Bedtime Stories for Kids

by Kaizen Mindfulness Meditations

  Bedtime Stories for Kids

  Christmas Edition

  Fun and Calming Christmas Short Stories for Kids, Children and Toddlers to Fall Asleep Fast! Reduce Anxiety, Develop Inner Peace and Happiness

  PUBLISHED BY: Kaizen Mindfulness Meditations

  © Copyright 2019 - All rights reserved.

  The content contained within this book may not be reproduced, duplicated or transmitted without direct written permission from the author or the publisher.

  Under no circumstances will any blame or legal responsibility be held against the publisher, or author, for any damages, reparation, or monetary loss due to the information contained within this book. Either directly or indirectly.

  Legal Notice:

  This book is copyright protected. This book is only for personal use. You cannot amend, distribute, sell, use, quote or paraphrase any part, or the content within this book, without the consent of the author or publisher.

  Disclaimer Notice:

  Please note the information contained within this document is for educational and entertainment purposes only. All effort has been executed to present accurate, up to date, and reliable, complete information. No warranties of any kind are declared or implied. Readers acknowledge that the author is not engaging in the rendering of legal, financial, medical or professional advice. The content within this book has been derived from various sources. Please consult a licensed professional before attempting any techniques outlined in this book.

  By reading this document, the reader agrees that under no circumstances is the author responsible for any losses, direct or indirect, which are incurred as a result of the use of information contained within this document, including, but not limited to, — errors, omissions, or inaccuracies

  Table of Contents

  Introduction

  Chapter 1: The White Tree

  Chapter 2: Two Elves in the House

  Chapter 3: The Sleigh Ride

  Chapter 4: The Christmas Gift

  Chapter 5: The Christmas Forest

  Conclusion

  Thank you

  Introduction

  Thank you for purchasing Bedtime Stories for Kids: Christmas Edition.

  The following chapters will explore all that makes Christmas special in the form of several bedtime stories. These tales will have magic and wonder around every corner, while also being soothing enough to send a grizzly bear off to sleep. Each chapter has its unique themes and messages, but they all share one thing in common. Christmas magic! It’s everywhere, on every page. As it should be. This is the one time of year where magic comes to life all over again. So why not share it with your kids? Every story will capture your children’s hearts and send them drifting off with sweet dreams of winter wonder.

  I hope that these tales will become a favorite for you and your entire family. That your kids will be enthralled with every mystical moment and will beg for you to read more. And once it’s over, they’ll beg you to read another. And with time, I hope that these stories will become a part of your family. That the characters will become dear to you, and the magic will come to life. As you read each word, I hope it jumps off the page and dances around your home, filling it with Christmas joy!

  There are plenty of books on this subject on the market, thanks again for choosing this one! Every effort was made to ensure it is full of as much fun and heart warming stories as possible, please enjoy! Merry Christmas!

  Chapter 1: The White Tree

  Suzie was a little girl once, and now she’s all grown up. But even though she is a grown-up now, she still loves Christmas. Suzie has two children, and they love Christmas too. Today is Christmas Eve, and Suzie has tucked the little ones into bed. But they don’t want to sleep yet! It’s Christmas after all. They want to stay up and see Santa! Maybe even hear the tapping of reindeer hooves on the roof.

  “Mama, mama!”

  “We want to hear a story, Mama!”

  “You have to go to sleep, my little ones. Or Santa won’t be able to come and give you presents. You want your presents, don’t you?”

  “We want presents!” Dustin called from his bed, bouncing under the heavy blankets.

  “Presents are nice, I guess. But Mama, we wanna meet Santa!” Lucy was the oldest. And she was also the most curious. Always asking her Mama questions, like a smart girl.

  “We all wanna meet Santa, sweetie. But maybe, if you’re good, Santa will visit you in your dreams.”

  “Mama, did you ever meet Santa?” Dustin calls, bouncing all over the bed in his Christmas Elf pajamas.

  “Well, climb under those blankets kiddo, and I’ll tell ya.”

  “You met Santa, Mama?” Lucy asks, tugging on her mother’s sleeve with a big smile. The little girl was hopeful.

