Get out, guys! Are you ready to hear a story?

Today's story is called Nauti Noel and it's written by Nathan Osser.

Not everyone can say that their dad is Santa, not like the boy over there in the schoolhouse window.

Third grade classroom, second row from the back, the one doodling on his boot.

He may not have the belly or the beard yet, but that bird's nest of hair you see has kept as white

as freshly fallen snow since the day he was born. His name is Noel. Noel Claus, and up here at the

pole, his dad is known as the big guy. It's not something he likes to talk about, and I'm guessing

that has more to do with shame than humility. You see, Noel Claus is a trouble maker.

In the short eight years of his life, Noel has managed to spend six on the naughty list,

although we all remember that one Christmas when he switched the two lists around. Good little

girls and boys all over the world ended up with coal in their stockings and tears in their eyes

because of that rank. If you've ever got an alum of the black stuff, perhaps it was Noel's fault.

If not, well, then you lucked out that year you were naughty.

Sometimes Noel's temper can be so short it makes folks wonder whether his terrible

twos ever really ended or if he might not still be teething. Others whisper that he's only so

bad because he prefers coal to toys. That's a bit of an exaggeration. No kid wants a lump of

coal, but he sure can be contrary when he feels like it. Donna Fielding once suggested he

spell his name backwards and call himself Leon on account of being so contrary.

Noel snarled and agreed, then sent Don Home with a big old Charlie horse on his arm to help the

kid remember to mind his own business. Noel has always been a bit of a loner. Sure, he's

different than the others. He's the only one in school who isn't an elf, though it's not that obvious

to look at him. Plenty of elves have white hair just like his. Take Holly Tinsel for example,

...