Santa's New Hat 🎅🎩 Kids Christmas Story | Rewind

Summary

Koala Moon: Santa’s New Hat 🎅🎩 — Kids Christmas Story | Rewind

Host/Narrator: Abbe Opher
Episode Date: December 4, 2025

Overview

In this festive episode, Koala Moon spins an imaginative, cozy Christmas tale titled “Santa’s New Hat,” focusing on Winnie the Warthog and Patrick the Peacock at their beloved Heavenly Hats shop in Sleepy Forest. As Christmas draws near, the duo find themselves caught up in the holiday bustle, encountering jolly townsfolk and a very special late-night visitor in need of a new hat. This gentle, heartfelt story is full of seasonal warmth, creativity, and the generous spirit of giving — perfect for bedtime snuggles.

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Key Discussion Points & Story Highlights

1. Sleepy Forest in Christmas Spirit

• The episode opens with a description of Sleepy Forest blossoming into holiday cheer: mince pies in the café, sparkling lights, and decorated windows everywhere ([00:21]).
• The narrator hints at a “very special” visitor rumored to appear at Heavenly Hats.

2. Heavenly Hats’ Festive Window Display

• Winnie the Warthog, “excited about pretty much everything,” is bubbling with festive ideas for the store display, often wearing wild hats like cupcakes, bluebirds, or even a train ([04:03]).
• Patrick the Peacock brings Winnie’s wild ideas to life, resulting in a magical window scene:
  • Miniature train with hat-wearing carriages
  • Flamingo friend, newly “on holiday” from his train server job, strutting and donning different hats hanging on invisible threads in the shop window ([06:50]; [07:58]).
• The animated display draws crowds and sparks a hat-buying frenzy among all the animals.

3. Festive Hat Fittings for Feathered & Furry Friends

• Postal Robins:

  • As Christmas approaches, local robins (moonlighting as postal workers for holiday deliveries) visit for new “post box red” woolly hats and scarves ([09:14], [10:23]).
  • Patrick’s organization and Winnie’s creativity shine as they outfit every robin perfectly:

    “If you ever need anything to be organised, find yourself a peacock. They’re quite extraordinary animals, particularly when it comes to stock taking and managing. Absolute chaos.” — Storyteller ([11:20])

• Kookaburra Kindy’s Hat-Making Lesson:

  • Mrs. Bloomington, a fuzzy bumblebee, requests a hat-making class for the children ([11:37]).
  • Winnie eagerly sets up a creative session where kids make party hats and, later, inspired by a young puggle named Cuddle, Christmas tree hats ([12:21]; [15:03]).
  • Laughter abounds as hats become necklaces or perch precariously, and every child leaves with a unique, joyfully decorated hat.

4. The Magical Christmas Eve Visit

• Winnie and Patrick, exhausted from a busy day fitting all sorts of hats, are winding down when an extraordinary commotion outside signals a visitor ([18:25]-[19:51]).

  • “There was the sound of something sliding quickly through the snow…and the sound of tinkling bells…” — Storyteller ([19:06])

• The visitor: Santa Claus, jovial and rosy, enters the shop missing his iconic hat, lost in the sleigh’s wind ([21:31]; [21:49]).

  • “Only gone and lost my hat…That’s the trouble with travelling by sleigh. I often lose my hat in the wind. I usually wear a chinstrap but quite forgot this year. Quite forgot.” — Santa Claus (Nick) ([21:49], [22:00])

• The flamingo accidentally launches a bowler hat onto Santa’s head, drawing giggles:

  • “Not quite what I was after, old chap.” — Santa Claus ([23:37])

• After several (hilariously ill-fitting) attempts, Winnie and Patrick find Santa the perfect red-and-white hat:

  “Something a touch more, you know, traditional perhaps.” — Santa Claus ([23:47])

• Santa insists on paying, but Winnie and Patrick refuse:

  • “Goodness no.” — Patrick and Winnie together; "If that isn't the Christmas spirit, thank you kindly, and I hope you have a very merry Christmas.” — Santa Claus ([25:19], [26:40])

5. A Magical Thank-You

• After Santa departs, the friends are left in wonder. But upstairs, they discover three gift boxes on the window sill, each with their names, containing perfectly fitted, cozy slippers ([29:42]-[30:35]).

