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The police? Eeks Weakly I called out, "Papa…"

Fro room he called back, "Almost done in here, Natty! Pack a few cookies for h," the boy repeated

"Oh, uon? It’s how Santa travels"

He glared "I knohat a sleigh is"

"It’s parked in the snow," I said "Go look if you don’t believe me"

He ran over to theand looked outside He turned back around with saucer eyes and sank down onto the floor He closed his eyes and whispered, "This isn’t real I’"

I pinched his ar"

He rubbed his ar"

That’s when I noticed it--the bundle of ht, here’s rabbed him and kissed him, and he tasted like Swedish Christ and a ho ho ho, and we sprang apart The boy’s eyes just about fell out of his head when he saw Santa in all his cranberry-velvet glory "Tio, Natty," Papa said

"You really are real," the boy whispered

"That’s right, and I knohen you’ve been naughty or nice," Papa joked, but it ard, of course

Papa whisked me away, and the boy ran to theand called out, "My name is Lars! What’s yours?"

I screamed back, "Natalie!"

When I think back on it, I realize it was the first tiot to introduce myself I’d known everyone at the North Pole since I was a baby, and they all called me Natty, because that hat Santa calledNatalie

We’re all still standing near the refresh and ho-ho-hoing The elves go wild Elves don’t nor displays of emotion, but they make an exception where Santa is concerned He’s a rock star to them "Happy December First!" Papa calls out