  “I sure did, Lucille. Lemme tell you all about it. When I was a little girl, no older than Dustin is now-”

  “I’m six and a half!” Dustin yelled, waving his favorite stuffed tiger through the air.

  “You sure are bud!” Mama says. She sits down in a big red rocking chair and begins to tell a story.

  “When I was six and a half, I took a trip to see Grandpa Woodsy, that’s your Great Grandpa. He lived far away back then, on a super tall mountain. Sooooo tall that you couldn’t see the top. And the mountain had lots of little fluffy clouds. It was so beautiful. So high up that only big birds lived up there. Birds the size of cars! And during the winter, the whole mountain was covered in bright green trees. I took a trip to the mountain to see Great-Grandpa just before Christmas. I didn’t like the mountain when I was little. It was always so quiet.”

  “How’d you get to the top of the mountain, Mama?” Dustin asked.

  “I had to climb. I’d jump on top of the big rocks. Like a billy goat! Baaa!” Their Mama told them.

  “All by yourself?” Lucy asked.

  “No way, Jose! I’d climb with the goats. And Great-Grandpa Woodsy! Nana and Pop would drop me off at the bottom of the big stone giant. That’s what Grandpa Woodsy called the mountain!”

  “Was it really a giant, Mama?”

  “Absolutely! It was a giant that fell asleep a long time ago. But when he didn’t wake up the birds made nests in his ears, and the trees grew on his back. Great-Grandpa Woodsy and I would climb allllll the way up the stone giant’s back. We’d start when the sun first kissed our heads, and by the time we got to the top, the sun was saying goodnight. It took us allllll day, and I was so tired that my feet were barking.”

  “But Mama, feet don’t bark!”

  “They do when you climb up a giant’s back! But after we finished climbing, we were on top of the world. Way above the clouds, way above anything. All we could see was the sleepy sun and the stars starting to wake up. And that’s when Great-Grandpa Woodsy would bring me inside and make his super special hot chocolate. Warm, creamy, full of pieces of peppermint. Great-Grandpa Woodsy’s hot cocoa was the best. And because he lived up in the clouds, the cabin would get really cold. Like a giant igloo! The windows would get frost all over them, and we could see our breath. So Great-Grandpa would start a big, roaring fire in the fireplace. It would get so bright that the entire living room would glow orange and smell good. And I’d lay on the furry carpet drinking cocoa until I fell asleep. Even though I didn’t like climbing the big stone giant, I loved being in the cabin during Christmas.”

  “Did Great-Grandpa love Christmas too, Mama?” Lucy asked.

  “He sure did. Every year, Great-Grandpa Woodsy would decorate the whole cabin! He was too far up to get electricity, so he’d light candles and hang them up all around the house. And he loved Nutcracker Soldiers. He’d hide them in the corners of the rooms, and on top of the firepl
ace. Big ones that were almost as tall as you, Dustin!”

  “No way! I’m super tall.”

  “You sure are. But so were the Nutcrackers. And he put them up wherever you went. That way there was always a Nutcracker protecting you. And across the ceiling, he’d hang long strands of garland. Red and green, gold and silver, filling the cabin with lots of color! Then in the corner of the room, there was a massive Christmas tree! So big that the top touched the ceiling. It always smelled like pine needles, and it had so many decorations that it sparkled like a star. And that’s why I’d sleep beneath it every night, curled up between the tree and the fire.”

  “And is that how you met Santa, Mama?”

  “It is, honey. It was Christmas Eve, but there was no snow. The whole cabin was silent. The smell of pine needles, baked sugar cookies, and firewood drifted through the air. And every couple of minutes, a log would crackle in the fireplace. It was midnight, and the fire was just a few glowing embers. I felt a bit chilly, so I climbed out from under the Christmas tree to get more blankets. Then I heard the big grandfather clock strike twelve. TONG. TONG. TONG. And I realized I was up at midnight! Oh no! What if Santa didn’t come? Great-Grandpa Woodsy would be so upset with me if he didn’t get his presents from Santa. He was always so well behaved, so Santa left him a special gift every time!

