I want to give a special thanks to BrutusDeagon and FirnenOne for their help in editing and proof reading. This story wouldn't have been nearly as legible if it weren't for their help.

A/N:

Nick never cared for the Grizzmas holiday. For starters, it always started to soon. Before the Howlloween costumes and candy could even think of going up on the shelves the shopping centers would begin putting Grizzmas decorations out to advertise. As soon as Howlloween was over the local radio stations would start playing Grizzmas music around the clock. Everyone would be cheery and excited for the cooler weather to move in. Soon, all Zootopia would be coated in a layer of snow. Mostly artificial as snow machines from Tundra town would be brought into Savannah center, the Meadowlands and even Sahara Square would turn the heaters down to participate in the season of giving.

"Giving. Ha! What a laugh." Nick thought bitterly. He could hardly recall a time in his life when Grizzmas was about anything other than getting what you could for as little as you could. His profits always dwindled this time of year. Everyone wanted a discount, or they wouldn't buy anything. It affected his profits so much that he had to adjust his budget for the entire year. Selling cheap knock off products was already difficult. Let alone selling them at a discount. It didn't help that his favorite holiday was all but forgotten.

Nick stopped in his tracks, paws ankle deep in the artificial snow of Happy town. It was Grizzmas Eve, only an hour from midnight. Nick's thoughts, however, were on another holiday in a time that felt like ages ago. A warm home with a table that held a meager meal compared to what others were preparing to feast on. But to him, it was a feast fit for kings. All his favorites, sweet potato pie, mashed potatoes, dressing and the best part of all, turkey. He stopped in his tracks and a smile began to tug his frown upward. But then the growling of his own stomach made itself known and his frown quickly returned. He drudged on.

The home he remembered as being warm and inviting was now empty and cold as far as he was concerned. Instead he walked to another building. One near the center of Happytown.

Passing an alley, he heard the clatter of a trash lid as it fell on concrete the snow blowers hadn't covered. He peered into the dark and saw a sight that was all too common. Young cubs, rummaging through the trash to find whatever meal they could. Or anything else that might be of worth to them. Nick walked into the alley and quickly drew the cubs' attention. A tigress and a wolf. The youngsters cowered away from him. He stopped a distance from them and lowered himself down. He pulled the scarf from around his neck and laid it on the ground. He then pulled a small bag from his coat pocket, a sandwich he hadn't eaten, and laid it on the scarf before standing and walking away. He didn't wait or try to listen if they accepted his gift. He didn't really care he told himself. Soon his thoughts were replaced by the methodical crunch of snow under paw as he made his way home.

"Home." He thought with a sarcastic huff. "Not much of a home." Indeed, the old condemned building he squatted in hardly counted as a home. It had a chimney, but the hearth had been bare for years. After all, he couldn't have anyone know he was there illegally. For heat he used a small camp stove that barely warmed the smallest bedroom on the mildest of winter nights. But it would do until his winter coat came in fully. Score one for biology.

This late at night the streets were bare and most of the streetlights were out. As he rounded the corner his humble abode came into view. As well as something he hadn't expected. Atop his room was a very plump bear. Dressed as Santa Claws no less. Nick had to wonder, was this idiot at the wrong house? Who would mistake a decrepit old building in Happytown from some nice condominium in the Meadowlands? Nick rushed over and cried out.

"Hey! Get off my house!"

Many thoughts went through his mind as he jogged toward his home. The first was the instinct to guard his home from intruders. While the house was not his, the belongings inside certainly were. The second was how would he protect what was his from such a large bear? He wouldn't be over to overpower him. Perhaps he could run in circles till the clearly obese bear had a heart attack. Several other things came to his mind in an instant. But the one thing that didn't come to mind was what happened.

The bear seemed startled and slipped on the snow-covered roof. Nick watched helplessly as the bear slid off the roof and into the yard. He heard a sickening crunch that he hoped was due to the bears size packing so much snow at once. He raced over and found the bear sprawled out in his yard. There was no movement.

"Hey buddy, you okay?" There was no response. The bear lay there completely still. Nick couldn't even see any steamy breath coming from the bear's muzzle. Panic quickly began to take over. What was he going to do? He couldn't call the police; they want to know why he was on the roof and that meant going in the house. If they found he was squatting, there they'd arrest him. He turned away from the bear and started pacing. Maybe he could just call an ambulance, they'd just buy his story, right? A fox in Happytown says a Santa Claws bear was on his roof and he slipped. A sudden gust of chilly wind tickled his ears just as he turned to pace back the way he came.

"What do I do? What do I do? What do I… do?" As panic began to consume him, he looked back to where the bear lay sprawled in the snow. Only, he was gone. The red Santa suit remained but the bear was gone. Vanished into thin air. Nick stepped closer to the suit and noticed it lay in the impression the bear had left in the snow. There were no footprints in the snow save for his. Upon closer inspection, Nick saw a card laying atop the coat. He carefully lifted it up to read what was upon it. Noting the decorative border along the edge he read the message.

Santa Claws

North Pole

"Really? A business card?" Nick glanced around once again. Still no one or any sign of the bear that was once in his yard. He flipped the card over and found more written on the back.

