The Polar Bear that Stole Christmas

By Max Bowler, age 10

It was a snowy Christmas Eve, and everyone was in bed. Everyone except Ben. Ben was thinking about all the amazing presents he was about to receive. Recently, he had begun to not believe in Santa Claus anymore. “Santa is for babies,” he thought to himself.

Ben knew he would get everything he wanted, just like every other year for the last nine years of his life. Even though he had cut his little sister’s hair off and glued it on the dog, and even though he had filled his Grandad’s bathtub full of worms, and even though he had eaten all of Mum’s secret chocolates and replaced the chocolate with balls of mud. Ben knew he would still get presents, so why bother to be good?

Suddenly, Ben heard a clattering sound on the roof. ‘Yes!’ thought Ben sarcastically, ‘The fat man is here!’

Ben clambered out of bed, tripping over his pet cat and ran downstairs, kicking the frightened feline out of the way.

Peering into the living room, Ben saw the round figure of a man in a bright red suit, covered in soot, checking his list. Shocked, Ben realised that Santa was standing in his living room! Ben watched him carefully as he studied the list. He saw him get to his name on the list and frown.

Next, Santa began to pull something from his bag. Ben watched on in horror as he realised what it was. It was coal! Santa was giving him coal!

“Oi!” shouted Ben angrily, red in the face. “Who do you think you are giving me coal for Christmas?”

Father Christmas turned to stare at Ben. His tall figure loomed over the small boy, and Ben suddenly felt exceedingly small.

“Boys who are unkind get coal,” said Santa chuckling softly.

“I’m not having coal, you’re a big fat meanie!” shouted Ben.

“Well,” said Santa mysteriously, “If you don’t want coal then perhaps, you’d prefer another gift?”

Just at that moment, something incredible happened. Santatouched the side of his nose and Ben began to transform. His nose grew long and black, soft white fur grew all over his body. 

Next, he fell onto all fours and instead of hands and feet he now had giant paws. Ben realised he had been transformed into a polar bear.

With his last words Ben yelled, “I’ll get you for this, you...youJinglebum!”

But it was too late, Santa led him up to the rooftop and hooked him up to his sleigh, right next to a friendly looking reindeer with a bright red nose.

Just then, Ben noticed that he was the only creature attached to the sleigh. Ben pulled on the reins and soon realised that he could move the sleigh forward. Heart beating fast, Ben had a wicked idea. He would teach Santa a lesson he would never forget!

As quick as a flash, Ben began running as fast as his polar bear legs could carry him. Ben closed his eyes and ran off the end of the rooftop. Magically, Ben suddenly felt himself flying up, up, up towards the bright glow of the full moon.

“Noooo!” screamed Santa, “You will ruin Christmas! Come back here you naughty boy!”

But Ben did not care. If he could not have presents, neither would anyone else. And with that, Ben flew off towards the dark night sky, that looked as if it had been sprinkled with precious gems that shimmered and twinkled in glistening colours.

‘I don’t care about Santa or his rotten elves or Christmas!’ thought Ben. The more Ben flew, the less angry Ben began to feel. He skipped on the air and danced and pranced around, doing loop de loops in the sky. 

As Ben flew, he stared down at the houses below and thought about the children asleep in their beds, waiting to receive their gifts. He thought about their sad, disappointed faces when they woke up on Christmas morning and they realised that Santa had not been to visit. Ben thought about his little sister and even though she annoyed him, he loved her very much.He thought about his friends at school and how they would not get any presents either, and maybe they would stop believing in the magic of Santa. 

“Oh no! What have I done!” thought Ben.

Ben quickly turned on his fluffy polar bear tail and flew as fast as he could, back towards the rooftop where Santa was stuck.

“Ho, Ho, Ho! You came back!” said Santa with surprise. Ben nodded, looking deeply sorry. Hurriedly, Ben stood himself back in line with the reindeers. Santa hooked Ben up to the sleigh and hopped in.

Soon after, Santa and his team were back in the skies. Ben helped deliver presents in every part of the world from Greenland to Africa. He watched with amazement as Santa flew around the world in a single night.

At last, they came to the final house, Ben’s house. Santa landed the sleigh on the roof with a thump, and unhooked Ben from the reindeers. Santa once again touched the side of his nose and in the blink of an eye, Ben was a boy again.

Ben threw himself into Santa’s arms and Santa cuddled him. 

“I’m sorry Santa,” said Ben hiding his face in Santa’s white fluffy beard. 

“It’s okay Ben, part of growing up is making mistakes and learning from them,” replied Santa.

Just then, Santa reached into his bag and pulled out a small box.

“Its for you,” said Santa with a smile.

Ben opened the box, inside, there was a beautiful ceramic polar bear. The bear had a look on its face, which had looked just like Ben when he’d angrily shouted at Santa. Ben stared at this wonderful gift for a few moments and when he looked up, Santa and his reindeer were gone. 

Standing on the rooftop, Ben watched a streak of light disappear into the sunrise and faintly heard the words, ‘Merry Christmas Ben, see you next year!’

Each Christmas Eve since, Ben would touch the ceramic polar bear and be miraculously transformed into a polar bear once again, and Ben would help Santa to deliver Christmas. 

Until one Christmas Eve, Ben touched the polar bear and the magic had ended for him. However, Ben was not sad, as he had the memories of his adventures.

Year by year, as Ben grew older, he would tell his children,and then his grandchildren the stories of his adventures as a polar bear, and they would laugh at his wild tales and ask to hear the stories over and over again. 

Eventually, the stories ended, and the ceramic polar bear came to live in an antiques shop, waiting for the next person who needed to learn that true magic comes from giving to others.