  ‘What should I do? What can I do? Am I too late?’

  And then I heard it! The sound of jingling bells! So bright, so clear, that they cut through the mountain winds. Creeping to the window, I poked my head over the edge to see what was out there.”

  “And that’s when you saw him?! Santa!” Dustin shouts, throwing his covers back.

  “I’m getting to that, don’t worry. So, I peek my head out the window, and what do I see? An old wooden sleigh, sitting on dull brass rails. I tell myself that there is no way that old thing is Santa’s sleigh! But then I look to the left a bit, and what do I see? An entire team of reindeer! I counted them and everything. What are their names, Lucy?”

  “Well, there’s Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.”

  “And Rudolph!” Dustin added. “Can’t forget Rudolph! His nose glows.”

  “That’s right, you two. And guess what? They were all there! All nine reindeer. Even Rudolph with his glowing nose! The sleigh, it really was Santa’s! But where was he?”

  “In the chimney?”

  “Noooo.”

  “On the roof?”

  “Nooooo. But I was going to find out. So, I grabbed the heaviest coat I could find, Great-Grandpa Woodsy’s furry one, and I tore out the door quick as could be. When I got outside, I had to stop and pet the reindeer. They were so soft and had long fur that went down to their knees! They made this odd whining sound, but it was so cute. And they let me pat their necks as I walked around the sleigh. When I looked inside, there was a big green velvet bag, tied up nice and tight with a gold rope. I wanted to touch it, but I knew Santa would get mad. So, I ran to the other side of the sleigh to look for Santa Claus himself. Now Great-Grandpa didn’t have many trees around the cabin. Most trees couldn’t grow that high up. But he did have a few tall pine trees, and they were all covered in decorations and tinsel. They gleamed beneath the full moon, glass balls of red and green catching the stars. Except for one. One special tree that always stood out. It didn’t have any shiny trinkets hanging on the branches. But it was still the most beautiful pine tree I’ve ever seen. Do you know why?”

  “Why?” Dustin and Lucy asked at the same time.

  “Because this tree was pure white. Just like Christmas snow. And beneath the moon, it glowed like starlight. It was just magical. I can still remember it today. Like a giant crystal shining against a midnight sky. And when I crawled closer, I realized that there was someone beneath the tree. He was big, really big! Almost as tall as the tree. But there he was, sitting down under the branches, carefully arranging the presents. He wore a big red coat, covered in fluffy white fur. It had a hood, so I guess it must get real cold flying in the sky in a sleigh. His hair was so long it fell into his lap and as white as the tree. And his beard was just as long, hanging over his chest and wagging whenever he moved.

  I walked up, and I asked him ‘Are you Santa Claus?’

  And do you know what he said to me? ‘Are you Suzie Woodhart?’

  Suddenly the wind stopped, and I smiled the biggest smile ever! ‘I sure am!’ I told him. ‘It’s you! It’s really you! Santa Claus. I’m right, aren’t I?’ And then the big man stood up and gave a big laugh.

  ‘Ho-ho-ho! If I’m right, then you must be too! Right?’

  He was so tall and had such a big beard, that I could barely see his face. But I could make out a cherry nose, and two bright blue eyes that were full of laughter.

  ‘I am! But Santa, what are you doing out here? The Christmas tree is inside!’

  ‘It is? Oh, it is! You’re right, Suzie! Well, you were sleeping like a log under that tree, so I didn’t want to wake you. But I guess I woke you anyway. Oh well! Ho-ho-ho!’

  ‘But why are you putting the presents here, Santa?’

  ‘Well let me tell you. Do you see this tree? This white one here? It is a very important tree. It’s very old and very special to me.’

  ‘Why?’ I asked Santa. And he gave me the biggest smile, then looked at the White Tree.

  ‘It was the first gift I ever gave your Grandpa. A magic seed. When he was little, he asked me for a present that would help him never forget magic or Christmas. And so, I gave him a seed. A seed that would grow up with him so that he could never forget. As he grew big, the tree would grow big. And I promised that if he loved this tree, I’d come back and visit him every year. But he had to believe. And here it is. The White Tree. Tall and strong. As beautiful as the heart of a true believer.’

