Santa Claus Crashes OutEvery year, the Snowman Trail booklet has a wonderful Christmas tale to tell. This year we hear how a little boy called Colin helps Santa to save Christmas!
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The wise old fairy looked at Santa with big wide eyes, and said, “Surely you are joking. For years we have kept a written file on every boy and girl in the world. We don’t need this new method, a computer with a hard drive that can hold all the names and addresses of every boy and girl in the world. Why should we change now?”
Santa looked puzzled and pulled gently at his beard, “We have every room in my house, here in Lapland filled with old cards, even the toilet is packed from floor to ceiling going back hundreds of years. By next year we will have to move in to the stable with the reindeers!”
Nothing could change Santa’s mind, yes, he was a bit stubborn, but having read numerous books on computers, this was the future, nothing could stop him now. He trawled through as many shopping catalogues as he could find. Some were for playing on which confused him as he thought all computers were to play on! Some could do this, and some could do that. Some lit up like a Christmas tree, others were a funny shape, some were big, some were small, most baffled him, but he pressed on. At last, here it was, a state of the art cheap and cheerful top of the range computer, direct from the manufacturer, International Services, with branches throughout the world! Santa knew that this was just right, after all, his workshops were not capable of building such a machine and he needed one now!
With bated breath he waited for the package to arrive. His first problem was that it was supposed to arrive within four weeks, but it finally came after eight weeks, still he had the computer, now they could upgrade the whole of the toy town system into the next century. The next problem was the instructions were printed in a combination of Chinese and very bad English. After much head scratching, Santa passed on the whole package to the old professor, Mr Pen Wing, after all he was part Chinese and maybe he could work out how to get the computer working. After much thought, he called the Man in the Moon, Mr Moonshine, but he too did not know how to get it working either.
The wise old fairy was the next to have a try. She did a little better and did at least get it to turn on and even make a list, but when she turned it back on again, the whole of her work had vanished completely much to her displeasure. The King and Queen of Toy Town were next, along with their experts on every subject under the moon and stars, but still no luck. Time dragged on, then the jester, Mr N. O. All, had a try and bingo, he worked it out. Back to the Toy Town main office, hundreds of fairies and elves were given the task of transferring all the card files onto the hard drive. Pile after pile, box after box, they were all added to the hard drive. Santa’s house became his own again. He could move around without falling over the piles of cards. “Great he said, just great”.
Still the work went on day and night, until a week before the big day, Christmas day. Every file was transferred and stored on the new computer.
“Well everyone, we did it, now all we have to do is print off a list and then off I can go to all the boys and girls throughout the world and bring Christmas cheer to everyone. Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas to you all”, added Santa.
By now the computer was red hot, in fact you could say it was glowing and there was even a wisp of smoke coming out of the tower! Everyone was very excited, and Santa flicked off the switch to cool down the machine which had run non-stop for days.
The wise old fairy who was out of the room, came walking in and shock horror said, “Who turned off the computer and why? “I did”, replied Santa. “No, no, no,” said the old fairy, “last time we did that we lost everything, all the details, the lot, all the names and addresses. After weeks of work, we could have lost everything. Oh Santa, No, no, no”.
Everyone looked at everyone else, this could not happen, a week before the big day and wait for it, we could have lost everything. Gingerly, the computer was turned on and nothing was there. All the names, gone. All the addresses, gone. All the details of presents which were wanted, gone, in fact everything was gone. Nothing was left!
Glum faces, sad looks and worried expressions were all that was left. Everything gone, too late to go back to the cards now. What could Santa tell the children of the world…
Santa contacted all the intellectuals, the professors, scientists, everyone he could think of. There might be one person who had studded computers, who might be able to help, but no one came forward.
Colin Alfred Franks was the son of one of the toy makers in Toy Town. His parents could not understand his great fascination for gadgets, but as he kept saying, “I am the next generation, I might only be 10 years old, but I will, one day be able to do something to help the world”. They laughed out loud when they thought about what he said. They just let him get on with his hobbies and past times, and to dream on.
The news broke in Toy Town and throughout the world, there would be no Christmas delivery by Santa Claus as his computer had crashed and the whole worlds list of boys and girls was lost forever. This was going to be one of the worst Christmas’s on record. No presents from Santa.
Colin, like every boy and girl in the world was heartbroken, still he would understand. Then it struck him, what could be wrong with Santa’s computer, after all he lived for computers, they were his life. Yes, he was 10 years old, but if he could only get to see Santa, he might just be able to save Christmas, but no one would listen to a 10 year old that was not the brightest child in the world. He wrote to the old fairy, the jester, Mr N.O. All, he wrote to the King and Queen, he even wrote to the Man in the Moon. No one replied. Why not give me a chance? Even his parents laughed at him.
There was only one thing left to do, that was to visit the Toy Town main office and ask to speak to the great man himself, Santa Claus.
Colin, decided to take time off school, get a bus and a train and visit Santa. Time was tight, now there were only 3 days to the big day. He opened his money box, took out the coins, caught a bus and train and arrived at the main Toy Town Main Office at 4.00pm. He hesitated as he knocked on the door.
The old fairy opened the door and Colin plucked up courage to explain why he had come. The old fairy smiled and within minutes Santa and all the elves and fairies watched as Colin explained, “If I could turn back the time on the computer, then I might, or even be able to retrieve the lost information”.
They all fell on the floor laughing, except Santa, who had faith in the young man. “Go ahead, son”
Within minutes the time was altered and sure enough all the files appeared as if by magic.
Santa looked up and said, “Many of you doubted that this young man could save Christmas and bring happiness to boys and girls throughout the world. We failed to embrace modern technology and use it for the better, perhaps we should work closer with our young people, for after all, they can in many cases, teach us new things and improve our world. We should remember that we are all never too old to learn”.
Three days later, as the first flakes of snow fell, Santa set off on his magical journey, but as both you and I know it was a very close thing and the giving of Christmas presents nearly did not take place.
© Story Copyright SBRS. All rights reserved.
Santa looked puzzled and pulled gently at his beard, “We have every room in my house, here in Lapland filled with old cards, even the toilet is packed from floor to ceiling going back hundreds of years. By next year we will have to move in to the stable with the reindeers!”
Nothing could change Santa’s mind, yes, he was a bit stubborn, but having read numerous books on computers, this was the future, nothing could stop him now. He trawled through as many shopping catalogues as he could find. Some were for playing on which confused him as he thought all computers were to play on! Some could do this, and some could do that. Some lit up like a Christmas tree, others were a funny shape, some were big, some were small, most baffled him, but he pressed on. At last, here it was, a state of the art cheap and cheerful top of the range computer, direct from the manufacturer, International Services, with branches throughout the world! Santa knew that this was just right, after all, his workshops were not capable of building such a machine and he needed one now!
With bated breath he waited for the package to arrive. His first problem was that it was supposed to arrive within four weeks, but it finally came after eight weeks, still he had the computer, now they could upgrade the whole of the toy town system into the next century. The next problem was the instructions were printed in a combination of Chinese and very bad English. After much head scratching, Santa passed on the whole package to the old professor, Mr Pen Wing, after all he was part Chinese and maybe he could work out how to get the computer working. After much thought, he called the Man in the Moon, Mr Moonshine, but he too did not know how to get it working either.
The wise old fairy was the next to have a try. She did a little better and did at least get it to turn on and even make a list, but when she turned it back on again, the whole of her work had vanished completely much to her displeasure. The King and Queen of Toy Town were next, along with their experts on every subject under the moon and stars, but still no luck. Time dragged on, then the jester, Mr N. O. All, had a try and bingo, he worked it out. Back to the Toy Town main office, hundreds of fairies and elves were given the task of transferring all the card files onto the hard drive. Pile after pile, box after box, they were all added to the hard drive. Santa’s house became his own again. He could move around without falling over the piles of cards. “Great he said, just great”.