• Winnie spies Santa’s sleigh dashing off into the night and hears his final greeting:

  “Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas from a…” — Santa Claus ([31:22])

• The trio relaxes, try on their slippers, and soon drift into sleep, celebrating their magical and generous Christmas night.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Winnie’s Excitement:

  “Since she’s usually wearing some sort of elaborate headpiece. Perhaps a hat that looks exactly like a cupcake or a bluebird or even a small train. Whenever she’s excited, the thing on her head wobbles around as if it’s come to life.” ([04:03])

• Santa’s Entrance:

  “In walked a jolly faced man with bright red trousers and shining black boots and a bright red coat with fluffy white edges and four big brass buttons.” ([21:02])

• The Christmas Spirit:

  “If that isn’t the Christmas spirit, thank you kindly, and I hope you have a very merry Christmas.” — Santa Claus ([26:40])

• The Magic of Giving:

  “Each [box] was labelled with their names and inside each was a beautiful perfectly crafted, made to measure, fitting like a glove pair of soft snuggly slippers.” ([30:35])

• Bedtime Imagery:

  “And in his dreams, Patrick was in a sleigh flying through the sky, golden hooves of reindeers flashing before him…delivering presents and love and hope and goodness to every corner of the world.” ([34:04]; [34:56])

• A Final Blessing:

  “Merry Christmas, everyone.” ([35:28])

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Important Timestamps

• [04:03]: Introduction of Winnie, Patrick, and Heavenly Hats’ Christmas preparations
• [06:50]: Window display with hat-wearing train and strutting flamingo
• [09:14]: Robins’ visit for new woolly hats
• [12:21]: Hat-making class for Kookaburra Kindy children
• [18:53]: Christmas Eve; the shop prepares to close
• [19:51]: Arrival of Santa’s sleigh
• [21:02]: Santa enters shop, reveals lost hat
• [23:07]: Flamingo mishap with bowler hat
• [24:31]: Santa tries on a too-small hat, reindeer laugh
• [25:19]: The search for the perfect Santa hat
• [26:40]: Santa’s thanks and Christmas wish
• [29:42]: Discovery of Santa’s thank-you gifts
• [31:22]: Santa’s final “Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas!”
• [33:43]: Patrick’s whispered Christmas wishes
• [34:56]: Patrick’s magical Christmas dreams
• [35:28]: The story closes with a loving “Merry Christmas, everyone.”

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Tone & Style

The episode is delightfully gentle, with soothing narration, warmth, and lighthearted humor tailored for winding down at bedtime. Every moment is infused with childlike wonder, creativity, and community spirit.

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Summary in a Nutshell

“Santa’s New Hat” delivers a magical blend of whimsy and kindness, celebrating the little joys of the holiday season and the importance of generosity. With playful mishaps (tiny hats, flying bowler hats, and giggling animals), gentle lessons in creativity and helpfulness, and a dash of Christmas magic from the jolly old elf himself, the story is a bedtime treat sure to leave listeners smiling and dreaming of snowy forests, cozy hats, and happy, giving hearts.

“Merry Christmas, everyone.” ([35:28])

Transcript

[Narrator]

Hello and welcome back to Koala Moon, a podcast of original children's bedtime stories and meditations designed to make bedtime a dream.

[Storyteller]

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm beginning to notice signs of Christmas everywhere. Mince pies are on the menu in my local coffee shop. Sunny and I the other day glimpsed an illuminated tree in a neighbour's home and the shop windows on the high street are getting jollier. Every day it's the same in Sleepy Forest, which is filling up with festive warmth and holiday spirit. Let's spend an evening in heavenly hats, shall we, and see what the Christmas season is bringing Winnie and her partner Patrick. I've heard a rumour that someone very special is going to pop in tonight for a new hat. I wonder who on earth that could be so close to Christmas. Hmm. Before we begin, a quick message for the grown ups. If you'd like to support our podcast, enjoy ad free listening, unlock four bonus stories per month and much, much more. You can join Coco Club, subscribe in just two taps via the link in the show notes, but now here's a quick word from our sponsors.

[Narrator]

The holidays are magical, and they're also very busy. There's shopping trips, family visits and plenty.

[Storyteller]

Of are we there yets?

