Welcome and thank you for joining me. I'm your host Joanne, and I'm so happy you're here.

Before we settle in, I'd like to gently remind you that you can support the podcast by joining Drift Off Premium.

Your support helps me keep this space ad-free, and you'll also receive one bonus bedtime story every week,

along with early access to upcoming episodes.

Thank you so much for considering it.

Your support truly means a lot.

Tonight, I'll be reading Jimmy Scarecrow's Christmas by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman,

a sweet and gentle holiday tale that I've kept very close to the original to honor its charm.

But first, let's take a moment to help you unwind and get comfortable for sleep.

Find a cozy position, perhaps nestled under the covers, or resting your head just the way you like.

Take a slow, deep breath in and release it softly.

Allow your shoulders to drop, your jaw to loosen, and feel your whole body begin to soften.

Let the day feel the body begin to soften.

Let the day fall quietly behind you now.

This is your time to rest, to feel safe and to gently drift into calm.

And if you fall asleep along the way, that's perfectly okay.

The story will keep you company as you slip into a peaceful night's sleep.

And now, when you're ready, let's begin. Jimmy Scarecrow led a sad life in the winter. His greatest sorrow was having nothing to do. He liked to be useful, and in winter he was of no use at all.

He wondered how many such lonely winters he would have to endure.

He was a young scarecrow, and this was his very first one.

He was strongly made, and although his wooden joints creaked a little when the wind blew, he did not grow in the least unsteady.

Every morning, when the wintry sun peered like a hard yellow eye across the dry corn stubble, Jimmy felt sad, but at Christmas time his heart nearly broke.

...