A Particularly Good Christmas Story

TIMOTHY Simeon Preston was, once, a particularly Naughty Boy! I know this because I know him! What I am about to tell you will most certainly surprise you but the truth is that Timothy Simeon Preston was at no time more naughty than at Christmas time. Sensible children practice hard at being very good at Christmas time and most every little girl would try to remember to brush her teeth before bedtime. Little boys, of course, would never remember anything as important as that. 

And at Christmas time, some especially brave children would even try to give up telling fibs unless something really horrible happened like a football smashing through a window for example. At times like that well, fibs couldn't be helped.

BUT despite the excellent example of his peers, Timothy Simeon Preston remained resolutely and particularly naughty! His disappointed father would mildly warn him, ''Naughty boys don't get Christmas presents.'' But Master Preston, throwing his head back would laugh and shout, ''I'm best at being bad and I don't care so there, Big Nose!'' 

His Mother and Father would sigh sadly but when Christmas came, they always relented and gave Timothy presents because they were kind and forgiving and they believed in the goodness of Christmas. Timothy did not. Goodness did not rub off on him.

HOW did I meet him? Well it happened like this... On a moon-bright, ice-white Christmas Eve when all good children and most of the naughty ones too, are tucked up in bed, I was sleighing my way around the World skipping from roof top to roof top!

As I tethered Rudolph the Rednose to a chimney stack, he turned his great antlered head to me and said, ''Surely you're not going in there S.C.? That's the home of the most Particularly Naughty Boy in the World! ''I know,'' I replied, ''But his parents are so kind and they always write me such nice letters. It would break their hearts if I forgot their little boy.''

RUDOLPH snorted disapprovingly but didn't try to dissuade me any further. So, I jumped over the rim of the chimney stack and slid down the chimney, getting stuck only once, before landing in the fireplace of Timothy Simeon Preston's bedroom.

To my surprise the light in the room was on and Timothy Simeon Preston was sitting on the edge of his bed wide awake and staring straight at me. ''I've been waiting for you Fatman!'' he said with a sneer and a sniff. ''Have you,'' I replied climbing out of the fireplace. ''You should know better than to wait up for Santa Claus. Really, if I were to stick to the rules, I shouldn't give you any presents! Oh, and I'm not fat!'' 

I REACHED out for the lovely mince pie that Timothy's Mother had left for me beside the fireplace. But, before I could pick it up, the naughty boy snatched the pie from my plate and stuffed it whole into his mouth! 

''It's presents I want to talk to you about'' he said, spraying pie crumbs out of his bulging cheeks all over the carpet. ''I'm fed up with what you have been bringing me. It's time I got the sort of presents I want so hand 'em over Flabby! Give me stink bombs and green slime and mouse traps and catapults and worms and rotten eggs and hairy spiders and ...you get the picture?''

''BUT Timothy, the presents I have here are much more fun'' And I gave him a bright, shiny parcel. ''YUUUCCCCKKKKKIIIIEEEE!!!!!''

The horrid boy screamed ripping the wrapping off and revealing a beautiful bright red racing car. ''You can have this back, Hairy Git!'' And he threw the the toy car at me. It landed in the fireplace and smashed into twelve pieces. One for each day of Christmas!

I can see that you've grown out of Christmas, Timothy Simeon Preston,'' I said. ''Very well, come with me and I will see what can be done about the problem with your presents.''

''GREAT!'' the boy yelled as we shot up through the chimney onto the covered rooftop.''What's he doing here?'' Rudolph asked as I jumped into the sleigh. ''The most Particularly Naughty Boy in the World is coming with us to the Present Factory to take his pick from all the nasty things that I have kept out of the reach and thoughts of all good children,'' I explained. 

''So shut up and fly Fourlegs!'' ordered the naughty boy pulling Rudolph's tail. With a little squeal and a louder ''Tut-Tut-Tut'' Rudolph leapt up skimming the tree tops into the clear starry sky.

