Welcome to Disney's Magic of Storytelling podcast, brought to you by Wake Med Children's, because inside every child is a story waiting to be told.
Our storyteller is ABC 11 news anchor Amber Rupinta.
Mickey and Friends, Santa's Little Helper.
It was Christmas Eve and all was quiet.
Mickey and Pluto were fast asleep when... Achoo!
Achoo!
Achoo!
A chorus of sneezes outside woke them.
They ran to the window to see the commotion.
Mickey couldn't believe his eyes.
Santa Claus was standing in his backyard.
Attached to Santa's sleigh were nine reindeer with bright red noses.
That's funny, Mickey thought to himself.
Isn't Rudolph supposed to be the only one with a red nose?
Mickey ran outside in his pajamas.
Merry Christmas, Santa, he said.
Is something wrong.
It's all this sneezing.
Santa said.
Dasher was sniffling when we left the north pole and now everyone but rudolph has come down with a bad cold.
We all need to get home to bed, but we still have four houses to visit.
The reindeer promptly let out another round of sneezes.
They looked miserable, but what could santa do?
He couldn't leave his last four houses without christmas presents.
Gee, Maybe Pluto and I can help.
Mickey said.
We'd be happy to deliver the presents for you.
Oh, thank you, Mickey, Santa said.
He lifted a huge red sack out of his sleigh.
My gift sack is full of Christmas magic.
It will help you make the deliveries.
Santa Claus handed Mickey a list of presents to deliver.
Then he climbed back into his sleigh and the reindeer slowly lifted off into the sky, coughing and sneezing all the way.
Mickey pulled his sled from the garage and hauled it over to the giant sack of gifts.
He expected the bag to be very heavy, but when he picked it up, it was as light as a feather.
That must be the Christmas magic Santa mentioned, Mickey said.
Come on, Pluto.
Let's finish Santa's deliveries.
Pluto grabbed the sled's rope in his mouth.
He stepped forward to pull it behind him when suddenly Pluto Mickey and the sled rose into the air.
They were flying.
Whoa, more Christmas magic, Mickey said, holding on tight as the sled steered itself to their first stop.
In no time at all, the sled landed on Daisy's roof.
Mickey and Pluto quickly hopped out.
Hmm, how do you think I get inside?
Mickey asked, lifting the Christmas sack over his shoulder.
Santa goes down the chimney.
Should I try?
Pluto nodded and Mickey walked to the chimney.
He leaned over and looked down.
Before he knew it, he was sliding into Daisy's living room.
He landed on the ground with a puff of chimney soot.
This Christmas magic takes some getting used to, he said as he rubbed his sore backside.
Mickey looked over Santa's list and then took Daisy's gifts from the giant sack.
He had just finished arranging them under the tree when he saw the treats Daisy had left for Santa.
I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I ate them, since I'm filling in for Santa.
Mickey said happily munching on the cookies.
Mickey quickly filled Daisy's stocking and then looked up the chimney.
Suddenly, whoosh, Mickey was whisked back up to the roof.
When he saw Pluto, Mickey realized he hadn't brought a cookie for his friend.
I'm sorry, Pluto.
I promise I'll get you a treat at the next house, he said.
The next delivery was for Goofy.
Miggy had just leaned into the chimney when Pluto grabbed the back of the sack in his teeth.
He didn't want to miss getting a treat at this house.
The Christmas magic whisked them both down the chimney and into Goofy's living room.
Pluto, Mickey said.
I promised that I'd bring you a... Oh, oh, look out!
Spotting the plate of cookies Goofy had left for Santa, Pluto ran right toward it.
But he accidentally brushed against Goofy's tree.
It went crashing to the ground.
Mickey and Pluto fixed Goofy's tree as best they could, but it still drooped a little on one side.
Mickey checked his list and got his friend's presents out of Santa's sack.
Maybe he'll be so excited about his gifts that he won't even notice the tree, he said.
Mickey very carefully filled Goofy's stocking, and then he and Pluto went back up the chimney to their sled.
Mickey and Pluto had to hurry.
They had spent so long fixing Goofy's tree that they were running out of time to deliver the rest of Santa's gifts.
At Minnie's house, Mickey rushed down the chimney, checking Santa's list on the way.
He pulled her gifts from Santa's sack, placed them under the tree and then filled her stocking with goodies.
On his way back to the chimney, he grabbed two cookies, one for him and one for Pluto.
When they landed on Donald's roof, Mickey got right to work.
He dropped down the chimney, pulled out the list, and headed straight to the tree.
He pulled Donald's presents from the sack.
One, two, three.
Uh-oh, Mickey said.
There are supposed to be four gifts, but there are only three left in the bag.
Did I drop one?
Mickey looked everywhere, by the chimney, under the table, behind the chair, as he was crouching to look beneath the sofa.
Mickey heard footsteps upstairs.
Donald was awake.
Mickey grabbed Santa's sack and raced to the chimney.
The stocking, he cried.
Mickey quickly filled his friend's stocking.
He had just finished when one of Donald's feet appeared at the top of the stairs.
Luckily, Santa's Christmas magic was waiting.
It whisked Mickey up the chimney seconds before Donald came downstairs.
Whoo, Mickey said as he and Pluto flew home.
That was way too close.
The next morning, the friends all met at Mickey's house for Christmas breakfast.
It seemed like everyone had a different story about Santa's visit the previous night.
Santa must have been a little out of sorts last night, Daisy said to Goofy.
He left chimney soot all over my floor.
He's never done anything like that before.
I know what you mean, Goofy said.
I think Santa bumped into my tree.
It looked a little lopsided this morning.
He woke me up with all the noise he was making, Donald exclaimed.
He's always been so quiet.
I almost forgot, Minnie said to Donald.
Santa left one of your presents at my house.
Suddenly, Mickey realized that he had left Santa's magic sack next to his tree.
He looked around worriedly, but the sack was gone.
In its place was a box with a tag that said, Love, Santa.
Mickey unwrapped the box.
Inside was a beautiful snow globe of Pluto and Mickey riding with Santa in his sleigh.
Mickey winked at Pluto.
No, Santa Claus definitely wasn't himself last night, he said.
Merry Christmas, everybody!
The End.
Wake Med Children's is proud to support the ongoing enrichment of children in our community and beyond through our sponsorship of the Disney Magic of Storytelling podcast.
To learn more about Wake Med Children's, please visit kids.wakemed.org.