If something should

happen to me, put on the suit.

The reindeer will know

what to do.

"Reindeer? What rein… deer…" Nick questioned as he turned around. There behind him he found eight reindeer all dressed in bright green and red clothing with reins and harnesses strapped around their shoulders and decorated with silver bells. "Oh." The closest to him pointed behind Nick at the suit.

"Put it on."

"What?" Nick asked with a canine head tilt.

"Put on the suit." He said again. Nick quickly adopted his trademark half smile and disarming persona.

"Look, pal, I don't know what this is about or who put you up to it but there's no way I could fit into that bear sized…" As Nick was speaking, he'd turn to point at the suit in question. But his retort had died in his throat as he glanced back to find the suite that was once sized for an overweight bear had been replaced by one that was fox size. "How did you… Where did that…" Nick asked as he glanced back and forth between the suit and reindeer.

"What is going on?!" He finally shouted in frustration as he looked to the reindeer for answers.

"Put on, the suit. We only have one night. Then, you can work it out." One of them offered.

"Fine. I'll put on the suit." He walked over and pulled his own coat off, tossing it to the side. Revealing his floral pawaiin shirt with mismatched tie and khaki slacks. He put on the pants and cinched them tight around his waist. He then put his arms through the sleeves and buttoned the coat. It all fit him perfectly.

"There! Happy now?" He sarcastically asked the reindeer.

"The hat." One of them pointed out. Nick looked down and snatched a red Santa hat from the snow and placed it upon his head. He then threw his arms out to the side in a mocking gesture. The reindeer simply smirked and stepped towards him. Nick immediately drew back.

"Wait, wait, what are you going to do?" One of them reached behind him and lifted him by the jacket he now wore. Holding him up in front of him as they walked around the corner. Another carried a large sack he'd lifted from the snow the other Santa had been carrying.

"Only the best we can." He answered just before dropping Nick into a sleigh. A full-blown genuine sleigh. Nick looked around and studied the contraption he'd been dropped into. Another reindeer dropped a large sack into the back of the sleigh before joining the others in attaching themselves to it.

"So, um, do I need to call out your names or something?" To which the reindeer all chuckled.

"Nah, you just sit back and hold on. We're almost done and then you can get yourself sorted out."

"Oh, okay, well what exactly do I-EYAH!" Nick yelped as the sleigh suddenly shot forward, tossing him into the floorboard. He gathered himself and pulled his body up over the ledge of his compartment so he could yell at them for doing that. But what he saw caused his jaw to drop and eyes to widen. They were flying high above the city! The reindeer were pulling the sleigh through the air! How were they doing this?! Before he could articulate words, the reindeer suddenly banked left and began to descend back towards terra firma. The sudden move had Nick digging his claws into the woodwork to keep from falling over. Just as they began to approach the rooftops the reindeer slowed their pace and they softly landed atop one of the buildings.

Nick looked around to try and gain his bearings. He could see the Grand Palm hotels, then the spires from grand central station, an angry reindeer…

"W-what?" He stuttered out, to which the bull rolled his eyes.

"Take the bag and go down the chimney. Don't you know anything?" He spat.

Nick looked around the rooftop but didn't see a chimney anywhere.

"What chimney?" He asked a little irritated.

The reindeer pointed towards one of the exhaust vents. Nick looks at the vent and then raises an eyebrow and looks back at the bull.

"You're kidding, right?" The bull's expression didn't change. "Yeah, not kidding, got it." So, he lifted the sack and walked over to the vents. Glad the artificial snow wasn't blown on top of the buildings as well. He stood next to the vents and peered down. Steam was slowly rising from the heaters below and out of the vent. Nick looked back at the reindeer only to find them glaring back. "Okay, now what?" He asked.

"Hold the bag over the pipe." One of them said. Nick did as he was instructed with a raised eyebrow. He looked down the hole for a second and then at the bag before looking back to the reindeer again who only looked at him with a smirk. He parted his lips to ask 'now what' when he felt a tingle in his arm.

Looking back, he saw the bag had begun to morph its shape and sink into the vent. The tingling in his arm worked its way to his shoulder as he watched his arm begin to follow the bag in. He began to panic and tried to pull away, but his feet only slid across the rooftop and he found himself being pulled in.

"No, no! Wait, wait! AAHHHH!" It was a strange sensation to travel down the pipes. He felt every curve and rotation as his body was warped through the fixtures. Finally coming out through a fireplace in the apartment. He landed with a thump on the floor and rolled under the occupants Grizzmas tree. Letting out a groan as he felt the presents beneath it dig into his back. Nick rolled himself off the offending box and slowly lifted himself up. Glancing around he found himself in a nice apartment. The carpet was soft and warm, the furniture looked fairly new and the appliances in the open-air kitchen shined in the dim light from the decorations.

He admired the living conditions before turning to face the fireplace. It looked like a fireplace, but it didn't fit in with the rest of the room. It was ornately decorated but simple in design. It didn't even look like it had been used before. Nick stared at it for a few minutes before remembering why he was there. With a sigh he lifted the bag and reached inside. He pulled a present out and read the name. "Clarence." He said out loud. With a shrug he placed it under the tree. He pulled five more out before the sack was empty, one more for Clarence with two each for an Abigail and Simon. He was just about to try and figure out how to get out of there when the sound of a voice caught him off guard.

