“Emma! Come play hide-and-seek!” called Alfie the Boy Elf, popping out from behind a candy cane. He giggled as he dashed across the snowy workshop. Emma shook her head with a smile but decided she could spare a few minutes to join in.

Outside, Kevin the Snowman rolled a giant snowball. “Snowball fight!” he shouted, and soon snowballs were flying everywhere, landing gently on hats, mittens, and noses. Alfie ducked, Emma laughed, and Kevin threw another friendly snowball that hit… Romy the Reindeer!

Romy shook her sparkling antlers, sending tiny twinkles into the air. “That tickles!” she laughed. Then she flapped her wings (well, magical reindeer wings) and twirled under the twinkling Christmas lights hanging from the workshop roof.

“Time for cookies!” cheered Gingy the Gingerbread Man, hopping from the kitchen with a tray of warm mini gingerbread biscuits. “Who wants cinnamon?” Everyone cheered and grabbed a cookie. Emma carefully placed hers on the windowsill to cool—she didn’t want to eat it all before the elves’ tea time!

Pippa the Penguin waddled in on her tiny feet, sliding across the icy floor with a happy “Whee!” She discovered a hidden patch of sparkling snow and squeaked, “Come see, everyone! It’s perfect for sledding!” Soon all the Shoulder Buddies were sliding, laughing, and rolling in the snow.

Finally, Nicholas the Santa appeared, his big red coat dusted with snow. “Ho ho ho! What a merry sight!” he bellowed. He scooped up Pippa, twirled Romy in the snow, and gave everyone a warm, jolly hug. “This is the true magic of Christmas,” he said. “Friendship, laughter, and sharing joy with everyone you meet.”

As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, the Shoulder Buddies gathered together. Emma hung the last shiny bow on the tree, Alfie hid one last candy cane for tomorrow, Kevin shaped the snow into a smiling snowman family, Romy glowed under the twinkling lights, Gingy handed out one final batch of cookies, and Pippa slid across the snow one more time.

“Today was perfect,” said Nicholas, tucking them all in for a cozy evening. “Merry Christmas, my friends!”

And with that, the seven Shoulder Buddies snuggled up, dreaming of magical snowflakes, twinkling lights, and the joy of Christmas adventures yet to come.