Christmas was only a few days away and Billy B. was ready. He and Chet were planning a Christmas Party that would be like none that anyone had ever experienced. Jane and Sally were coming as well as Daryl and his dad who was the third-grade teacher…and who liked to be called the Wiz. Also, Jeff C. and Jimmy were coming and Lanny…his neighbor. They were going to have it in the Assembly Hall of Washington School and Neva Jane and Thelma had been decorating for a week…it seemed. The Holiday Party was for grades 1-3…and even Mrs. Blackwell was smiling when she heard of the festivities. There was going to be Christmas Punch and Pudding made from recipes that Billy B.’s mom had given to her by her mother who was from England. Along with the Pudding and Punch would be all sorts of English Meat Pies and a roasted goose. Thelma, Chet’s mother, had hired Bill Winters, the town mechanic, to dress up as Santa Claus and surprise the kids. He had a wonderfully authentic red suit and his own homegrown long white beard that rested on his chest. When he laughed his ‘Santa Laugh’ his ’round little belly shook like a bowl full of jelly.’

Lanny, who was a freshman at Eldorado High School, had promised something special for the Christmas Punch…Billy B. shook his head knowingly…but he really did not know. Many of the 1st-grade class were attending as Santa’s Elves…and they had practiced a dance routine to accentuate the Christmas Vision. Chet had decided that he was going to ask Santa for a pocket watch for Christmas. He had wanted one since he had seen the English Detective, Sherlock Holmes, pull one out of his watch pocket in the movie, The Hound of the Baskervilles. Chet was coming as Sherlock Holmes and his English Bulldog was going to accompany him as the famous detective’s side-kick…Dr. Watson. Of course the Christmas Pary…was a Costume Party…

Jane was excited as she stood by the door of the Assembly Hall just before the Party was to begin. She told Billy B., as he walked up, that Santa could not make it…as he was down with the flu. ‘What are we going to do, Jane asked? Chet winked and said, ‘We will improvise!’ So the fun began with the authentic English dinner and was finished with the Flaming Plum Pudding. Throughout the three-course meal, Billy B. had continued to pour his guests more of the wonderful punch. When the music began it was, ‘Santa Claus is coming to town,’ and indeed at that moment the large double doors swung open and in came the happiest Santa that anyone in the auditorium had ever seen… Walking in front of Santa Claus was Daryl’s Dad, The Wiz, as he led him to the great chair that had been provided for Bill Winters…before he became ill. In Mr. Claus’s entourage were 12 elves and 12 reindeer…who were doing a lot of snorting and pawing at the floor of the magnificent room. Santa called out to Chet, ‘Bring me a cup of your outstanding Christmas Punch…Chet!’ Chet gave him a 12-ounce tumbler full…and he brought the pitcher that had enough of Lanny’s fortified Punch…for 3 more refills…

Santa seemed to be feeling in the Christmas Spirit after his third tumbler full of Punch. He asked Chet what he wanted for Christmas and Chet replied…’Not a Red Rider BB Gun…but a pocket watch like Sherlock Holmes had in the movie’. Santa laughed and said…’Would you like a magical pocket watch?’ Chet said that he would be most pleased to own a magical pocket watch. Santa reached into his great red coat and pulled out a glistening gold pocket watch and handed it to Chet. Suddenly Chet awakened and saw that he was in his own comfortable bed and covered with a heavy quilt…and he had apparently dreamed the entire Christmas Party event…but a glistening gold pocket watch lay on his night-stand.