[Narrator]

And in those moments, kids often want something fun and creative to dive into. And that's where Netflix Kids games come in. Not only are they great entertainment, we love that they're designed to spark imagination. And with your existing Netflix membership, kids get fully unlocked games, no extra fees, no ads, and no in app purchases. From Paw Patrol Academy to Lego Duplo World, Barbie Color Creations and even the World of Peppa Pig, all of Netflix's games are created with the same spirit of imagination that we love here at Koala Moon. Every game also works without wifi. You just download them ahead of time, the same way you download their favourite Netflix shows and movies so they're ready wherever the holidays take you. It's simple, on the go, fun that keeps little minds engaged and takes a bit of pressure off those busy days. For more holiday travel ideas and to check out all of Netflix's kids entertainment, visit netflixfamily.com traveltips we know our listeners have the most incredible imaginations, from sharing story ideas to showing us how creative they can be with characters. The new Paw Patrol Fire Rescue Toys celebrate that same spirit of creativity, helping little heroes feel proud of the stories they create. Your little storyteller can join Marshall and the team on their biggest adventures yet with the all new fire station HQ where they can gear up and slide down the pole. And Marshall's rapid Reload firetruck ready for action. Every pup has their own vehicle so kids can recreate their favourite rescues from the show and or dream up their own. It's creative hands on play that inspires teamwork and confidence. The perfect way to keep their imaginations shining bright. So when the time comes for a.

[Storyteller]

New adventure, check out the Red Hot.

[Narrator]

Paw Patrol Fire Rescue toys available now at all major retailers.

[Storyteller]

Lie back in bed, stretch and wriggle as much as you need and then take some calming breaths.

Let's go and see what's going on in that hat shop. This is Santa's new hat by Jane Thomas.

Winnie, the warthog of Heavenly Hats Hat Shop in the heart of Sleepy Forest, generally gets excited about pretty much everything. Since she's usually wearing some sort of elaborate headpiece. Perhaps a hat that looks exactly like a cupcake or a bluebird or even a small train. Whenever she's excited, the thing on her head wobbles around as if it's come to life. One of the times of year that excites her more than any other is Christmas. And one of the things that excites her above all else is the possibility of making Christmas hats. For months she's been driving Patrick the peacock round the bend and up the wall by making teeny tiny snowmen to wear on her head and miniature Christmas trees, complete with decorations, of course, and beautifully wrapped presents with ribbons that sparkle and wave as she bounces up and down with excitement.

Patrick loves Christmas too, of course, but he isn't quite so mad for it as Winnie. Well, nobody is. And since Winnie now has Heavenly Hats to share her love of all things hat and all things Christmas, she has reached a new level of excitement about the window display.

Every evening she comes up with new ideas that she shares with Patrick, drawing diagrams and waving her little arms around to show exactly what she means. And Patrick just smiles and nods, safe in the knowledge that come the following morning she'll have a whole new idea in place.

Eventually, Winnie had come up with so many ideas she had no idea where to start and sat staring into the fireplace from the snug comfort of her armchair, leaving it to Patrick to bring her ideas to life.

When they were finished, the animals of Sleepy Forest were treated to an absolutely beautiful display in the shop window that had them quite forgetting they were supposed to be doing anything else at all. A little steam train chugged around a root and all the carriages wore different Kinds of hats. So bowler hats and top hats and wedding hats and woolly hats rocked gently behind the bright red engine as it made its way round the track.

Hat boxes were piled high to create homes and shops and tower blocks in the imaginary city Patrick had created in the window. The best part, the thing that made animals stop and stare through all this chaos, a flamingo solemnly strutted back and forth. He was a friend of Patrick's from way back when and more often than not could be found working as a server on the Salty Wallop express train. But he'd decided to take a break over the Christmas period. Trains got so terribly busy at that time of year. And had written to Patrick asking for suggestions. Which is a very quick explanation for the very random presence of a flamingo striding across the tracks, carefully picking up and placing his feet so as not to knock over the hat carriages of the train or the hat boxes that made up the town.

And while he walked and strode and strutted, the flamingo constantly changed hats, reaching up to hooks that hung down from the very top of the window and held hats at the end of invisible threads so they seemed to float in the sky.

One moment the flamingo was all set to go skiing, goggles in place and woolly hat pulled firmly onto his head. And the next he was in the middle of a party scene, pulling party poppers to shower ribbons and and glitter before him as he adjusted a crown shaped party hat that perched precisely in place.

There were always excellent window displays in the shops of Sleepy Forest at Christmas, but the one in Heavenly Hats was by far the finest and most fun. And it did the job perfectly, because everyone suddenly remembered that goodness yes, they absolutely needed a new hat for the holidays and simply must go inside.

