The No Hole Holiday Sprouts Story

Once upon a time, in a land that we know as the North Pole, Santa Claus was making preparations for the winter. To help him, he had a large and able staff of elves, who performed all sorts of tasks. One of the most important jobs went to the buyers -- those elves responsible for making sure that Santa never ran out of holiday supplies.

One of these positions had just opened up, and it went to a young elf named Axel. Like many of his co-workers, this elf was bright, cheerful and diligent. He had long wanted to join Santa's personal staff, and he jumped at the chance to do so.

He was dismayed, however, to find that all of the "good" assignments were already taken. (Each buyer was in charge of one particular item, and things like snow, music and bells went to those with the most seniority.) Instead, Axel would be in charge of -- holes!

On Santa's instructions, the disconsolate elf went to find Mr. Pistachio, the current Commissioner of Stuff. (Mr. Pistachio's job was to help arrange contracts between the people who made things and the people who bought them.) The Commissioner quickly noticed how upset Axel was, and took the elf on a tour of the gnomes' hole-making factory.

Now Axel had thought that holes just weren't important at all. Like most people, he didn't even worry about where they came from. But Mr. Pistachio, with some help from the gnomes, showed him all of the different things, like guitars, hula hoops and straws, that just wouldn't work without holes.

Rowley, head supervisor of hole-making, and her assistant Jinx also demonstrated their hole-making machine. As the amazed elf watched, Jinx opened a hatch at one end of the machine and inserted a CD, which was missing a hole. Then, following Rowley's commands, Jinx flicked switches, pushed buttons and worked levers. Finally, the hatch at the other end was opened -- to reveal the CD with a brand-new hole in its middle!

Unknown to Axel, two Halloween Grumps had followed him to the factory. This pair, called Snags and Velma, loved Halloween more than any other time of the year, and were extremely jealous of all other holidays. They especially hated Christmas and Hanukkah, because the winter holidays seemed to start earlier and earlier every year.

The Grumps decided to put a halt to the holiday season, by stopping the holes. If there were no holes, they reasoned, no one would be able to put little gifts in people's stockings. No one would be able to get their presents out of their boxes. And not even Santa would be able to come down people's chimneys!

At the first chance they got, the Grumps put their plan into action. To begin with, they stole Rowley's favorite hat right off its hook. Then, as Rowley held out a vase for the machine, one of the Grumps took it, while the other Grump gave the hat to Jinx. So when the machine was finished, the head gnome went to inspect the vase, but found her hat instead -- with a huge hole where the top should have been!

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