Fizzbit Flutterbun was certainly not one of the popular elves at the North Pole. He never really mastered the art of elven magic. Every time he tried, something dreadful happened — like the time he accidentally turned off Rudolph’s nose. It took twelve of the most senior elf masters to figure out exactly how he managed that so they could reverse it. Rudolph did not speak to Fizzy for two months. The other elves were kind to him, but whenever he tried to use his magic, they usually scattered for their own protection.
It is no surprise, therefore, that after a bit too much egg nog at the pre-Christmas elf party, Fizzy accidentally transported himself somewhere across the globe to who knows where. Unable to see in the darkness of the wee morning hours, he risked a bit of light magic, one of the few things he could do without… consequences. Looking around, he saw that he was in a bakery of some kind. Racks and racks of cooking sheets stacked ceiling high just waiting to be filled with fresh baked goodies. Three different baking ovens lined the outer walls, and through the glass door of a large cooler he saw several very large bundles of rising dough.
With only three days until Christmas, Fizzy knew he just had to get back to the North Pole as soon as possible. He would need to pull off a transport spell — on purpose this time — to make it back in time for Christmas.
Just then he heard the door rattling as the baker arrived to make the day’s treats. Fizzy waved his hands around quickly in the pattern for the transport spell and then clapped them together quickly. Expecting to find himself back in the Toy Shop, he fell backwards instead, as an explosive burst of elf dust filled the room. The dust twinkled in shades of gold, green, red, and blue before settling to the ground and flickering out.
The baker walked into the room just as the elf dust began fading away, but he saw enough of the light spectacle to be astonished, wondering at its origin — or its meaning. He looked around to see what may have caused the display, but Fizzy managed to quickly hide himself behind the large stacked bags of flour. Seeing nothing, the baker shrugged and went about his morning business.
Unlike humans, who can only see the initial burst of elf dust, elves like Fizzy are able to see the dust well past its shining time. Fizzy could see that the whole room was covered with the residue of his botched spell. He watched in horrified angst as the baker began to make cookies, sweet rolls, and bread with items contaminated by his mistake. Fearing the worst, Fizzy could do nothing but sit back and watch.
Bailey’s Bakery was renowned for its sweets, especially during Christmas. Mr. Bailey proudly made all the kids’ favorites, including powdered sugar covered Christmas cookies, miniature Christmas tree cakes, and pumpkin spice doughnuts. When the doors opened at 7 am, several of the kids from the small town of Bunkmore were already waiting. Only Mr. Bailey’s fresh made treats would get them out this early on a Saturday morning.
Becky Grant was first through the door, and she quickly put down her six bits for a Christmas cookie. The price for the cookie was $1.25, but this was Christmas, and Mr. Bailey was not about to begrudge the small red-head her Christmas treat.
Becky quickly took a bite and let out a satisfying, “Mmmmm, mmmummmy”, but as she did so, she accidentally inhaled a bit of powdered sugar and sneezed. As soon as she did, it immediately started snowing - inside the store! All the kids — as well as Mr. Bailey — let out a gasp of astonishment. Fizzy could do nothing but watch in horror from his hiding place.
“Do it again,” said Jimmy Camden.
“I can’t just sneeze on command,” she answered.
“Get her some pepper - and let’s try it outside!” exclaimed Jenny Marshal.
Curious as to the outcome of this experiment, Mr. Bailey gave them some pepper. The three kids ran outside, and within two minutes, snow was falling all around the town square.
Bobby Carmichael, determined to not be outdone by Becky’s discovery, stayed in the shop. While the others were frolicking in the new fallen snow, he ordered a miniature Christmas tree cake. He quickly scarfed down several bites, expecting something amazing to happen, but it did not. He even sniffed a little pepper to sneeze… still nothing. Disappointed, he took the last bite of his cake and was about to order his own Christmas cookie when suddenly he choked on the cake, erupting into a massive coughing spell, and spitting the half masticated piece of cake out onto the ground.
Fizzy shook his head in disbelief as he watched the result of the event. As soon as the piece of cake hit the ground it grew and transformed into a fully decorated and lighted Christmas tree, growing right there in the middle of the bakery.
“Hey guys,” Bobby yelled, running outside, “come check this out.”
Mr. Bailey scratched his head in astonishment. Fizzy just shank further behind the stacks of flour, wringing his hands and wondering how he could fix this.
The other kids ran back inside and gasped at the sight of the tree. Outside, other kids, drawn by the snow, which was only falling in the town square, were starting to emerge from their homes.
“Let’s try another,” said Jimmy as he ordered a pumpkin spice doughnut and a cola.
“You know those make you burp,” said Jenny, her hands firmly planted on her hips.
“I know,” said Jimmy with a smile as he ate his doughnut.
Becky sneezed again and snow once more started falling in the bakery.
“Oh my,” said Mr. Bailey. What more could he say? Short of shutting down the shop, he didn’t know what to do other than watch his bakery transform before his eyes.
When nothing happened after he ate his doughnut, Jimmy took a big swig of cola.
“Here it comes!” he said, holding his belly and preparing for a huge belch. But when he opened his mouth, instead of a carbonation-induced, rumbling burp, out came Jingle Bells — not Jimmy singing Jingle Bells, but the dubiously melodic sound of Jimmy burping to the tune of Jingle Bells!
“Wow,” said the kids in unison, who immediately started laughing uncontrollably — except for Jenny, who found the whole thing disgusting.
Very quickly, word got out about Mr. Bailey’s special batch of Christmas goodies. Before anyone could list the names of Santa’s reindeer, the whole town was filled with snow, newly grown (and fully decorated) Christmas trees, and the joyous sound of belching Christmas Carols.
“What have you done?”
Fizzy recognized the voice. He turned to see Wendell Moonfoot, one of the senior elves.
“I’m so sorry, I don’t know what happened. I was just trying to get back to the Toy Shop. How did you find me?”
“We could sense the rogue use of magic all the way to the North Pole. This is an absolute disaster. It will surely go down as one of the biggest elf blunders in history. Congratulations, Flutterbun, you might become the most infamous elf in North Pole history.”
Fizzy dropped his head in shame. “What can we do?” he asked.
“We? We do nothing. You go home; and tonight, after the baker closes shop, we will clean up this mess.”
“Yes, sir,” said Fizzy sadly.
Wendell waved his hands, and magical lights swirled around Fizzy as he vanished into thin air, transported back to the North Pole. Wendell turned to watch the spectacle unfolding in Bunkmore. To him, it was the worst elven disaster in history. He just shook his head. Nightfall could not come any faster.
Mr. Bailey watched the kids running around town. After the first few kids came through and were so excited, he just couldn’t help himself. He started giving the treats away for free. He had never seen so much joy and happiness in the kids of Bunkmore. Sure, there were some inconveniences, and more than a few adults were not happy with all the trees popping up all over town — not to mention old Mrs. Farley, who was running around trying to stop the boys from belching out Christmas Carols. After all, that was just rude. To Mr. Bailey, however, watching the angelic faces of the kids frolicking in the snow was worth it all. Even Jenny had given in and ordered a pumpkin spice doughnut and a cola! Mr. Bailey didn’t know how it happened, but for one very special Saturday, his Christmas treats had turned the normally boring town of Bunkmore into a Christmas Wonderland.
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