One of the busiest days for Winnie and Patrick was when the group of postal robins arrived. As I'm sure you know, robins are a clear indicator that winter, and therefore Christmas is just around the corner. There are an awful lot more of them suddenly showing themselves. Red breasts shining against the snow, partly because of a little known secret that keeps them terribly busy throughout the whole of December.

Robins work for the postal service at this time of year because so many people are are posting cards and presents that it simply isn't possible to deliver everything on time without some extra assistance.

This year, before the robins began their deliveries, the postal service had promised them all brand new hats. And where better to find those than in Sleepy Forest?

Winnie spent almost an entire day matching each robin with a lovely new red knitted hat, packaging them up just beautifully with a special length of golden ribbon she had bought for the occasion, while Patrick spent the day rushing back and forth between the storeroom and the shop front to keep topping up the supply.

All the robins, of course, wanted hats that fitted just perfectly, and some loved the softness of the wool so much that they decided they wanted matching scarves too. That immediately sent Winnie into a state of panic, but Patrick calmly emerged from the back of the shop carrying long lengths of matching scarves.

If you ever need anything to be organised, find yourself a peacock. They're quite extraordinary animals, particularly when it comes to stock taking and managing. Absolute chaos.

The day after the robins had been in getting their post box red woolly hats, Mrs. Bloomington of the Kookaburra kindy buzzed her way into heavenly hats. Winnie rushed around to help the fuzzy black and yellow bumblebee, her snowman fascinator wobbling excitedly on her warthog head.

I thought it might be nice to have the children make party hats, said Mrs. Bloomington. And I rather thought you might be able to help. Do you give lessons, perhaps, in the art of making hats?

Winnie couldn't think of anything more fun than sharing her joy of hat making with some little ones. She rushed Mrs. Bloomington around the shop, showing how they could clear a workspace large enough for so that all the creatures of the kindergarten would happily sit in there and watch as she gave a demonstration. And then they too could make their very own party hats.

And so it was that a few days later, Patrick put up a sign on the door announcing that they were closed for a private event.

The flamingo was invited to take a break from his constant strolling back and forth, and Patrick brought him to the sanctuary of the flat above the shop.

Each stretched their legs out in front of the fire and armed themselves with cups of soothing chamomile tea. Winnie had more than enough energy to deal with Mrs. Bloomington's class and would make the perfect temporary teacher, they decided. She really did, you know. The children were bustled into the warm shop and each presented with a cushion so the little puggles and joeys and hedgehogs and beavers each had something soft to sit on. Winnie took up a silver piece of tissue paper and showed just how to fold and cut and glue so they could all make something that looked very much indeed like a miniature crown.

The children all giggled as they finished their hats and put them on their heads, laughing as some that were too big slipped right down and became necklaces and others there were two small sat perched on top of their heads ready to fall off. It took some swapping and changing, but eventually everyone had a hat that sat on their head and stayed there without too much argument. Then Winnie showed them how to add feathers and glitter and brightly coloured pom poms and little pieces of Christmas tree so they could all have unique and beautiful hats of their very own.

On that particular day, Winnie was wearing a teeny tiny hat that looked exactly like a sleigh filled with presents. And one brave creature, a puggle called Cuddle, held up her hand and asked if they could try and make something like that too. Ah, yeah. Shouted a kangaroo next to her, leaping up as he spoke. Can we, can we, can we?

Winnie had spent many hours perfecting the little hat and knew it wouldn't be possible to make anything quite so intricate in the time she had with the children. But she raced around in her mind and came up with an idea as quickly as she could.

One moment, she told the class and raced upstairs, tripping over the flamingo's outstretched legs as she barrelled into the sitting room. Pink feathers and apologies and a small red faced warthog went flying in all directions. But eventually Winnie was the right way up once more and relieved to see that the precious present filled sleigh on her head was quite undamaged by the commotion.

[Santa Claus]

Class finished?

[Storyteller]

Asked Patrick, perfectly calm, used to the chaos that generally surrounded Winnie. No, we're going to make Christmas tree hats, she announced. I need cardboard. Winnie began rummaging through a huge wicker basket and throwing out pens and envelopes and rulers and pencil sharpeners as she went. Aha. She said at last. Finding a large pack of dark green cardboard, she rushed out again, tripping over the flamingo's legs once more. So the whole scene with the pink feathers and apologies and a red faced warthog was repeated. By the time she charged back into the shop, she was puffing and panting with her sleigh hat wobbling extra wildly. She showed the children how to cut two tree shapes and then slopped them together one into the other so they made a perfect little tree. And then they sat and took the tiniest strips of ribbon and the very smallest pom poms and each decorated their tree, careful to add a glittery cardboard star at the top. Then Mrs. Bloomington and Winnie went around the class doing the fiddly job of attaching trees to clear headbands.

It was one of the most satisfying days Winnie had spent since she had become proprietor of Heavenly Hats. And come to that, it was one of the most peaceful Days Patrick had spent.

By the time Christmas Eve came around, Winnie and Patrick were full of festive magic. They had had a terribly busy day supplying the woolliest of woolly hats and the sparkliest of party hats and even a set of straw hats for a family of swallows who were flying south for the winter and didn't need warm hats at all.

They were just beginning to think about turning the sign in the door from open to closed when they heard a very strange sound outside.

There was the sound of something sliding quickly through the snow and the sound of what seemed to be a hundred hooves pounding on the ground and the sound of tinkling bells all at the same time.

And then there was the sound of snorting and stamping, as if the creatures with the hooves had come to a halt and were standing around trying to keep warm. And then there was heavy breathing and a thump and a bump as if someone very large was moving around.

And then the tinkling bells stopped and were replaced by the single merry tinkle of the bell that announced someone was opening the shop door.

The flamingo stopped pacing in the window and his beak fell open.

He had been in the middle of replacing a silver sequin top hat with with a cosy rainbow striped woolly hat and now paused, neither hat on and neither hat off, quite confused as to what to do.

Patrick and Winnie stopped packing away the hats and tidying up the boxes and rolling up the lengths of ribbon and looked at the door. In walked a jolly faced man with bright red trousers and shining black boots and a bright red coat with fluffy white edges and four big brass buttons up on the front.

A huge white beard fell all the way to his bulging stomach. The tiniest pair of glasses balanced on his nose sparkling and twinkling as they caught the shine of the fairy lights that danced around the store.

Ho ho ho. The jolly faced man announced as he turned and closed the door behind him.

[Santa Claus]

A hat shop is exactly what I needed.

[Storyteller]

Patrick and Winnie stood open mouthed, just looking at the man and not quite believing what they were seeing.

[Santa Claus]

Only gone and lost my hat.

[Storyteller]

He said with a rolling laugh and pointing to his white curly hair.

[Santa Claus]

That's the trouble with travelling by sleigh. I often lose my hat in the wind. I usually wear a chinstrap but quite forgot this year. Quite forgot.

[Storyteller]

It was Patrick who finally managed to speak, although he was barely sure what to say.

Well, Mr. Er. M.

Er.

[Santa Claus]

Nicholas.

[Storyteller]

Call me Nick, said the man with a wink and a smile. Yes, of course, Mr. Nick. I mean Nick. You've come to the right place. Heavenly hats. We've got you covered, haven't we Winnie?

[Narrator]

He nudged the wart dog who just.

[Storyteller]

Nodded, her Christmas tree hat complete with flashing lights and glitterball baw baws dancing wildly on her head.

The flamingo in the window suddenly tripped over the train chugging around his feet and the flapping that followed dislodged the hat boxes that made up the apartment block and sent a bowler hat flying across the room and landing squarely on the jolly faced man's head.

The flamingo looked horrified. Patrick looked horrified. Quinnie giggled.

[Santa Claus]

Not quite what I was after, old.

[Storyteller]

Chap, said the man, taking the hat off and passing it over to the peacock.

[Santa Claus]

Something a touch more, you know, traditional perhaps.

[Storyteller]

Winnie reached on the shelf behind her and felt around until she found the familiar softness she was looking for. She presented the hat to the man with a ta da and then giggled again. She'd only picked up the red and white hat that was absolutely teeny tiny and attached to a headband. The jolly faced man played along, perching it on his head and leaning down to look into one of the hanging mirrors.

[Santa Claus]

What do you think? New look this year?

[Storyteller]

He asked and then let out a tumbling rumbling river of laughter. Winnie heard a noise and glanced outside to see reindeer had their faces pressed to the window and they were all laughing and pointing at the man in the ridiculously tiny hat.

The flamingo managed a nervous laugh and carefully stepped away from the train tracks, slipping behind the counter and putting first the rainbow striped woolly hat and then in his confusion, the sequin covered top hat on his head.

