It was Christmas eve. Mary had been watching all the goings on in the village for the past two weeks. The children had been practicing their carols, the shops had been decorated and all the streets were bright with lights and colorful decorations. There was a big Christmas tree in the middle of the village on the green, and there was to be a special carol service on Christmas eve for all the villagers with the children leading the carol singing. All the homes were bright with colorful decorations and in each one stood a Christmas tree hung with lights and garlands. If you looked very closely, small presents could be seen hidden amongst the branches. The children were getting more and more excited as the great day came nearer. Now this evening, the carol service was on and all the children knew that when they went home to bed Father Christmas would come with presents for them.

At last it was the big night, crowds of villagers gathered at the green, around the Christmas tree. Mary joined them and waited for the children to arrive with the vicar. Soon they saw them coming, in their white socks and all carrying lighted lanterns. The vicar leading the gleeful procession until it stood under the great Christmas tree.

They started singing and the children’s voices carried high in the cold December evening air. The people stood listening, enjoying the singing and joining in.

The time flew by and they all agreed that it had been a wonderful evening. Then all the children rushed home for a warm drink and then to bed. To dream of Father Christmas, who by now had almost certainly started his deliveries. Soon they were all fast asleep, each one hoping for the special present that they had asked for.

All of this time, Mary sat under her tree in Buttercup Meadow. She had enjoyed herself at the carol service and was just going to go to sleep herself.

Suddenly she was awakened with a start. She could hear someone talking rather agitatedly.

“I wonder where it could be,” the voice was saying. “of all the times for this to happen it had to be tonight.”

She sat up, looking around but couldn’t see anything.

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear” went on the voice, “there are going to be a lot of unhappy children in the village tomorrow if I can’t find it.”

“Who’s there?” asked Mary at last,

The voice stopped at once. Mary looked all around but could see no one at all.

Suddenly from around the apple tree a little man with a red pointed hat on and dressed in bright red trousers and jacket appeared.

“Who are you?” asked Mary, taken aback by his sudden appearance.

“I’m Tip, Santa’s top man,” answered the little man, “I help him through the year, making and packing toys for the children, then I help him deliver them on Christmas.

“I see” said Mary, “But what is the matter, why are you in my field?”

“Because,” said Tip, “one of the sacks of toys fell out of Santa’s sleigh as we flew over, and we can’t find it, and it has all the toys for the village girls and boys. And after hearing their concert tonight, we don’t want them to be disappointed.”

“I see” said Mary again, “I’ll help you look for it if you like.”

“Oh, thank you Mary!” said Tip gleefully.

They searched and they searched but could not find it anywhere it would soon be morning and the children would soon be waking up.

“This is the first time this has ever happened,” said Tip “oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.”

“Let’s go further down the lane,” said Mary, determined to find it.

So, they went out of the gate and made their way down the lane looking everywhere but they still couldn’t find the lost sack.

 

Soon they were outside Twisted Cottage. Blackie the witch’s cat was sitting on the doorstep watching Mary and Tip make their way down the lane.

“What’s up Mary?” he asked as they drew nearer.

“Tip and I are looking for a sack of toys that fell off Santa’s sleigh. They are for the village of children and if we don’t find it, they will not have a very nice Christmas.”

“I’ll help!” Said Blackie.

They looked everywhere but still the sack couldn’t be found.

By now dawn was beginning to break. Very soon all the children would be awake and start looking for their presents.

“Let’s go and see Matilda the good witch, she will be able to help us,” said Blackie.