Maddie Saves Christmas

Maddie very carefully rolled out the dough, just like Mommy did. She wanted her
gingerbread house to look so good that an elf could live in it. Except that she
knew elves were too smart for that. She’d met them in the fairy world, and they
liked to hide in trees. They were sneakier than leprechauns!

“Maddie, you made it too thin again.” Mom
smiled and folded the dough over. “Want
me to do it? I will let you do the cookie cutters.”

“I—” Maddie almost said she wanted to
try again, but then she saw a movement in the snowy bushes outside. “I think you should do it, Mommy. I want to go build a snowman.”

Mommy sighed. “Okay. Get your brother. He’ll be sad if you go without him.”

Maddie wiped her hands on her dress and ran for the door. She stopped long enough to
whisper, “William, I’m going outside.”

If he came with her, she wouldn’t be able to go on an adventure with Eoin the leprechaun again. She put on her coat and gloves and brand new fuzzy boots then left the house, making sure not to slam the door.

“Eoin? Where’d you go?” Her mouth made lots of puffy clouds when she breathed out. Just like a dragon! Oooh, maybe they could
see one this time. She skipped to the stairs and had to grab tight to the railing as her boot slid out from under her. Maybe skipping could wait until spring. Maybe.

The leprechaun’s bright green hat almost kept him hidden in the bushes, but the bright gold buckle gave him away. Maddie tiptoed
toward him and jumped.

“Boo!”

Eoin jumped with a high eep! “There
you are. I was going to wait for you to finish baking with your mom. We need to go save Christmas, and I didn’t want to make you burn your cookies.”

“Mommy doesn’t burn cookies. She makes them extra yummy with lots of frosting—did you just say save Christmas? We get to
save Christmas?” Maddie’s voice was almost as high as Eoin’s eep had been.

“Yes, now go get your wand and I’ll meet you in back.” He sighed and looked up at the window. “I really should have waited. I could have used a gingerbread cookie for the road.”

Maddie tipped her head to the side. “Can’t
you just make one appear?”

“I can, but they’re not quite as good as freshly baked ones.” He rubbed his tummy. “Let’s go before my stomach rumbles.”

Maddie nodded and went back to the steps. This time she did not skip across the
porch. She stomped her feet to get all the fluffy snow off her fuzzy boots. She
walked inside and smelled the yummy cookies.

“Oh, those look so good, Mommy. Can I
have one?” Maddie ran into the kitchen.

“Maddie! Boots!” Mom set the tray on the counter and put her hands on her hips.

Maddie looked down and then behind her at the puddles she’d made. “Oopsies. Sorry, Mommy. The cookies just smelled so good I forgot!”

“Why’d you come back in? Is it too cold?” She frowned. “Where’s your brother?”

Maddie shrugged. “I think he’s playing with trucks. I’m going to go to the backyard to find a bucket. Can you tell him I’m back there? Pretty please?”

Mommy handed Maddie a cookie. “Okay,
but please take off your boots until you get to the back door.”

“Okay!” Maddie pulled off her fuzzy
boots and ran to the back door, careful not to break the cookie.

As soon as she was ready to go outside, she ran to the playhouse to get her wand, then found the bucket so she could play with William as soon as she got back.

“Eoin?” Maddie turned in a circle and squealed when she heard the whinny from Muffins, her pet unicorn. “You’re here!” She pushed her way through the thick snowdrift to where Eoin was wiping snow off his coat. “Why’d you land there? It’s not as deep by the door.”

“Muffins didn’t know it was there until we landed, and I fell off.” Eoin stared at the cookie in her hand. “Is that mine?”

Maddie handed it to him. “Mommy gave it to me, but I can wait until we get back. Let’s go save Christmas!”

She poofed herself up on Muffins and then waited for Eoin to sit behind her, happily eating his cookie. With another wave of her wand, she felt the whole world disappear. It was time to save Christmas!