The Next Year Reindeer

       At the North Pole, there is a friendly and soft reindeer named Rufus. He is a nice googly eyed deer who likes to wear Christmas lights in his antlers and has a lot of friends who are Christmas mice.

One year he heard about some situations in stores where they ran out of the toys that children wanted.  The managers said to the people, "Maybe next year."

Soon after that, Rufus heard about some parents who wanted to buy some new furniture instead of toys for the kids. When the kids asked for the toys they wanted, the parents said "Maybe next year."

Rufus also went to a meeting with Santa and saw Santa look at a letter from a child who had only been a little bit good that year but was asking for a big toy. Santa put the letter aside and said "Maybe next year."

Rufus cried a little bit and went back to his stable. He talked to his Christmas mice friends and said, "I think these kids should get toys now.  Will you guys help me?" 

The Christmas mice said "Of course," and they hurried to fill up some bags with toys.

At about 9 oclock on Christmas Eve, way before he was supposed to join the other reindeer to pull Santa's sleigh, Rufus picked up the big bag of toys and dragged it through the snow.  Then he and the mice hopped on a bus and started to deliver the toys.  Everywhere he went, people petted him and thanked him.

It was almost midnight but he still had one toy left.  He decided to take it to a little girl who had wanted a wonderful unicorn stuffed animal. 

When Rufus got to her house, the little girl was sipping hot chocolate with her mom. Rufus gave her the unicorn and she and her mom both cried because they were so happy.  They shared some hot chocolate with Rufus and all the mice and gave Rufus a plaid blanket to take home. 

When Rufus got back to his stable at the North Pole, Santa and the other reindeer had already left to go deliver presents. A Christmas bird said to Rufus, "Rufus, why aren't you flying with Santa and the other reindeer?"
   Rufus curled up under his new blanket and said, "Maybe next year."