... went good Saint Nick
A dull thud sounded from above Applebloom as she played baseball with her friends. She looked up, expecting to see something there, only for the ball to pass over her shoulder.
She woke up, feeling very annoyed. Another second and she would have hit a home run that would have been sure to earn her cutie mark.
She yawned. Darn ceilin'. Applejack's been wantin' to fix it fer ages. In any event, she was feeling a bit thirsty, and she knew it was going to be hard to fall back to sleep without something to drink. She hopped out of bed, opened her bedroom door, and walked downstairs.
She heard the roof creak again as she reached the bottom step. She frowned up at the ceiling for a moment before walking over to the refrigerator.
Big sis, ah hope ya get to that soon.
She passed one of the windows. Snow covered the ground and the trees for an far as the eye could see. It covered the fields, it covered the roads, it covered everything.
Applebloom was awake enough to remember that it was Hearth's Warming Eve, the night before the favorite holiday of all ponykind. However, she was tired enough that the excitement she normally would have felt was almost nonexistent.
She looked absentmindedly into the living room. A small evergreen tree was standing next to the fireplace, decorated with ornaments and wreathed with string and bows. It was beautiful, and a welcome addition to the other ornamentation placed around the room.
She reached the kitchen and headed directly for the refrigerator. She opened it and pulled out a carton of milk. After getting a small glass from the pantry, she poured herself a glass and wolfed down the delicious substance faster than even she had expected. The milk from the cows this year was exceptional.
She set the glass in the sink, put the carton away, and walked back toward the stairs. She had begun to climb them when again a sound from above, this time from the direction of the chimney, reached her ears.
There was a big puff of soot coming from the fireplace. She turned, curious and afraid. Another puff of soot, a flash of red and white... and the soot slowly settled.
In it's place stood a tall biped. He - she guessed he was male - was tall, fat, and he bore a white beard that was long enough to considerably cover much of his red suit. He wore black boots and a black belt over his red coat, along with a red hat with white cotton over it's brim; a white pom-pom stood where the otherwise pointed end of the hat would be. He bore a large, brown burlap sack over his shoulder.
He looked at her, and chuckled warmly. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance," he said, in a deep but warm and comforting voice.
Applebloom stared at him, all exhaustion fading. Her eyes turned toward the bag.
"You a burgulalar?"
To her surprise, the - she racked her brain for the word - man laughed once more. "It's a common misconception," he said, setting down the sack down. "Last time I checked, burglars come to take, not to give."
"Who are you?" she asked.
Before she could even try to cover for her rudeness, the man looked up from what he had been doing. "I go by many names. Sinterklaas. Father Christmas. Saint Nicholas. Kris Kringle." He chuckled, taking something well wrapped and placing it under the tree. "A few jokers like to refer to me as 'Chris Crinkle,' for my age."
Applebloom laughed as well, her distrust of the visitor disappearing.
"But the name I tend to like best is one of the most common; Santa Claus."
"Sandy Claws?"
He laughed again. "I've been known by that name as well."
"What're ya doing at our house?" Applebloom asked out of pure curiosity.
"It is my job to bring joy to good little boys and girls around the world; two worlds, now that I think about it." He placed two more packages under the tree. "I think your brother, sister, and grandmother will be happy with what I've brought them."
"What'd ya get 'em?"
"In the barn, there is a new, sharp, shining plow for your brother. Your sister I give these new pairs of horseshoes for her rodeos, as well as a new pair of saddlebags to replace the old, tattered ones she's been using." The man looked up from the tree. "As for Granny Smith..." He pointed at a nearby corner, whereupon a very new, comfortable rocking chair appeared out of thin air.
"You can do magic?"
"Oh yes. However, I find it much more satisfying to deliver a present with my own hands." He reached into his bag again, pulling out a small box. "Like so."
"For... for me?" she asked, surprised, taking the box with trembling hooves.
"For you," Santa said, standing back up. He smiled as she opened it. Inside was a small chisel and a hammer.
"Wow..." Applebloom said softly.
"Unfortunately, time is once again making a fool of me," the jolly red man said, turning back toward the fireplace. "I have other good - and naughty - children and their families to visit, and only a short amount of time to do it all in."
"You're leaving?" she gasped, almost dropping the gifts Santa had just given her.
"Oh my, yes." Santa smiled again. "Don't worry, my young friend. We shall meet again." He stepped into the fireplace and turned back toward her.