Patrick dashed over to the shelf covered in the red and white hats and pulled out a number of different sizes, plucking the tiny one from the jolly man's head and then throwing one after the other in its place until they found just the perfect fit one that would cover his ears and keep them warm while rushing about on a sleigh, but not so large that it slipped over his eyes and stopped him from seeing where he was going. He seemed absolutely delighted and not a little relieved that he'd been able to replace his lost hat so quickly and reached for his purse to pay. Goodness no. Said Patrick and Winnie together. We wouldn't dream of it, said Winnie. Don't even think about it, said Patrick. The jolly faced man looked to the flamingo at the counter who shrugged his shoulders and said, I just walk around in the window. Nothing to do with me.

Well, well, well, said the man with a twinkle in his eyes.

[Santa Claus]

If that isn't the Christmas spirit, thank you kindly, and I hope you have a very merry Christmas.

[Storyteller]

With that he was gone, stepping back into his sleigh, looking back to check the pile of presents was still in place, and then flicking the reins so the reindeer started moving forwards, slowly at first, and then faster and faster.

The three of them rushed out of heavenly hats to watch the sleigh disappear into the distance and saw as the golden flash far, far away began to rise up, up, up into the sky, heading over the rooftops and treetops and flying off into the dark of the night.

Winnie rubbed her eyes and looked again, but it was quite gone, nothing more than a dot, just like a star in the sky, so she didn't know which was a star and which was a sleigh.

They went back inside, wiping the damp snow from their feet, and this time Patrick made sure he really did turn the sign from OPEN to closed and the bell jangled its final jangle until they would open again. A few days later.

Patrick went over and stopped the train in the window from going round and round and carefully rearranged the hat boxes the flamingo had knocked over, and they switched off the lights in the shop and headed upstairs.

Winnie was last to leave the shop, looking behind her and hardly believing what had happened that evening, going back to check that one of the red and white hats really had gone and it wasn't all some strange dream she had been a part of for a while, and then she trotted slowly, oh so slowly up the stairs, the little tree on her head wobbling with each and every step, and up in the flat above the shop she clambered into her armchair by the fire and snuggled down against her cushions.

The window was open and the curtains blew gently in the breeze.

Strange, said Patrick, going across to close it, and there outside on the sill, were three boxes, each wrapped in red paper and bound with golden ribbon.

Stranger, said Patrick, picking them up carefully and looking up and down the street to see if anyone was around.

But it was now quite dark and the falling snow had covered up any tracks that anyone might have left, and so he closed the window and pulled the curtains shut and carried the three boxes over towards where the others sat by the fire.

They were all labelled with their names and inside each was a beautiful perfectly crafted, made to measure, fitting like a glove pair of soft snuggly slippers.

As Winnie slipped her feet inside, first her left foot and then her right, she heard a sound outside.

And stepped over to the window, pulling back the curtain just in time to see a sleigh charging off into the black of the night sky and to hear a.

[Santa Claus]

Ho, ho, ho, Merry Christmas from a.

[Storyteller]

Jolly faced man in a red and white hat.

Merry Christmas. She whispered back, heading to her chair once more and settling in, feeling her toes pushed into the softness of the slippers.

She was snoring. GENTLE WARTHOG snores. Within moments, her Christmas tree hat slipping to one side, and Patrick took the red blanket from the back of the chair and carefully covered his sleeping friend.

The flamingo removed the sequin covered top hat from his head and then with a slightly confused look, also took off the rainbow striped woolly hat. He too wiggled his toes deep inside his slippers and settled down into the cosiness of the chair and felt the warmth of the fire glowing on his pink feathers. And within moments he was snoring. GENTLE FLAMINGO snores Patrick took the green blanket from the back of the chair and carefully covered his sleeping friend.

And finally it was Patrick's turn to admire his slippers and feel their warmth, smiling at the beautiful shimmering turquoise colour that so exactly matched his own glorious feathers.

He settled down into his chair, disappearing beneath a soft white blanket and turning to his left, whispered.

Merry Christmas to Winnie and turning to his right, whispered Merry Christmas to the flamingo. And then he too closed his eyes and fell fast asleep.

And in his dreams, Patrick was in a sleigh flying through the sky, golden hooves of reindeers flashing before him, and he looked down at the world below, perfectly covered in a blanket of snow.

He watched as robins in cosy red hats carried letters and parcels and pushed them one by one into waiting letterboxes. And a snowman in a garden looked up at Patrick and waved to the peacock who flew through the sky.

A gold and silver sparkling magical sleigh that dashed between the stars, delivering presents and love and hope and goodness to every corner of the world, leaving the whispering words as it swept into the darkness.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Merry Christmas.

Sam.