This book was created and published on StoryJumper™

©2015 StoryJumper, Inc.   All rights reserved.

Publish your own children's book: 

www.storyjumper.com

   A brightly-decorated tree? Colourful twinkling lights? The sort of music you 

only hear once a year which makes you feel all festive inside? It can only be 

that wonderful time of the year again - Christmas!

   Every town and city across the world always looks magical and full of 

seasonal spirit during this period of each year. Cardiff is no exception. The 

best time to visit this amazing city is in December, which is when you will find it 

full of happy people with arms full of gifts to give to their loved ones. Nothing 

motivates you better than the cheery seasonal music that fills the air, helping 

the beautiful Christmas trees and colourful lights to make the atmosphere so 

magical. 

   Not forgetting, of course, the jewel in the crown - or you could say, the star 

on the Christmas tree - Winter Wonderland. A visit to this Christmas-themed 

fairground will always be the highlight of a visit to Cardiff during December. 

Never will you find a happier place during any other time of the year. Always 

you will find Winter Wonderland sets the mood for the holidays, full left, right 

and centre with smiling, laughing, happy people. It's little wonder it's the busiest 

part of the city every single Christmas.

   Or is it?

   My final lecture of the week had finished. It was the beginning of the first 

weekend of December. I had already decided how I intended to spend it; by 

beginning to celebrate Christmas.

   I had spent the remainder of the afternoon decorating my flat with festive 

lights an ornaments. I had even gone as far as to make myself look festive by 

using a Christmas hat and sweater I had purchased to make myself look like 

Santa Claus! 

   I was now ready to head out into Cardiff, planning to do some Christmas 

shopping and see how the city had been done up for this time of the year. I 

wanted my flat mates to join me, but all of them rejected my offer. They wanted 

to stay in the warms of the flat and play a football video game together.

   "Your friends and relatives will be in for a shock when they find out you've 

been playing games all December instead of getting gifts for them!" I called out 

jokingly to them as I disappeared out of the door of the flat, setting off to the 

city.

   When I got off the bus that had brought me to the city centre, an amazing 

sight awaited me. The lampposts had been decorated with twinkling blue festive 

lights. Hanging high above the footpath were enormous bright red stars. These 

really lifted to look of the city, making it look far more cheery. They really did 

make it feel like the most magical time of the year was here. 

   Unable to keep the enormous grin that had spread across my face off, eager 

to see more, I put my foot forward, heading off into the decorated depths of the 

city.

   Everywhere I went in the city, a festive surprise awaited me. An enormous 

Christmas tree stood outside Cardiff Castle. It was full of twinkling blue lights 

that matched the ones that had put up around the walls of the old building, 

really elevating its appearance. 

  It was not just outside where Christmas trees could be found. There were plenty to be seen 

standing tall inside the Queen's Arcade. They were some of the tallest trees I had ever seen. It 

made me wonder if it had been such a trying task for the person who had decorated them all 

the way to the top. I'd hate to be in the way if it ever fell to the ground with a crash - or even be 

the one to stand it upright again!

   While passing through the Queen's Arcade, I stopped at the toy store, 

curious to find out what I could give to my younger relatives this year. Walking 

through this store brought back fond happy memories of Christmas during my 

younger years. Back then, there would always be some toy I would want each 

year that would keep me awake on Christmas Eve for excitement. I could see 

as I looked around that this store was packed with hundreds and thousands of 

toys. Santa was going to have a very busy job this year, delivering all of these 

to the children!

   Walking out of the Queen's Arcade, I happened upon the outdoor Christmas 

market. As with everywhere else in the city, beautiful blue twinkling lights 

decorated the buildings while the air was filled with Christmas music. This was 

a particularly crowded part of the city, but everybody there was in good spirits 

as they walked from stall to stall, buying all different kinds of goodies from 

warm chestnuts to chocolate-covered marshmallows. How delicious!

   No city that's been done up nicely for Christmas would be complete without a 

visit from the jolly old bearded fellow in red who makes all the kids happy this 

time of the year. I could see as I walked through Queen St that a grotto for him 

had indeed been set up for him here in Cardiff. The only thing missing what 

the man himself. Where was he? Feeding his reindeer? Off for a mince pie 

from Gregg's? Spoiling himself to a Christmas drink in one of the nearby 

pub's? Who knows? I just hope if it's the last option, he's got one of his elves to 

drive him in his slight back to the North Pole. Not even Santa Claus can drink 

and drive!

   I had a very nice evening in Cardiff, looking at all the lights and decorations 

while doing my Christmas shopping. It made me feel very happy and festive. 

By eight o'clock, I was ready to return home to my nice warm flat.

   On my way to the bus stop, however, some distant twinkling lights caught my 

attention. I ventured closer to see what it was, finding out that it was the Ferris 

wheel of Winter Wonderland. The sight of it made my eyes twinkle as brightly 

as the lights. I used to love going to this fairground with my family every 

December. It had been some years since I had last done that. Eager to take a 

look at this magical place that always came to Cardiff every Christmas, I began 

to make my way towards it, my excited eyes glued to the Ferris wheel. I 

expected to find the fairground filed everywhere I looked with lots of people 

who would be enjoying the rides and filled with as much Christmas cheer as 

the place itself was.

   What I was in for was rather surprising. 

   I made my way across the road and passed through the entrance of Winter 

Wonderland. The first sight that met my eyes was the one that had drawn me to the 

place. It was the Ferris wheel. I gazed up at it, expecting it to be crowded with happy 

riders - and that was when the smile on my face disappeared to be replaced by a 

look of surprise. The wheel was completely empty, yet there it was lit up before 

more, carrying its seated compartments around and round. There wasn't even 

anyone queuing up for it. That seemed odd to me, as I had expected to see plenty of 

people aboard the ride and waiting to go on it. 

You've previewed 21 of 32 pages.

To read more: