The Christmas Workshop

On the first day of December, a parcel arrived for Leo. Inside was a snow globe with a tiny workshop, all lit up, and a note that said: Shake me if you love Christmas.

So Leo gave it a shake. Whoosh! Snowflakes swirled all around the room, round and round, faster and faster...

...until Leo landed with a soft flump in deep, sparkly snow. "Welcome to the North Pole!" Said a little elf called Tinsel. "We've been waiting for you!"

Inside, the workshop was full of whirring and hammering. "Christmas is only three sleeps away, and we're far behind," said Tinsel. "Will you help us?"

Leo painted rocking horses, wound up toy trains and tied a hundred bows. The elves had never seen anyone tie a bow so neatly.

In the kitchen, Mrs Claus was baking gingerbread. Leo gave every gingerbread reindeer a red nose, and tasted just one. Well, maybe two.

Next, Leo visited the reindeer stables and gave each reindeer a crunchy carrot. The reindeer stamped their hooves to say thank you.

Then everyone raced outside for a sledge race down Candy Cane Hill. Leo zoomed past every single elf and won!

That evening, a deep, jolly voice filled the workshop. It was Santa himself! "Leo," he smiled, "the elves tell me you've been a wonderful helper."

"There's one last job, and it's the most important of all," said Santa. He lifted Leo high up to put the golden star on top of the great Christmas tree.

The moment the star was in place, the whole tree lit up, and all the elves cheered. It was the most beautiful tree Leo had ever seen.

Then, with a swirl of snow, Leo was home again, tucked up in bed. And inside the snow globe, if you look very closely, there's a tiny new helper waving from the workshop window.