The Stowaway in the Sleigh

Seven-year-old Leo was sure of two things: that his favourite food was fairy bread, and that Santa was real. His big brother, Tom, just laughed. "You're a little kid, Leo. Santa's just a story." But Leo knew, deep in his tummy, that Tom was wrong. That Christmas Eve, as the moonbeams danced through the gum trees outside his window, Leo had a plan. A very brave, very sneaky plan.

Tiptoeing past Tom's room, Leo snuck outside. And there it was! Santa's sleigh, parked behind the giant kookaburra's nest, shimmering like a Christmas star. The reindeer munched quietly on magical wattle leaves. Holding his breath, Leo climbed into the back, burrowing down amongst sacks of presents that smelled of gingerbread and pine needles. "Just a quick peek," he whispered to a teddy bear. "Then Tom will have to believe me."

With a jingle and a whoosh, the sleigh lifted into the night! "Zoom, zoom, through the starry gloom!" Leo peeked over the edge, his heart thumping like a drum. They soared over oceans that glittered like spilt glitter. But then, a big bump! A bright blue toy robot tumbled out of a sack, falling, falling, down towards the dark, sparkly water. "Oh no!" cried a little elf named Pip. "The Global Present System is glitching! We've lost the robot!" Leo felt a knot of worry in his tummy. This was not part of the plan.

Forgetting he was supposed to be hiding, Leo popped up. "I can help!" he declared. The elves gasped. Leo pointed to the big glowing screen. "It's like Mum's GPS in the car! Look, that blinking dot must be the robot!" Working together, Pip and Leo tapped the screen. *BEEP! BOOP! BEEP!* A long, glittery arm extended from the sleigh, stretching all the way down to the water and scooping up the robot just before it splashed. "You did it!" cheered the elves. Leo's worry melted away, replaced by a warm, proud feeling.

When they landed safely back in his garden, Santa himself gave Leo a wink. "Helping others is the real magic of Christmas, Leo. Much bigger than just proving a point." Back in his bed, Leo knew he wouldn't tell Tom about the sleigh. It was his special secret. He had discovered something much more important than whether Santa was real—he had discovered that even a small boy could be a big hero. And that felt like the best Christmas present of all.