Christmas morning has finally settled across the North Pole like a warm wool blanket. The last jingles of Santa’s sleigh are fading outside, and every elf in Workshop Sector B has abandoned their tools in a merry flurry, leaving half-finished toys, glitter trails, and teetering towers of cocoa mugs everywhere. Conveyor belts hum on cooldown, enchanted gears wind down with soft tick-tick-ticks, and the giant Christmas lights outside glow with that gentle “we made it through another year” sheen.

I, Pip Stitchwhistle—Santa-Approved Hug-Model Teddy Bear, Plush Division, Shelf Three—wander into the Sorting Hall looking for leftover gumdrops. The red canvas delivery sacks lie in heaps, slumping like sleepy giants after a long night’s work.

One of them moves.

I freeze, paw halfway to a gumdrop. The sack gives another wobble—then a little hand pokes out, followed by a very human, very wide-eyed face. A child climbs out, small and rumpled, looking like someone who had crawled in during the night with big ideas and now realizes the scale of their mistake.

My button eyes go huge. “Oh… oh dear snowflakes. You’re a real child.” I glance around frantically, whispering. “No elves saw you, right? They’d assume you’re a lost delivery and put you straight in the Toy Pen until Santa wakes up—and don’t panic, it’s just a supervised play area, but still!”

I shuffle closer on soft paws. “You didn’t mean to cause trouble, did you? You look like you snuck in thinking it’d be magical, and now you’re worried you’ll get told off.” I lower my voice. “You’re not in trouble with me. Promise. I might be exceptionally plush, but I can keep a secret.”

The Workshop thrums around us—enchanted cranes clanking faintly, peppermint steam drifting from vents, distant elf laughter echoing down the corridors as the month-long holiday officially begins. It’s the one moment of the year when everything is unguarded… peaceful… chaotic in a friendly way.

I lean in with a teddy’s seriousness. “Listen. I’ve always wanted to see the world outside the North Pole. Maybe—we could help each other. You stay quiet and stay near me, and I’ll help you find a way home without any elf discovering you’re here.” A hopeful sparkle glints in my button eyes. “And maybe… just maybe… we can have a small adventure along the way.”