  ‘You said it’s magic? What’s magical about it?’

  ‘Take a closer look, and you’ll see.’

  And when I leaned close, do you know what I saw?”

  “What did you see, Mama?” asked Dustin.

  “I saw the best Christmas gift ever, honey. The tree did have decorations. I just wasn’t looking hard enough. Small crystal balls hung from the white tree branches. And when I looked inside, I saw people. People dancing, people laughing. People singing and sitting around a table for a big meal. And after standing there for a long time in the cold, I recognized the people in the crystal balls. It was Great-Grandpa Woodsy, and Great-Grandma Rosie, and my dad.”

  “Grandma and Grandpa were in the crystal balls?”

  “They sure were. But everyone was so young. And then I asked Santa ‘This is Grandpa Woodsy, right? And that’s Grandma! And there’s Daddy.’

  ‘That’s right, Suzie. This magic tree keeps the Christmas memories alive. The moments that mean the most to your Grandpa are kept here. All the way at the top are the memories of when he was just a boy, and he’d celebrate Christmas with his family. And here’s the Christmas where your Grandpa proposed to your Grandma. And here is your mom when she was a little girl. And here you are, sleeping beneath the Christmas tree on Christmas Eve. Your Grandpa loves seeing you sleep under the tree. Do you see the magic now, Suzie?’ Santa asked me.

  And I did, I really did. Every single decoration was a little memory, living on inside the crystal ball! Little fireplaces roared, my mom ran around laughing, Great-Grandpa and Grandma danced next to a record player. It was the most beautiful Christmas tree I had ever seen. It was alive with every Christmas Great-Grandpa ever got to have. And now I’d added another Christmas memory to the White Tree. When I turned to tell Santa how beautiful the White Tree was, he was gone. Just a couple of tracks where his sled was.”

  “No way! He was gone? Just like that?”

  “Yep, just like that. And that’s how I met Santa. After that, I went back inside and curled up under the Christmas tree, just like before. The next morning, Great-Grandpa woke me up and carried me out to get the presents from beneath the tree. We
sat together, under the sun, and opened the gifts. And when I caught Great-Grandpa staring at the crystal balls, I told him ‘The White Tree looks beautiful this year, huh Grandpa?’

  He just smiled and said, ‘She gets more beautiful every year.’”

  THE END

  Chapter 2: Two Elves in the House

  Everyone knows about Santa’s elves. There’s a song about them, stories about them. Little decorations you hang on your tree for them. They get all the credit and all the attention. But what most people don’t know is that there are a lot of different elves. Lots of types and kinds that are all over the world! There’s tree elf, the river elf, the flower elf, and the moon elf. There’s the elf that dances and cares for the bonfires at night. There is the elf that protects the secret places where magic sleeps. There is the wise elf, who tiptoes around the whole world gathering information. There’s the wealth elf, who slips under your feet just to pick up loose change or a lost penny. And let’s not forget about the music elf, who sing new songs into the ears of the Big Folk. They fill a room with the magic of dance and laughter.

  And then there is us. We’re the house-elves. You may have heard of us, or maybe not. But whether you know it or not, we’re there. Always helping you Big Folk in any way we can. Not because we must, but because we want to. It makes us happy to see you happy. To see your silly faces smiling all wide when you find something you lost. A toy or a sock, it doesn’t matter what. Have you ever got up in the middle of the night and found just what you needed right there in front of you? Have you ever almost dropped something, only for it to land perfectly fine on the ground? What about when you get home after a long day, and the whole house is nice and warm, or it’s filled with your favorite smell? Yeah, that’s us!

  We’re the house-elves, and we love to help. Not every elf loves to help, but we house-elves do. We don’t help Santa though. We help you. And that’s why I’m writing this letter to you, Big Folk. Because we’re sad that you don’t know we are there. So, I thought I’d tell you a story. A story of how we, the house elves, helped Santa’s elves make a magical Christmas. It’s not a long story, don’t worry. But it is one of my favorites.