All seemed calm…all seemed bright. Santa was watching Turner Classic Movies…as he liked the vintage films. Mrs. Claus was fast asleep down the hall in her bedroom after drinking two tumblers of Extraordinary Egg Nog that was manufactured in her Christmas Egg Nog and Spirits Shoppee that was adjacent to Santa’s Work Shop. Carolyn Claus had been an Egg Nog maker when she met Santa…many Christmases ago. Her Egg Nog was considered the best in the land of Christmas and it was fortified with her secret recipe… Most of the elves could not remain awake after just one tumbler of Nog…but they were short… Carolyn was a 2 tumbler girl…but she often had to hold on the hallway walls…and indeed Humphrey the Head Elf in Charge of Manufacturing had placed handrails…like you see on a Cruise Liner…along the walls of the oaken hallway…for the First Lady to hold on to as she made her way to her slumber.

Humphrey was especially concerned as to what toys and crafts and gifts should Santa be delivering around the world for Christmas 2021. It had been an unusually hectic year with the ongoing Pandemic and labor shortages…yes…even at the North Pole. However…the supply line slowdowns did not affect Santa’s Operation…as he personally delivered all gifts… Now last year the Craft Shop had focused on games and toys that could be played with inside the children’s homes…due to the worldwide lockdowns resulting from COVID. But this year was critical…in Humphrey’s mind…there needed to be a practical application of Santa’s Magical powers…to help put the world back on track. Humphrey believed with enough elves and enough means of conveyance…and partnering with the medical community…Santa could make a difference in stopping the Pandemic…

Trains…were the answer. Santa Trains across the Globe…loaded with COVID Vaccinations for every member of the human family. Of course, the Trains could fly just like Santa’s sleighs….and they could also travel on land into the many remote parts of the Earth that have forgotten people. These trains could carry the essentials of a happy life for the children and the parents and all of the hurting and lonely people of the world. It would carry school desks for those who have none in their school. It would deliver clothes for the ill-clad and food for the ill-fed and educational tools like paper and pencils and multiplication tables and coloring books…and a COVID Vaccine for everyone who had not received one…and nurses to administer the Vaccination…

It was a Marshall Plan for the Pandemic. Santa had thought throughout our Pandemic how relevant he could be to the solving of it. He had watched as governments and peoples and tribes and nations had brought forth numerous ideas for the amelioration of the Plague…and how many had been satisfied with ignoring it for their Idols and Totems…and their own perceived benefit… As is customary…the poor countries of the planet were left…by and large…to figure out how to vaccinate their people…and it did not happen. The rich countries of the Earth focused on their citizens and crowed for their own political gain…and wondered why their herculean efforts had not stopped our Pandemic… Santa and Humphrey set up a meeting with all of the work-force of the North Pole Operation.

Rudolph asked Donder if he knew what the big meeting was about…this close to Christmas. Donder said that he had heard that Christmas would last a week this year. The Jolly Old Elf had developed a plan to literally visit every; igloo and hut and Flat and to not miss a single person for his special gifts. The Santa Trains would begin to fly on December 17 and end on Christmas Morning. ‘If I could have all of your attention…please,’ said Santa. ‘I tell you this every year that I could not perform this Magical and Mystical feat without each of your hard work and perseverance,’ Santa said. He continued, ‘This year is special and it is different…our world is suffering under a terrible malady of fear and loneliness and illness…and death.’ ‘The wealthy countries of our world have done little to help their poor neighbors…so we must do what we can,’ Santa said with a tear in his eye. ‘Are you all with me,’ Santa asked?

Tears of joy cascaded down the cheeks of every elf and reindeer and Mrs. Claus…’Three cheers for Santa Claus’ cried, Rudolph…

Santa was old and arthritic…and he had just returned from his doctor in Destin, Florida…who had told him to retire…for his health…but he could not resist attempting to do his best to help the ‘Apples of His Eye’…the Children of The World…

Humphrey cried, out…’Oh my God…we have to make the Trains!’