Twas the night before Christmas and up at the pole
Santa Claus was nervous. He was in a deep hole.

The Elves were trying, but their mechanic was sick,
Out cold with the Elf flu. “I need help,” mused Saint Nick.

He stared at his poor sleigh, tipped over on its side.
Where Rudolph acted as a drop light and he sighed.

Oh what had possessed him to let Braxton the Elf
Take the sleigh for a spin along the old north shelf.

Braxton had no sense. He was a short little fool.
Santa wondered how he ever finished Elf school.

While the rest of the Elf population loved work,
Braxton loved playing around, the miniature jerk.

Braxton was into mischief and always in the way,
Disrupting the other Elves on Christmas Eve day.

So when Braxton asked Santa to borrow the sleigh
To get him out of his hair, Santa said, “Okay.”

“Oh what a mistake! What a colossal blunder!”
Santa cried as he looked at a blown out runner.

The sleigh’s runner was twisted beyond all repair
On the night before Christmas he thought with despair.

“How can I let down all those little girls and boys?”
“Oh what will they think when they awake without toys?”

As Santa fretted and fumed he heard a small peep.
Then the Chief Elf screamed, “Outta here you little creep.”

It was Braxton the Elf, looking humble and small,
So pitiful Santa’s heart was moved despite all.

He smiled and he stopped the Chief Elf with a hand
Before the Chief got a chance to pound him to sand.

Santa looked down at Braxton and simply said, “Yes?”
“Santa I think I’ve got a way out of this mess.”

“No! No more of your hair brained ideas,” said the Chief,
“Just get out of our sight and give us some relief!”

“Now Chief,” said Santa, “Let’s hear what he has to say.”
“Go ahead Braxton, it seems like I’ve got all day.”

“Santa, I’m sorry I drove the sleigh off the ridge.”
“But look!” Braxton held up a magnet from the fridge.

“Remember when they came to the Pole for repairs.”
“And the Missus said they were an answer to prayers.”

Santa nodded. He remembered the contractor.
“Since they don’t fix sleighs Braxton, how can they factor?”

“But the truck Santa, the truck came loaded with stuff.”
“Clear it out and there’s room for the toys, just enough.”

“And when the Missus called, they got here very fast.”
“We could deliver the toys before Christmas passed.”

The Chief Elf said, “This is crazy. It is insane.”
“But it just might work. If so, then I can’t complain.”

Santa grinned and said, “Chief, it seems we must hurry.”
“Get a service truck up here and stop this worry.”

“We’ve got to rig up a harness for the reindeer”
“To pull the truck. Move it! Christmas is almost here.”

A surprised dispatcher took a call from the Chief,
Heard the Chief’s story, suspending his disbelief.

And he paged the technician, presently on call.
“You’ve got to move. You’ve got to save Christmas. Don’t stall.”

The tech understood and said goodbye to his wife.
It was hard on both, but service was a tough life.

The technician arrived in uniformed splendor,
And ten Elves rigged a harness to the front fender.

The tech watched amazed as the Elves emptied the truck.
They worked with a fury. They were running amok.

They packed in the toys the way that only Elves can
It looked like a frenzy, but that was the Elf plan.

They finished on time and Santa told the deer, “Go.”
“It’s Christmas you boys. Yes, it’s Christmas. Ho, ho ho.”

And that is the story of how Braxton the Elf
Saved Christmas… With our help, If I say so myself.

Merry Christmas to all. Happy Hanukkah too.
We answered Santa’s call. We’ll do the same for you.