Twas the night before Christmas....

It was early dusk when six GoodGymers who had offered to be Santa’s support crew for the big night arrived at the local distribution hub.

Roxy, got the bit between her teeth and with a grin full of mischief, rounded up the reindeer with the help of her dog Mali, who took the task far more seriously than anyone else. Hooves clattered, bells jingled, and at a speed only GoodGym could achieve, the reindeer were neatly hitched to the sleigh, snorting clouds of frosty breath into the night.

Christmas lost?

Santa, meanwhile, was nowhere to be seen. He was soon discovered by Stéphane, hiding behind a stack of sacks, pale and trembling. Dogs made him nervous. Always had. Stéphane coaxed him out gently, promising the dog would stay at the front and absolutely not lick his boots. He still held back…..

The first Christmas miracle

John was handed a spare outfit — miraculously, the perfect size. No one asked questions. Christmas magic has its own tailoring department.

Ready, steady…… Wait for the briefing!

Julia, now officially promoted to Senior Elf for the Evening, cleared her throat and delivered the safety briefing with her usual authority: “Hold on tight. No looking down. Participation entirely at your own risk.” Everyone nodded solemnly.

There were, however, particular concerns about Elf Sarah. The route would take them through wildly changing climates, and Sarah did not like rain. Reins, however, turned out to be fine. She took charge of Rudolph’s reins, gripping them with purpose and pride. At precisely the right moments, she would pass them to Santa, along with any other essential accessories, as if this were a highly rehearsed operation rather than festive chaos.

Up, up and away

As the sleigh lifted into the sky, the team sang a slow, slightly mournful version of No El, No El, in quiet recognition of the absence of one of their regulars. The night listened respectfully.

Somewhere over the mountains, the Naughty and Nice list slipped from the sleigh and vanished into the darkness below. There was a pause. Then a decision. There will be no coal left this year. Fortunately, the gift list was thorough. They knew exactly what to leave, and there was also a note for each house in the world saying chimney or key!

Racing through the night

They barely noticed the miles passing beneath them; mountains, seas, rooftops blurring together. The sleigh slowed only just enough to dip, deliver, and vanish again. In and out in the blink of an eye. Presents left. Carrots and mince pies collected. And, where tradition demanded, a warming alcoholic tipple respectfully sampled. If you’ve ever wondered why you’ve never seen Santa, only sensed him, now you know. It’s speed.

And we’re done

And just like that, it was over. With the built-in homing instincts of racing pigeons, the reindeer were released to fly themselves home. There they feasted on sackfuls of gathered carrots before bedding down for a long, well-earned rest.

Sixth sense

Thank you to “The Six” who gave their time to bring so many smiles across the world. It happened so quickly you might not even remember it.
Was it a dream? Did it really happen? Well, did you wake feeling slightly tipsy? More fed than usual*? Then you know.
You know.

Epilogue

*apart from Belinda. She woke up completely hammered and absolutely starving. Turns out there still aren’t enough gluten-free pastry makers in the world.

March of the Toy Soldiers (and Two Very Good Dogs) 🎄🐾

We wrapped up the year in festive style with a Christmas Toy Soldier social walk, bringing together good company, seasonal cheer and just over 4km of walking and talking.

Our mission was to track down the sometimes elusive Toy Soldier statues scattered along the route. Spirits were high as we searched, spotted and celebrated each one — stopping frequently to strike poses and capture an impressive array of photos along the way. Some soldiers were easier to find than others, but the challenge only added to the fun and we did have 1 very strong contender for a stand in 😀

Adding extra joy to the walk, Roxy and I brought along our dogs, Mali and Hudson, who thoroughly enjoyed being part of the adventure. They even had their own special photo moment in front of Toy Soldier number 5, clearly embracing their roles as honorary GoodGym mascots.

To round off the evening, a group of us headed to the pub for a well-earned festive drink, sharing laughs and reflecting on a great year of moving, helping and socialising together.

A perfect way to close out the year — thanks to everyone who came along, and here’s to more good deeds and good times in the year ahead!