Still the work went on day and night, until a week before the big day, Christmas day. Every file was transferred and stored on the new computer.
“Well everyone, we did it, now all we have to do is print off a list and then off I can go to all the boys and girls throughout the world and bring Christmas cheer to everyone. Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas to you all”, added Santa.
By now the computer was red hot, in fact you could say it was glowing and there was even a wisp of smoke coming out of the tower! Everyone was very excited, and Santa flicked off the switch to cool down the machine which had run non-stop for days.
The wise old fairy who was out of the room, came walking in and shock horror said, “Who turned off the computer and why? “I did”, replied Santa. “No, no, no,” said the old fairy, “last time we did that we lost everything, all the details, the lot, all the names and addresses. After weeks of work, we could have lost everything. Oh Santa, No, no, no”.
Everyone looked at everyone else, this could not happen, a week before the big day and wait for it, we could have lost everything. Gingerly, the computer was turned on and nothing was there. All the names, gone. All the addresses, gone. All the details of presents which were wanted, gone, in fact everything was gone. Nothing was left!
Glum faces, sad looks and worried expressions were all that was left. Everything gone, too late to go back to the cards now. What could Santa tell the children of the world…
Santa contacted all the intellectuals, the professors, scientists, everyone he could think of. There might be one person who had studded computers, who might be able to help, but no one came forward.
Colin Alfred Franks was the son of one of the toy makers in Toy Town. His parents could not understand his great fascination for gadgets, but as he kept saying, “I am the next generation, I might only be 10 years old, but I will, one day be able to do something to help the world”. They laughed out loud when they thought about what he said. They just let him get on with his hobbies and past times, and to dream on.
The news broke in Toy Town and throughout the world, there would be no Christmas delivery by Santa Claus as his computer had crashed and the whole worlds list of boys and girls was lost forever. This was going to be one of the worst Christmas’s on record. No presents from Santa.
Colin, like every boy and girl in the world was heartbroken, still he would understand. Then it struck him, what could be wrong with Santa’s computer, after all he lived for computers, they were his life. Yes, he was 10 years old, but if he could only get to see Santa, he might just be able to save Christmas, but no one would listen to a 10 year old that was not the brightest child in the world. He wrote to the old fairy, the jester, Mr N.O. All, he wrote to the King and Queen, he even wrote to the Man in the Moon. No one replied. Why not give me a chance? Even his parents laughed at him.
There was only one thing left to do, that was to visit the Toy Town main office and ask to speak to the great man himself, Santa Claus.
Colin, decided to take time off school, get a bus and a train and visit Santa. Time was tight, now there were only 3 days to the big day. He opened his money box, took out the coins, caught a bus and train and arrived at the main Toy Town Main Office at 4.00pm. He hesitated as he knocked on the door.
The old fairy opened the door and Colin plucked up courage to explain why he had come. The old fairy smiled and within minutes Santa and all the elves and fairies watched as Colin explained, “If I could turn back the time on the computer, then I might, or even be able to retrieve the lost information”.
They all fell on the floor laughing, except Santa, who had faith in the young man. “Go ahead, son”
Within minutes the time was altered and sure enough all the files appeared as if by magic.
Santa looked up and said, “Many of you doubted that this young man could save Christmas and bring happiness to boys and girls throughout the world. We failed to embrace modern technology and use it for the better, perhaps we should work closer with our young people, for after all, they can in many cases, teach us new things and improve our world. We should remember that we are all never too old to learn”.
Three days later, as the first flakes of snow fell, Santa set off on his magical journey, but as both you and I know it was a very close thing and the giving of Christmas presents nearly did not take place.
© Story Copyright SBRS. All rights reserved.
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You can read last year's Christmas story about John Smith and his trip to the Auction by clicking below.
