Happy Christmas!

I'm David.

Look at all these presents. Wonder who put them there?

Wonder who they're for?

Hmm, and I wonder who wrapped them all, that's a thought.

Who wraps the presents for Father Christmas?

He surely can't wrap them all by himself, can he?

Well, there's someone in tonight's bedtime story that we can ask -

Little Bear.

The story is by Henrietta and Paul Stickland,

and is called, The Christmas Bear.

Little Bear lived at the top of the world.

One Christmas Eve night, he left his parents in their snuggly den,

to explore.

Little Bear followed his nose.

It led him over the hill, to a big bright hole in the snow.

"I wonder who lives down there," thought Little Bear.

He followed his nose further and further into the hole,

until, all of a sudden, Little Bear fell in.

Down, down, down he fell...

until he landed with a bump at the bottom.

"Little Bear," said a friendly voice.

"What a tumble!"

Little Bear peeped between his paws,

and saw a jolly man smiling down at him.

"Letters, letters," said Father Christmas,

as he showed Little Bear the sorting room.

"So many children, so many presents. "

Little Bear helped sort some letters,

but there was so much to look at.

"And where was that penguin going?" he wondered.

"My workshop," said Father Christmas, proudly,

as he hurried Little Bear into the next room.

"We make all the toys here.

"Teddies, trains, dinosaurs, you name it.

"I've designed one or two myself,"

admitted Father Christmas with a chuckle.

Little Bear wanted to make some toys too,

but there was so much else to see.

Next, Father Christmas took Little Bear into a room

full of noisy machinery.

"This is the North Pole," he shouted.

"We use it to make our own electricity. It's quite simple. "

Little bear nodded his head as if he understood, but really, he didn't

and he was watching the naughty penguin.

"Here's a lovely job for you," said Father Christmas,

as they arrived in yet another room, "Testing all the toys. "

Little Bear was so excited, he couldn't think where to start.

"Testing, testing,"

said Little Bear as he squeezed a teddy's tummy.

"Grr," growled the teddy.

"You'll do," said Little Bear,

"Now, where's that penguin?"

Little Bear peeped into a cosy room

where some elves were putting their feet up.

"Take a look around," said a sleepy Father Christmas,

"while I have 40 winks. "

Little Bear followed his nose to the kitchen.

There was a delicious smell of baking.

Soon it was time for tea.

Little Bear sniffed. "Fish and ice-cream. Great!"

"Back to work again," exclaimed Father Christmas,

taking Little Bear into the store room.

Lists had to be checked and toys found for children everywhere.

It kept Little Bear busy for hours.

"I wonder if there's a present for me," he thought, shyly.

"This is the present-wrapping department,"

Father Christmas informed Little Bear.

Little Bear had never seen so many presents

and so much wrapping paper.

"Not long now," said Father Christmas.

"Look, there goes a sack of toys down to my sleigh. "

Father Christmas and Little Bear went to the stable.

"Nearly time to go," said Father Christmas to his reindeer,

"and more cats to feed, I see. "

"Mice too," said Little Bear.

"Well, happy Christmas, cats and mice," said Father Christmas.

"Now, we must be off. "

Father Christmas reached into a pile of presents

and gave one to Little Bear.

"This one is for you," he said with a smile,

"my little Christmas bear. "

"Oh, thank you," cried Little Bear.

"I, uh, made it myself," said Father Christmas.

"I think it's rather special. Now, climb in, Little Bear.

"First stop - the top of the world,"

and in a wink, they were safely back at Little Bear's home.

"Open your present, Little Bear," said Father Christmas.

"It's a book and it's all about me," said Little Bear.

"Time I was on my way," said Father Christmas,

"Goodnight, Little Bear,

"and a very merry Christmas to you all. "

And that story was called The Christmas Bear.

So THAT'S where Father Christmas gets the presents wrapped -

in the present-wrapping department.

I hope you're having a fantastic Christmas.

I need to find out who these presents are for

so they have a fantastic Christmas too.

Merry Christmas. I'll see you soon for another story.

Night-night.

Now, where's the first label?