“Here you go.” Timmy lays his red and green house shoe down on his bed in front of Tripp.

“This will be a comfortable bed for you.” He pushes down inside it with his finger. “See? It has a thick foam insole.”

Tripp looks up to Timmy and raises an eyebrow. “You want me to sleep in your stinky house shoe?”

“It’s not stinky!” Timmy protests. “My Mamaw gave them to me last year and I only wore them when she was here.”

Tripp pulls glitter out of his pocket and sprinkles it inside the house shoe. “Just in case.”

“Very funny. Now hop in the shoe please.”

Tripp climbs inside and Timmy gently carries him to his night stand, next to his bed. He lays Tripp into the open top drawer. “This way you can stay next to me.”

“It’s perfect!” Tripp proclaims. “But I still need some kind of blanket.”

“Already gotcha covered.” Tim holds up a red stocking with a Santa Claus face on it.

“That come from your Mamaw, too?” Tripp asks.

“Yep.” Tim hands it to him.

“And you have not worn it much either?”

“Nope.” Timmy chuckles. “Tripp. Do you mind if I ask you a question?”

“Sure.” Tripp wraps the sock around himself and snuggles down into the shoe.

“How did you get inside the Christmas ornament? Were you in there when my mom bought it?”

“No. I wasn’t in there until this evening when the Big Guy popped me in there. He said you needed me to help get you into the Christmas Spirit.”

Timmy imagines Santa giving Tripp his assignment. It’s still hard for him to think of Santa as real. Maybe Tripp is a figment of his imagination. No, his mom saw him in the nativity scene and Roxy barked at him. Too bad his friends can’t see him too. An idea pops into his head.

“Hey Tripp, mind if I show you to some of my friends. I don’t think any of them have seen a real honest to goodness elf before.”

“Probably not since I can only talk to you and Roxy,” Tripp answers. “Orders from the Big Guy. It’s not wise to disobey him.” He pulls a candy cane out of his pocket.

Sigh. Tim pulls his blanket up over him. “Never mind.”

“Do you want a candy cane?” Tripp asks.

“No thank you. I’ve already brushed my teeth. If you’re hungry, I can go down to the kitchen and get you something to eat.”

“That is very thoughtful of you Timmy, but I don’t have to eat anything. I just like to snack on the candy canes. Now if you will excuse me.” Tripp closes his eyes and his lips move.

“What are you doing?”

“I am praying before I eat. Do you ever do that?” Tripp asks.

“Not always.” The answer makes Timmy fell guilty.

“You should always pray.”

“I guess you’re right.” Timmy turns over onto his left side. “Night Tripp.”

“Good Night Timmy.”

A few hours later, Timmy wakes up. He hears singing and there’s a low light in his room. He rolls over, switches on his lamp, and peers inside the drawer. There is Tripp singing a Christmas song while he’s dancing around the shoe.

“Tripp? Why are you dancing and singing? Don’t you know what time it is?” He barks.

“No, I did not think about it. My happiness overflowed so much that I had to sing and dance,” Tripp answers.

“Let me guess, you don’t need sleep either.” Tim leans up on his elbow.

“Of course not. I am not a human.”

“But I am and I need my sleep. Do you mind to keep it down?”

“I will.” Tripp smiles.

“Thank you. Hey, where did you get that little candle?” Next to Tripp is a small lit candle. “Never mind. You got it out of your pocket.”

Tripp shrugs. “Where else? I hope you don’t mind. Where I am from it never gets dark. I promise it will be okay.”

“Just don’t kick it over while you’re dancing.” Timmy reaches up and turns the light out.
“All right.”

Timmy rolls back over. He takes his pillow and wraps it around his head. One time his dad told him to be careful what you pray for because you just may get it.

Every night after Timmy’s mom shuts his door, he wraps his pillow around his head so he can get some sleep. Tripp sings most of the night. And he continues to sing and dance during the day too.

When he’s not singing or dancing, he likes to ride on Roxy’s back. He hangs on to the collar as she gallops around Timmy’s room. Roxy loves it. She barks along as Tripp sings his Christmas songs. It’s almost as if his puppy is trying to sing with Tripp.

One day some of Timmy’s friends came over to play. “Do you mind staying in here until they leave?” He sits Tripp into the drawer.

“Not at all Timmy.”

“And you won’t be singing or dancing, right?” Timmy asks.

“Correct.” Tripp pulls a thick book out of his pocket. “I will do some reading.”

“Thank you. After they leave, I’ll get you back out.” Tim doesn’t completely shut the drawer so Tripp can get air.

Timmy and his friends play games and snack for hours. After they leave, Timmy flops down on his bed. “Thanks for waiting Tripp. We had a great time.”

There’s no answer.

“Tripp?” Timmy pulls open the drawer, but he isn’t in it. “Tripp!” Timmy jumps up and dashes into the hallway. He sees Roxy, but no Tripp. “Do you know where Tripp is girl?” He gets down on his knees and rubs Roxy’s ears.

Roxy scampers into Laurie’s room.

Timmy tiptoes to her door and peeks into the room. He sees Tripp sitting in a pink doll car with a Santa doll next to him at the steering wheel.

“Ready to deliver toys?” She places her hand on the back of the car.

“Stop!” Timmy jumps into her room.

“EE!” Laurie jumps, causing her to give her pink toy car a hard shove. The car runs into the wall. BAM! The bells on Tripp’s hat tinkle from the impact.

“Did you hurt him?” Timmy asks.

“He’s just a doll. How can I hurt him?” Laurie crosses her arms and stands between Timmy and the car.

“Listen, that elf isn’t mine. He’s on loan from…a friend.”

“One of your friends has an elf doll?” Laurie asks. “Which one.”

“Uh…” Timmy can’t give her an immediate answer.

“I’m not done playing with him yet. They have to deliver toys!”

Roxy walks up to Tripp and licks his face.

“Yuck!” Laurie squeals. “Now he has dog slobbers!”

Tim reaches down and picks up Tripp and takes him back to his room with Roxy following. Timmy shuts the door and sits down on the floor next to Roxy.

“Good girl.” Timmy pats Roxy’s head. Arf! Arf!

“You okay Tripp?” Timmy asks.

“Yeah, but I’ll better once you wipe my face off.”

“Sorry about that.” Timmy grabs a sock out of his dresser. “Don’t worry. They’re clean.” He wipes off Tripp’s face.

“Timmy?” His mom knocks on the door.

“I’m in trouble now,” Timmy whispers. “Yeah mom?” He yells.

“Don’t forget tonight is the Christmas pageant at church. I need you to get ready soon.”

“Okay,” Timmy answers.

“Remember, Laurie is going to be an angel.”

“Some angel,” Timmy whispers to Tripp.

“That is not nice Timmy,” Tripp scolds.

“I’m sorry. I still don’t have the Christmas Spirit. Guess you being here didn’t work. I don’t know how to get you back home. Can I mail you back to the Big Guy?”

“I beg your pardon.” Tripp crams his hands on his hips. “I am not a Christmas Card!”

“It didn’t mean it that way. It’s just not working. I don’t think I will ever really enjoy Christmas again.” Timmy lowers his head.

“Timmy, you should never ever give up on the Big Guy. You are closer than you realize.”

“I guess.” Timmy shrugs.

“I do not ever guess. I know. By the way, take your nice jacket with the deep front pockets.”

“Why?” Timmy asks.

“Because, I am going with you tonight.”