Mischief Makers Day 10: Ornaments

Miss Day 9? Click here!

Want to listen instead? Hit Play!

You know presents and stockings and glitter, confetti
Bright lights and flashers and elven spaghetti
But do you recall…the best darn present of all…
Ornaments, hand-made, hot-glued
Fingers burnt, glue in your hair
Glitter around the table
Paper crinkled here and there
Craft sticks and lots of stickers
Shiny paper, tin foil crowns
Everyone loves the craft day
It’s the best darn day around!

Pixie and Figgy finished the second round of the jingle they wrote while laying the supplies for handmade ornaments out for the boys. Joe stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing sleepy eyes.

“Sorry I’m late guys,” he yawned. “Who’s turn is it?”

Pixie and Figgy had noticed that Joe seemed more tired than usual. They figured he was staying up too late each night and were trying to encourage him to sleep more. 

“We’ve got it tonight, Joe. You can go back to bed.” Figgy set the box of googly eyes on the counter.

“No, I want to help. I ju–u-u–uhhh–st need to….”. 

Pixie’s eyes twinkled. “Why don’t you get some sleep tonight while we get the ornament supplies set up.”

Figgy nodded in agreement. “You’ll be full of fresh ideas for tomorrow night. We’ve got this covered.”

Joe nodded sleepily and trudged back to his room. “Okay. If you’re surrrrr.”

As soon as Joe left, Pixie let out a high-pitched whistle. Glitter, Nim, Lil, Barrel and Leonard burst out of drawers and cabinets. “All right team, time to get busy!” 

“Let’s see…”. Pixie consulted her clipboard. “Red and green Dixie cups?”

“Check!” said Figgy.

“Buttons, assorted sizes and colors?”

“Check!” called Nim.

“Pom-poms?”

“Check!” squeaked Lil.

“Foam sticky stars?”

“RUFF!” barked Barrel. 

“Red and white ribbon?”

Glitter shuffled.

“Glitter?” Pixie prompted. 

Glitter pawed the ground. 

Pixie stared at her pointedly. 

“I–I forgot it.”

Nim and Lil gasped. Glitter was the most organized reindeer in the North Pole. Not to mention a stickler for details. 

“Uh,” said Figgy. “You did what now?”

“Yes, I forgot. I was…busy.”

“You were busy?” Pixie said incredulously. “Glitter, you were in charge of the ribbon. How are we going to hang the ornaments from the light fixture?”

“There’s kitchen twine in the drawer under the microwave.” Glitter scuffed a hoof on the table.

“That’s hardly festive, Glitter!” 

“It’s…rustic.” 

Pixie could not believe her little elven ears. “Rustic? With bright Christmas colors and neon green dixie cups??”

“Ohh-kay,” broke in Figgy. “I think the boys have some ribbon in their room. I’ll just sneak in and see if I can find—.”

“No, I’ll do it.” Glitter headed toward the bedroom. 

The elves waited until Glitter was out of earshot before expressing their surprise at Glitter’s behavior. 

“Glitter never forgets anything,” said Pixie.

Nim chuckled. “I know. She’ll never let us live down the time we threw glitter all over the house.”

Lil smiled. “Or the time you knocked the Christmas tree over.” 

“Or the time Pixie and I set the garage on fire.”

Pixie raised her eyebrows. “Uh, we never did that, Figgy.”

“We didn’t?”

Pixie shook her head.

“Huh. That must have been at my last job.”

“Anyway,” interrupted Nim. “We’ll have a talk with her back at the North Pole. She might be feeling a little stressed with everything going on with Santa.”

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves filled the room. Glitter came barrelling down the hallway, a look of horror on her face. 

“Glitter, what’s wrong?” Pixie asked with concern.

“It’s Jake. I think he saw.”

A knot of cold dread dropped like a stone in Pixie’s stomach.

“Saw what?” asked Figgy, though he already knew the answer.

“Saw me…moving.”

• 

•