"Santa?" Nick froze and slowly turned to face the voice. Peaking over the back of the couch was a young whitetail doe, Abigail, he presumed. "Are you really Santa?" She asked, aw in her voice.

"Mmm, uuhh, maybe?" He cautiously answered.

"But Santa is a bear, with a long white beard. You're just a fox." She said unbelievingly. Nick's shoulders slumped before he donned a smirk.

"Yeah well, this is just a temporary gig. I'm sure you'll get the real Santa next year."

"Oh." She replied, disappointment clear in her voice. Nick went to make his exit, standing next to the vent he'd come out of and was about to hold the sack in front of it in the hopes it would take him back out. "Are you leaving?" The young doe asked.

"Uh, yeah. That's the plan." He quickly replied.

"But you didn't drink the milk or eat the cookies." She gestured to a plate and glass sitting on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"I'm not a big fan, thanks."

"But you gotta!" She replied.

"Why?" He asked back.

"Cause! It's, it's, it's the rules!" She answered, waving her little hooves around in the air as her voice got louder.

"Shh, shh, shh! Okay, okay! I'll eat a cookie!" He harshly whispered. Stepping over to the table he found what appeared to be oatmeal raisin cookies with half a glass of milk. He picked up one of the cookies and took a bite, making sure he showed his teeth before chewing loudly. The little doe just watched as he showed where he bit a piece off before putting it down.

"Now the milk." She said, crossing her arms in front of her. Nick rolled his eyes and picked up the glass before taking a big gulp and placed it back on the table.

"Satisfied?" He asked, throwing his arms to the side. With a bright smile she nodded her head.

"Mmhmm!"

"Good, now go to bed or Santa Fox is taking all these toys back to the North Pole!" Her smug grin quickly turned to surprise as she darted back down a hallway that must have led to her room. Nick shook his head before grabbing another cookie and dragging the sack back into the fireplace, giving the rope a tug. "Let's go." As he took another bite, the bag lifted from the floor and rose up the chimney, pulling Nick with it. As he lost site of the room the fireplace shrank on itself and formed back into a wall heater. As the bag pulled him from the vent and back onto the roof, Nick held onto the rope of the bag as it sailed through the air and safely landed him back in the sleigh. He sat comfortably in the seat finishing off the cookie as the reindeer looked back at him expectantly.

"So, what's next?" He asked around a mouth full of cookies. The reindeer smirked and turned to dash off again. Nick was ready this time and watched as they ran to the end of the roof and jumped into the air. He still couldn't figure out how they were flying but had come to accept that it was the least of his worries now. Five more houses were visited, and Nick felt he was getting the hand of this Santa gig. But he was ready for it to finally be over and return to what he considered his home. He'd had a long day and was ready for some rest. He wasn't sure how long they were in the air before he realized they hadn't landed in a long time. He looked down over the edge of the sleigh and saw only snow-covered evergreens.

"Hey! Where are we going?" He asked the flying reindeer.

"Home." One of them called over his shoulder.

"This isn't the way to my home!" He shouted back, but the reindeer only seemed to ignore him. Nick weighed his options. Jump and fall to his death or see where they were taking him. They continued for a long while after that. Nick had curled up with his tail around his feet to keep warm. The air seemed to just get colder and colder. He'd nearly fallen asleep when he felt the sleigh suddenly tilted forward as the reindeer began running towards the ground. They'd done this at each house they've visited, and Nick had gotten used to it. What he wasn't used to was them running towards the snow-covered ground at extremely fast speed.

"Shouldn't we slow down?" He called out, only to hear chuckling in reply. Faster and faster they ran towards the ground. Just as it seemed they would crash, the reindeer suddenly leveled out and were running along the ground. Nick felt as though he would fall through the seat as the force of the direction change hit him. He then saw where the reindeer were running. A yellow light in the side of a mountain gleamed in the dark. It grew larger and larger until they entered what Nick presumed to be a doorway without slowing down. Then, without any warning, the sleigh came to an abrupt stop. Tossing Nick headfirst into the front of the sleigh.

Nick was no stranger to being knocked out. It had happened a few times over his life when he wasn't able to talk himself out of trouble or run away fast enough. So, when he found himself lying on the floor with his vision blurred and head pounding, he knew he was in trouble. He wasn't sure how long he laid there. Or what was going on, but the first thing he noticed when he rolled to look up were several long ears peeking over the edges of the sleigh. As his vision gained focus, he noticed one set of ears with black tips had a set of bright purple eyes staring daggers down at him. Ever the articulate one, Nick said the first thing that came to mind.

"Beautiful."

Then the world went dark again.

A/N:

This story is the product of a question asked by AngelaMay234 about what Christmas in Zootopia would be like. The suggestion that Bunnies be elves was suggested by Togdoesstuff as well as the name Grizzmas instead of Christmas and that Santa is a bear. The idea of using The Santa Clause movie as a base story was from captainKelrin.