"How're you gonna get back up there?"
"Like this." He put his index finger next to his nose, and suddenly he flew upwards, dislodging more soot.
Applebloom stared at the fireplace, which, other than the abnormally large amount of soot in and around it, appeared as though nobody had ever been there. A small part of her wondered if she'd seen something real, or whether it had been her imagination.
She looked at the chisel and hammer on the floor. She touched them; they bounced away, and her fetlock acknowledged a vibration indicating that she had touched something.
He was real... he was real... Oh mah heavens!
An abrupt jingling and jangling of bells came from the rooftop. Applebloom heard something brush lightly against the roof, as well as a number of sounds that seemed to be hoofbeats. She ran for the nearest window.
Something came off the roof and flew skyward. Eight - no, nine - antlered beasts pulled a large, red sleigh, which was burdened by a large bag in the back. And in the front, a fat man in red, one she had just met, waved in the direction of the house.
"Merry Christmas and a happy Hearth's Warming Eve to all, and to all a good night!"
"Thank ya, Sandy!" Applebloom called, waving back.
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In a log cabin surrounded in a desert of snow, a woman wearing a dress and an apron set a tray full of cookies on a small table in the middle of the living room. Her hair was white, and her face full of wrinkles, but her smile was warm enough to melt ice, and her face retained a lovely sense of youth and beauty.
The door opened, she heard someone come in, then she heard it shut; the whistling wind outside sounded reluctant to be kept out, and beat against the house as though in a mild tantrum about this.
"Please be careful, dear," the old woman said, softly but kindly. "I just brushed and mopped the floor."
"Of course, my dear." Into the living room came a tall, corpulent man; he had just taken off his coat, which was hanging on the hat rack next to the door. "I hope your evening wasn't too busy?"
"Or course not, dear."
The old man yawned, seeming tired as ever.
"My dear, I worry about you," the woman said, sternly but with care in every word. "Since you took up the job of delivering present to the children of two worlds, you come back twice as tired."
"I won't deny that I am exhausted," the old man replied, almost falling into an armchair next to the blazing fireplace. "But," he said, taking a small orb out of his pocket and staring into it, "seeing twice as many happy faces brings me twice as much joy."
He gave the snow-filled globe a little shake. The snow blowing about inside began to clear away, revealing a yellow filly with a red mane and tail sitting under an evergreen tree with her family, smiles blossoming on all their faces.
Santa smiled, glad that the family he was seeing was happy. It was this that made his job, tiresome though it was, worthwhile.
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A short story, I know, but I wanted to wish all my readers a happy holidays. Thanks for sticking with me and my stories, and for inspiring me to do my best. I'm aware that I haven't released any chapters in the past couple of week. Rest assured, I am working on my current stories, as well as a few new ones which I hope will be as successful as my others.
With that said, Happy Holidays, everyone, and a Happy New Year!
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I liked it.
Now this was just what I need right now. I failed a german test in school so this is just what i need to brighten up my day.
This is surprisingly good story, but I must nit-pick.
I thought that the accent was a little thick and kinda off putting, and the line
might sound better if you put "come" instead.
sorry, those two things were bothering me.
And that is all,
3652701>>3652750>>3652821>>3652988
Thank you, all of you. I'm glad you all liked it.
And I'll fix up the came/come thing, Cydox.
Never saw this story coming... but Great!
Nice story! Uh, does anybody know how to set an avatar? I copy pasted the complete site but nothing happened
..... 
3655717
Are you using a iPad or a computer?
I was half expecting some troll/clop fic. I am pleasantly surprised to find a heart warming tale about giving. Merry Christmas, and a well dressed New Year!
3658902
Thanks. And the same to you!
I'd hoped people would find that funny. Considering that I had played the levels of Kingdom Hearts 2 concerning The Nightmare before Christmas, it wasn't hard to think of.
This was so sweet and well done. Now I have a reason to follow you other than you being awesome.
5045968 LOL. Me, awesome? I have my doubts on that. Some of my work is mediocre at best. I do try to make stuff that's good. I intended this as a brief Christmas story for the holidays, but I was thinking of adding another chapter this coming Christmas.
Awww, this was sweet.
Yes, I'm aware that I'm reading a Christmas story, and it's almost June. 
9652111
Hey, I like to occasionally listen to "We Three Kings" and a few other Christmas songs outside of Christmas time, so...
And thanks.