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Description
It had been a long, fun day. Theresa's family had just finished supper and were now hanging up their stockings, which had finally been found. Tomorrow they would work on the tree, but for now they were done.

Two of her sisters had gone to their rooms to check their computers. Arlene and Theresa had stayed downstairs to play a few video games. Arlene had said she felt like playing a one player, so Theresa just sat down next to her and watched.

After a few minutes Theresa finally looked at her older sister and asked, "Is Santa real?"

It took a moment for Arlene to respond. In truth, Theresa was the only one out of the four that still really believed in Santa, and none of them wanted her to lose that belief. She was the baby of the family, and no one wanted her to grow up, even though it was inevitable.

Arlene was not really sure how to answer the question, she simply paused her game and looked at her younger sister, "What do you think?" She asked, not really wanting to be the one to tell her 'the truth.'

Theresa had expected that answer, she had learned that when people wanted to avoid a question they would try to make you answer it. "I'm not sure, that's why I asked you."

Arlene shrugged, "If you're so curious, stay up and wait for him." It was mostly a joke, and Arlene went right back to her game, but Theresa had already been thinking about that.

----

"Is interesting idea" North said, after Jack had finished telling him about a thought that had come to him earlier.

"Do you think you could do it?" Jack asked hopefully.

North answered with a shrug, "I don't see vhy not. Sure. Now, I must get back to vork. Let me know how it goes." Jack smiled while North left the room, and started on a project of his own.

----

That night, Theresa tried to stay up as late as she could. After her mom called "Lights out!" she sat on her bed, watching the dark sky.

Every year for as long as she could remember she had tried to stay up and see, or even hear, Santa. Every year, she failed. However, she needed this year to be different.

It was a simple plan of pushing herself as late as possible before she fell asleep, tonight she managed to 'fight off' the sandman for about half an hour before she drifted into pleasant dreams of flying on dragon back.

-----

"Who's turn is it to put the star on top?" Daisy asked the next morning after everyone had woken up, Theresa had been the last one up.

"I think I did it last year, so it'd be Arlene's" April answered, munching on a banana.

"Wha? You talkin' bout that already?" Arlene asked from the other room, still rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

Despite having just gotten up, Theresa was already bouncing with excitement over decorating the tree. "When can we start?" She asked, to which everyone laughed.

Soon the family was putting the boxes of decorations on the tree, trying to put as many on as they could with out making it crowded, which was difficult since they had enough decorations for two trees.

It did not take that long, but was very fun. Afterwards, everyone again went about business as usual, though some of them locked their doors while they wrapped presents.

----

The next few days went by in a blur for Theresa, she stayed up as late as she could and had naps during the day in an effort to push that time back further. Presents appeared under the tree as they were wrapped and grandparents were visited. Before anyone knew it, Christmas eve had arrived.

"Can I be the elf tomorrow?" Theresa asked, it was a family tradition that one of the girls got to be an 'elf' and hand out the presents.

Marcia looked at the other three girls, who all shrugged, "I guess so. But for now, each of you get to open one present."

"Me first!" They all yelled at more-or-less the same time.

"I'm thinking of a number" Martin said, ignoring the screaming girls, "Between 25 and 50"

"35!" Daisy yelled

"45" Arlene picked

"30" April said

"Um, 27?" Theresa offered, as their mother wrote down the numbers and looked at her husband.

"It was 36. Daisy first, then April, Arlene and Theresa you're last this year." Martin said.

Marcia pulled out a bag from under the tree, inside were four small presents. She handed one to each of the girls, and sat down.

Daisy started thumbing the tape until Martin took out the camera and nodded, then she ripped open the small package. Inside was a deck of Magic the gathering cards, "Cool! Thanks" She said

April looked at her two sisters that had to go after her, and proceeded to open the present as slowly as she possibly could. Inside was a pair of earrings, shaped like feathers, "These are awesome, thanks" she said, looking at them from various angles.

Arlene glanced at Theresa, who clearly wanted to rip open her package, and acted like she was going to do the same thing as her older sister. To which everyone but Theresa laughed, then she smiled and ripped open the gift like Daisy had. Inside was a new memory card for her game station, "Thanks, the other one was almost full!" She said.

Finally it was Theresa's turn, and she ripped the paper off the rectangle, it was a book of myths. A huge grin appeared on her face as she jumped up and gave her parents a hug, "I love it!" She said before sitting back down.

Daisy yawned, causing most of them to do the same, soon it would be bed time.

----

At the pole, everything had gone perfectly and North was already on his way around the world.