''BUT first,'' I said to turning to the red-cheeked brat, ''I must call on some sad and lonely children who have almost forgotten about the wonder of Christmas.'' ''Alright!'' said Timothy Simeon Preston, ''I like poking fun at unhappy people.'' 

Before long we landed outside a big grey building. ''We're here,'' I said. ''And don't worry if what you see makes you cry. I won't make fun.'' ''Me cry!'' the boy replied with a laugh, ''I never cry. Come on hurry up, I want to choose my stink bombs!''

WE closed our eyes and when we re-opened them we found ourselves inside a cold dark room. Timothy Simeon Preston whispered, ''It's freeeeeezing!'' I nodded and lit one of the candles which I kept up my sleeve. 

The sight we saw made us both gulp! Rows of little cots lined the walls and in the cots little children lay with their eyes open in the dark. All of them were very thin. Many had bruises and sores and some of them looked very sick. 

''Do you want to poke fun at these unhappy children?'' I asked Timothy Simeon Preston. He didn't answer my question but asked instead, ''Why are they here?''

 
''THEY are here because no one loves them anymore'' I told him. ''They have been forgotten!'' And I went from cot to cot giving each little child a big hug. All of them hugged me back and some even managed a smile. ''Why don't you hug a little child?'' I asked turning to Timothy Simeon Preston. ''Or are you too scared?'' 

Never one to ignore a dare, the naughty boy stepped up to a cot and reached out to hug a sad little girl. The little girl in the cot sat up and giggled. The two children hugged and when Timothy finally let go I can't be sure, but I think I saw him wipe away a fat sparkly tear.

''COME on then,'' I said, ''It's time we were off to Lapland to find all those nasty things you wish for.'' ''But what about these children?'' the boy asked, ''Haven't you got presents for them?'' ''Do you care?'' I asked firmly. ''I might...'' he said very quietly. 

''I'm sorry to say'' and I was sorry to say, ''I haven't got presents for these little children because no one loves them enough to write to me asking for presents. They haven't got Mummies and Daddies. They haven't got Grannies and Grandpas either! All I can do is give them some love and a cuddle''

''Oh...'' Timothy Simeon Preston simply said. ''But can't you give them anything?'' ''No,'' I said, ''Because no one wishes it.'' Then I whisked the boy up and across the World to my factory deep in the heart of Lapland. 

Once there, I unlocked the door to all the Nasties! ''I think you'll find everything you could ever want in here,'' I said, turning the handle. But before I could open the door, Timothy Simeon Preston said,''Wait!...I don't want to look in there.'' ''Oh,'' I said, trying to sound surprised. ''What do you want?'' ''I want to choose other presents.. teddy bears and dolls houses and toy trains and paintboxes and rocking horses and footballs and lots of lovely food and medicine to make people well and....and....'' 

That's an awful lot of wonderful presents for a Particularly Naughty Boy,'' I observed gently. Timothy Simeon Preston nodded and looking at his feet said, '' They're not for me.'' ''Oh,'' I replied unable to hide my smile, ''Who are all these lovely things for?'' ''You know who'' the little boy said jumping into my arms. ''Indeed I do!'' I said, letting out a great ''Ho, Ho, Ho!'' 

THE next morning, Christmas morning, Timothy Simeon Preston woke to find a special Christmas parcel byhis bed. Inside the shiny wrapping he found a beautiful bright red racing car and with a whoop of delight, he ran into his parent's bedroom and shouted, ''Thank you Mummy! Thank you Daddy! 

His mummy and Daddy were very pleased because at last some Christmas goodness had rubbed off on to their little boy. ''We must do something about the sad children,'' Timothy Simeon Preston said to them. And, of course, they did! 

There ends the story of Timothy Simeon Preston who was once a Particularly Naughty Boy. And today, even though he isn't perfect and although he still sometimes tells fibs, his parents forgive him because he cares about the sad children and does what he can to help them especially at Christmas Time!

Merry Christmas, Ho, Ho, Ho!