I hope you guys like this little Christmas story I wrote that is set on Christmas Eve. I drew some inspiration from the book Olaf's Night before Christmas and some lines from The Santa Clause, one of my favorite Christmas films. And I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!


It was the night before Christmas. In the kingdom of Arendelle, all of the citizens were preparing for the following morning. Parents were doing some last-minute decorating, treat baking, and present shopping, while children were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Claus.

And in Arendelle's castle, no one was more eager for Christmas morning than seven-year-old Prince Joseff and his four-year-old sister Princess Heidi, the children of Princess Anna and Sir Kristoff Bjorgman.

The young prince looked forward to Christmas every year for as long as he could remember. His little sister was only starting to become aware of what happened this time of year, and one thing they both looked forward to on Christmas Eve was their aunt Queen Elsa reading the poem A Visit from St. Nicholas. Their best friend Olaf the snowman also loved hearing Elsa read the poem each year.

Amidst all the excitement they had been feeling all day, it was finally time for Elsa to read the poem. Inside the library, Joseff and Heidi were sitting together on the floor with Olaf beside them. Kristoff and Anna were snuggled up together as well, and Sven nestled with them, too.

Elsa held the poem in her hands and took a seat on the couch. "Okay, everybody. Are you ready to hear me read 'A Visit from St. Nicholas'?"

"Yay!" Joseff, Heidi, and Olaf cried together.

"Okay, then let's get started." She looked at her family, making sure she had everyone's attention. She smiled at Olaf and the kids, who were looking at her eagerly. After she cleared her throat, she opened the book and started to read the text:

"'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash…


Ten minutes later, Elsa finally reached the end of the poem, reading, "But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight- 'Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!'"

After she read that line, Elsa closed the book. Although Joseff and Heidi were supposed to go to bed after that, they still looked wide awake, unlike when they were toddlers and babies. "And now, it's time for bed."

"But I have a question, Auntie Elsa," Joseff said.

"Me, too," Heidi said.

"All right, you can ask her just a couple of questions, guys," Kristoff said.

"But then it's bedtime," Anna replied. "All right?"

"Yes, Mom," Joseff answered.

"Yes, Mommy," Heidi added.

"So what did you want to ask me?" Elsa asked the children.

"What's a rose suchak ladder?" Joseff asked

Remembering the line to which Joseff was referring, Elsa answered, "It's not a ladder. I said 'arose such a clatter.' See, 'arose' is a word that means 'it came,' while 'a clatter' is a big noise. So that line means 'there came a big noise.'"

"How do reindeer fly, Auntie Elsa?" Heidi asked. "They don't have any wings."

"Yeah. And how come Sven can't fly?" Joseff chimed in before Elsa answered Heidi's question. "He's a reindeer, too."

"Hold on, you two," Kristoff interrupted. "One at a time. Don't ask Auntie Elsa so many questions at once before she can answer them."

"Daddy's right, Heidi, Joseff," Anna added. "One question at a time."

"Well, Santa's reindeer are different magical reindeer, and that's why they can fly. Sven is a great reindeer, but he's not magical. So, that's why he can't fly." Elsa looked at Sven and smiled. "Sorry, Sven."

Sven grunted in annoyance while Anna gently scratched his cheek.

"But Auntie Elsa, if Santa is so fat, how does he get down chimneys?" Heidi asked.

"I don't think Santa is really as fat as most people say he is, Heidi," Elsa answered. "And most chimneys are larger inside than they seem. So I'm sure Santa doesn't have a very big problem getting down chimneys."

"But aren't there people who don't have fireplaces?" Joseff piped up. "If they don't, how does Santa get into their houses?"

Elsa sighed patiently and folded her hands. "Joseff, Heidi, why don't you two come here and sit on my lap?"

The children got up from their places on the floor and did just what their aunt asked them to do.

"You see, you two, sometimes believing in something means, it…means you just believe in it. Santa uses reindeer to fly because that's how he has to get around. He uses chimneys to get in houses to deliver presents because doing that is the easiest way for him to get in. As for people who don't have fireplaces…well, I'm sure Santa can still manage. Santa is a magical person, and most often, you don't have an explanation for magic. You just…believe in it."

"Like your magic, Auntie Elsa?" Heidi asked.

"Well, not to the same degree, honey, but something like that, yes." Elsa smiled at her nephew and niece. "Do you two understand what I'm saying?"

"I guess so," Joseff said uncertainly.

Heidi shook her head. "No."

"Well, even if you don't, you will understand one day.

"And now, it is definitely time for you two to go to bed," Kristoff told the kids.

"But I'm not sleepy yet," Heidi protested.

"Me neither," Joseff agreed.

