had taken from the Christmas tree. Aoife, doing her bit, came back from the toy box with a bright yellow whoopee cushion.

Using the sticky tape, Sean stuck the bell just inside the chimney, which wasn’t lit tonight so that Santa wouldn’t burn his bottom, and then he carefully slid the whoopee cushion under the fireplace rug. “That’s so when Santa comes down the chimney, we’ll hear the bell tinkle” Sean explained to Aoife, “and he’ll get such a fright when he stands on the whoopee cushion, that we’ll have time to run down and catch him!”.

“Ooooohhh!” exclaimed Aoife, looking wide-eyed at her brilliant and clever older brother…. “but what’s the chocolate bar for?” asked Aoife. “Oh, …that’s for me!” replied Sean, “in case I get hungry while we are waiting for Santa”.

Once both children were tucked up in bed, Sean and Aoife were left to their thoughts. Aoife snuggled into her pillow sleepy-eyed. “I hope Sean remembers to call me,” were her last thoughts as she fell asleep almost immediately.

Sean, however, was wide awake and listening. He knew nothing would happen until everyone was in bed and the house was completely silent. He knew this of course from years of experience…..sure hadn’t he nearly caught Santa last year. It wasn’t his fault he’d fallen asleep. But this year that wasn’t going to happen, “No way!” whispered Sean into the darkness.

Sean heard his mother and father going to bed. All went quiet. It seemed like a very, very, long time had passed when Sean, who was starting to feel terribly sleepy, suddenly heard a “Tinkle, Tinkle” sound. Wide awake now, Sean leaped from his bed, excitement surging through his whole body, as he ran as fast as he could into Aoife’s room. He shook his little sister vigorously…. “Wake up! Wake up! He’s here Aoife!” whispered Sean as loudly as he dared….but Aoife was not to stir, she was fast asleep. “Well, I’m not going to miss this”, thought Sean, as he heard a loud “Whoopee!”.

Charging towards the sitting room door, Sean was beside himself with joy, “I’ve got you, I’ve got you Santa!” he shouted, and practically jumped on the door handle to allow him entry to see his hero — Santa Clause — at last! Now he could tell all his friends that ‘he’ had seen Santa…..he’d be everyone’s ‘best friend’ for at least a week!

But as Sean jumped on the door handle, nothing happened! He tried again and again to open the door, knowing Santa was just on the other side…but it was no use….the door was locked. Then he heard another “Tinkle, Tinkle” from the other side of the door, and Sean knew…..Santa was gone, back up the chimney and on to the next house.

Sean looked knowingly at the locked door in front of him, and then towards the door where his parents slept… “Grown-ups!” said Sean…. “They ruin everything!”

The End

Alternative Ending №2 (replace the last two paragraphs with the below)

Sean jumped on the door handle and the door swung open. He saw Santa, looking just exactly as he had imagined, carefully placing all of the presents neatly and tidily underneath the Christmas Tree. As Sean stood there, speechless, Santa turned around, and with a big smile, he looked straight at Sean, gave a little wink, and said, “Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas Sean”. Then Santa snapped his fingers, turned into magical sparkly dust, and flew up the chimney with a tinkle of the bell.

“Magic!” said Sean with a huge smile on his face.

The End

Please let me know which ending you/your child preferred! I would love to know.

For full disclosure, this story (without the alternate ending) had been previously published in a small Irish magazine called ‘Ireland’s Own’ in the late 1990s — approximately 25 years ago. I am such a lover of Christmas and the festive holiday season that this story has always held a special place in my heart. I read this story to my own children when they were younger which was a real thrill for me to be able to do.

I hope you and your children get to enjoy it together as well.

Happy Holidays to One and All!

© Bernie McCullough, Bernie’s Poetry on Medium.