It had been a cold and long night, but a good one. Santa had been delivering gifts all over the world, as he did every year. At each house he would hop out and down the chimney with his bag of gifts. He'd eat the cookies, drink the milk, and go about his business, and then be off. He was quick and efficient. And as the night wore on, he got quicker and quicker, more and more excited. This was the night he looked forward to every year. It was his night to shine.
But there was another reason for the pep in his step as well. He had a house he was especially looking forward to visiting. You see last year, he had found a very naughty little girl still awake waiting for him Christmas Eve. He had to give her a very stern talk, and explain to her that she was supposed to be in bed. But there was something about her. Something he just could not shake. He had thought about her all year. And as the reindeer pulled his sleigh ever closer to her house, he could not help but get excited to see her once more. He wondered if she had taken his talk to heart or not.
He had checked for her name on his list several times, to be sure. She was on the Good girl list, so that was good. He had some special gift just for her. He smiled when he thought of the gifts he had made for her, and the joy that he knew they would bring her. He looked up and saw her house come into view. He had made sure to be as efficient and quick as possible tonight, to build in some extra for his visit, just in case.
The sleigh came to a soft stop on her rooftop, kicking up a light dusting of snow. Before the snow had settled again, Santa was already bounding down the chimney, only the top of his bag of toys could still be seen as he dropped down out of sight.
As Santa emerged from the Chimney, he turned around, and there below the shining lights of the tree, she knelt, waiting for him. She wore a Green Christmas dress that came off the shoulders, and had bells around the hem. Her hands were in her lap, and her head was bowed, eyes closed as she waited for him. Nearby, was a small table with milk and cookies and a note. He grabbed the note, and read it quickly, keeping one eye on her.
"Dear Santa, I know I am supposed to be in bed, but I just had to wait for you. I was thinking about it, and realized you must be super tired. No one ever helps you on Christmas. So I figured I'd wait for you and be a good little Santa's helper for you."