Description
It had been a long, fun day. Theresa's family had just finished supper and were now hanging up their stockings, which had finally been found. Tomorrow they would work on the tree, but for now they were done.

Two of her sisters had gone to their rooms to check their computers. Arlene and Theresa had stayed downstairs to play a few video games. Arlene had said she felt like playing a one player, so Theresa just sat down next to her and watched.

After a few minutes Theresa finally looked at her older sister and asked, "Is Santa real?"

It took a moment for Arlene to respond. In truth, Theresa was the only one out of the four that still really believed in Santa, and none of them wanted her to lose that belief. She was the baby of the family, and no one wanted her to grow up, even though it was inevitable.

Arlene was not really sure how to answer the question, she simply paused her game and looked at her younger sister, "What do you think?" She asked, not really wanting to be the one to tell her 'the truth.'

Theresa had expected that answer, she had learned that when people wanted to avoid a question they would try to make you answer it. "I'm not sure, that's why I asked you."

Arlene shrugged, "If you're so curious, stay up and wait for him." It was mostly a joke, and Arlene went right back to her game, but Theresa had already been thinking about that.

----

"Is interesting idea" North said, after Jack had finished telling him about a thought that had come to him earlier.

"Do you think you could do it?" Jack asked hopefully.

North answered with a shrug, "I don't see vhy not. Sure. Now, I must get back to vork. Let me know how it goes." Jack smiled while North left the room, and started on a project of his own.

----

That night, Theresa tried to stay up as late as she could. After her mom called "Lights out!" she sat on her bed, watching the dark sky.

Every year for as long as she could remember she had tried to stay up and see, or even hear, Santa. Every year, she failed. However, she needed this year to be different.

It was a simple plan of pushing herself as late as possible before she fell asleep, tonight she managed to 'fight off' the sandman for about half an hour before she drifted into pleasant dreams of flying on dragon back.

-----

"Who's turn is it to put the star on top?" Daisy asked the next morning after everyone had woken up, Theresa had been the last one up.

"I think I did it last year, so it'd be Arlene's" April answered, munching on a banana.

"Wha? You talkin' bout that already?" Arlene asked from the other room, still rubbing sleep out of her eyes.

Despite having just gotten up, Theresa was already bouncing with excitement over decorating the tree. "When can we start?" She asked, to which everyone laughed.

Soon the family was putting the boxes of decorations on the tree, trying to put as many on as they could with out making it crowded, which was difficult since they had enough decorations for two trees.

It did not take that long, but was very fun. Afterwards, everyone again went about business as usual, though some of them locked their doors while they wrapped presents.

----

The next few days went by in a blur for Theresa, she stayed up as late as she could and had naps during the day in an effort to push that time back further. Presents appeared under the tree as they were wrapped and grandparents were visited. Before anyone knew it, Christmas eve had arrived.

"Can I be the elf tomorrow?" Theresa asked, it was a family tradition that one of the girls got to be an 'elf' and hand out the presents.

Marcia looked at the other three girls, who all shrugged, "I guess so. But for now, each of you get to open one present."

"Me first!" They all yelled at more-or-less the same time.

"I'm thinking of a number" Martin said, ignoring the screaming girls, "Between 25 and 50"

"35!" Daisy yelled

"45" Arlene picked

"30" April said

"Um, 27?" Theresa offered, as their mother wrote down the numbers and looked at her husband.

"It was 36. Daisy first, then April, Arlene and Theresa you're last this year." Martin said.

Marcia pulled out a bag from under the tree, inside were four small presents. She handed one to each of the girls, and sat down.

Daisy started thumbing the tape until Martin took out the camera and nodded, then she ripped open the small package. Inside was a deck of Magic the gathering cards, "Cool! Thanks" She said

April looked at her two sisters that had to go after her, and proceeded to open the present as slowly as she possibly could. Inside was a pair of earrings, shaped like feathers, "These are awesome, thanks" she said, looking at them from various angles.

Arlene glanced at Theresa, who clearly wanted to rip open her package, and acted like she was going to do the same thing as her older sister. To which everyone but Theresa laughed, then she smiled and ripped open the gift like Daisy had. Inside was a new memory card for her game station, "Thanks, the other one was almost full!" She said.

Finally it was Theresa's turn, and she ripped the paper off the rectangle, it was a book of myths. A huge grin appeared on her face as she jumped up and gave her parents a hug, "I love it!" She said before sitting back down.

Daisy yawned, causing most of them to do the same, soon it would be bed time.

----

At the pole, everything had gone perfectly and North was already on his way around the world.