"Well, you still have to go to sleep. At your age, you two need to have many hours of sleep," Anna told her children. "Now say good night to Aunt Elsa."

So Joseff and Heidi went back over to their aunt and into her embrace. "Good night, and Merry Christmas, Joseff and Heidi. I love you," Elsa said as she kissed both of them.

"I love you, too, Auntie Elsa," Heidi said.

"Love you, too," Joseff said.


Hours later, Joseff and Heidi were sound asleep in their beds, while Olaf was lying amongst pillows and blankets on the floor of their room. Elsa was fast asleep in her room, as were Kristoff and Anna in their room.

Olaf, however, was a very light sleeper, so he was easily awoken by a clatter in the distance outside. Once awake, he gasped happily as he realized what the sound was, so he rushed over to Joseff.

"Joseff, buddy," he said. "Wake up!" Olaf rubbed Joseff's shoulders to further try and make him wake up.

"What is it, Olaf?" Joseff asked while half-asleep.

"I heard a clatter."

"A clatter? You mean, just like the clatter in the poem?"

"Yeah!"

"Do you think it's Santa?"

"Let's take a look outside to find out."

"Let's wake up Heidi first."

After they woke up Heidi, the trio went to the window. Once they did, a blast of cold air blew into the room. But before they closed it, they saw a figure in the distance. It started to come closer to the castle, and finally, the trio could make out the shape. It appeared to be a man flying in a sleigh that was being pulled by eight reindeer.

"Whoa," Heidi said in wonder.

"It's him!" Joseff said, his eyes widening in surprise.

Olaf and the children made their way into the library where the fireplace was all decorated with everyone's stockings and a Christmas tree was covered in ornaments.

Then they heard a sound coming from the chimney, and pretty soon, they saw black boots come down before the rest of the figure appeared. It was clad in a red jacket and hat, and the white hair and beard gave the figure away as being a man. In his hands was a big bag that was making a few different sounds as held it.

"Santa?" Joseff whispered. Then he got up and started walking towards Santa while his back was turned. When he turned around, he saw Joseff standing there, looking up at him.

"Hello, Santa," Joseff said in awe about seeing Santa himself, right before her eyes.

Heidi stayed back, afraid of what would happen next. But all Santa did was smile and kneel down to meet Heidi's level.

"Hello, Prince Joseff," Santa replied.

"You-you know my name?" Joseff stuttered in surprise.

"Of course I know your name. I know the names of all the children in the world." Santa looked past Joseff. "Is your little sister Princess Heidi here with you?"

"Yes, she is, and so is Olaf," Joseff answered. Then he motioned to them, "Come on out, guys."

Heidi emerged from where she was hiding, while Olaf excitedly ran towards Santa. "Hi, Santa!" he exclaimed. "Remember me?"

Santa chuckled softly. "I certainly do. It's wonderful to see you again, Olaf."

"H-h-hi, Santa," Heidi stuttered nervously.

Santa gently took one of Heidi's hands in his big gloved hands. "

"You both were very good this year, and so you will be seeing some special presents come tomorrow morning. But you must do something for me." Santa gestured Olaf and the kids to come closer. "You must not tell anyone that you saw me tonight."

"Why not, Santa?" Heidi asked.

"It's just important that no adults know about my existence. Not all of them believe that I am real, but I don't want people to set out to prove I am real. Can you please keep this a secret for me?"

Joseff and Heidi looked at each other, then they looked at Olaf. They all nodded in agreement. Finally, Joseff turned to Santa and said, "Okay, Santa. We won't tell anyone."

"Thank you, Joseff, Heidi, Olaf," Santa said each of their names as he motioned towards them.

"Before you go, we have something for you, too," Joseff said gesturing to the cookies, krumkake, and milk that was placed on a nearby table.

"We also have these carrots," Heidi said as she grabbed a plate of carrots that were also on the table." They're for your reindeer to eat. Our reindeer loves to eat carrots, so we thought yours might, too.

"Well, thank you very much," Santa smiled as he took the carrots and put them in his pocket. "Now come here and give me a hug.

Joseff and Heidi didn't need to hear it twice. They ran into Santa's embrace and he gave them a big hug.

"I like hugs, too. Warm hugs," Olaf said.

Santa chuckled. After he finished hugging the kids, he gave Olaf a hug, too.

"Merry Christmas, Joseff and Heidi. Merry Christmas, Olaf."

"Merry Christmas, Santa," they all said together.

Then Santa went back into the fireplace and shot back up the chimney. When he was gone, Olaf and the children raced back to their room. They looked out the window to catch a glimpse of Santa and his reindeer passing in the sky. They waved up to Santa and were sure that he waved back to them. Then as he began to fly away, they heard him shout, "Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"