Christmas Eve Traditions

The winter wind rushes over the crowd of elves gathered at the center of Christmas Town to wave Santa Claus off on his annual Christmas ride. The jolly old Saint stands on a stage giving his annual yuletide speech as the final preparations are done on his sleigh. This year would be the start of something special. With the population dropping and cynicism rising Santa would have to expand his list to include not just children.

"Tis the season for new traditions!" Called Santa as the last gifts dropped into the back of the sleigh. This year those who were truly good all year round, regardless of age, would get something special from Santa. ANYTHING.

"I have a long night ahead!" He said with a smile and a wave he jumped into the seat of his sleigh and was off into the night. Those below could only hear in the air: "Merry Christmas to all and to all a..."

The crowd missed the last part as they became caught up in their plans for the evening.

The elves tolled the bells to signal that work was officially done and celebrations were to begin. Working all year had taken its toll and the pent-up stress and aggression would be spent in a night of debauch celebration with Santa gone they could do anything they wanted tonight.

Watching her husband take off Misses Claus took another swig of her special brand egg nog. She had been hitting the batch heavy this evening, every Christmas for the past couple of decades. Jealousy brewed inside the attractive mother of three. She knew what her husband had meant by ANYTHING and now she was making her own plans...

Meanwhile, the tolling of Christmas bells echoed through caves far below the North Pole awakening the Krampus from his slumber. Like Santa, his list has expanded in recent years to include the old and the young and he relished the thought of stepping out of his cave to work through another list of victims. He pulls a large sack full of "toys" and steps out into the winter wind to trek down to the civilized world...