While everyone was having a wonderful time playing in the snow, I saw Sergio go on red alert. He drew up to his full height and peered into the trees on the other side of the hill. He swayed and narrowed his eyes as if trying to find something. I glanced at the trees and saw a flash of color. Was that a cardinal hopping around in the brush? Maybe it was gathering some sticks to build a nest.

After a few moments, after another flutter of movement along the base of the trees, Sergio grinned. He whispered something to Luna and she nodded. Then in an oh-so-deliberately casual way, he strolled across the slope and toward the trees, his hands in his elf pant pockets. I almost expected him to start whistling. As he approached the trees, I saw a curly blonde head pop out of the brush for a brief second before a hand reached out and pulled it back.

Things were getting interesting. When Sergio reached the edge of the trees, he crawled up on a snowy bench and waited. The brush where the head had popped out trembled and a couple twigs snapped. Then out popped two curly blonde heads, followed by the rest of a boy and girl elf. They joined Sergio on the bench.

Luna stopped with her sled and cupped her hand next to her face and waved her fingers at Sergio. The elves and Sergio waved back and continued their conversation. Sergio later told me they had been sent from the North Pole with a message for him. But when I asked what it was, he simply smiled and said I’d find out soon enough.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer.