Lulu Bell and the Christmas Elf Read Online Free PDF

sandy and salty and tired. They packed the car and drove home. All the houses were decorated with Christmas lights. It looked like fairyland.

Chapter 10
Christmas Eve
    At home it was time for the final Christmas preparations. The children changed into their pyjamas and cleaned their teeth. They wrote their new letters to Santa. Then the whole family gathered in the lounge room.
    â€˜First, we’ll hang up the stockings,’ said Mum. Lulu’s nanna had made them each a red stocking. Their names were sewn on in cloth letters. Mum handed them out.
    Lulu, Gus and Rosie hung their stockings on the mantelpiece. Dad helped Gus to hang his because he was not quite tall enough to reach.
    â€˜Now I think we should put out a little snack for Santa, to say thank you for bringing presents,’ suggested Mum.
    â€˜And a little something for the reindeer,’ added Dad. ‘They’ve flown a long way.’

    Lulu and Rosie danced with excitement.
    â€˜Apples?’ asked Rosie.
    â€˜Carrots,’ said Lulu. ‘I’m putting some carrots in my klompen .’
    The three children ran to the kitchen.
    Gus found a bunch of carrots in the fridge. Rosie fetched a glass of apple juice. Lulu carefully placed a piece of choc-chunk shortbread on a plate. She put a little bag of biscuits beside it for Santa to take home to Mrs Claus.
    The children arranged the snacks on the wooden chest in front of the couch. Rosie ran outside to the garden. She brought back a frangipani flower and added it to the plate. Lulu and Gus put a carrot into each one of her clogs and placed it by the fireplace. Then they laid out their new letters to Santa.
    Rosie looked warily at the fireplace.
    â€˜Dad, is Santa going to come down the chimney into our house?’ asked Rosie.
    Everyone looked at the fireplace.
    â€˜Straight down the chimney with a big sack of presents,’ said Dad.
    Rosie frowned. ‘It’s a bit scary to imagine someone coming into the house in the middle of the night,’ she said.

    Dad lifted Rosie up in the air and swung her around. He pointed to Asha and Jessie. The two dogs were lying right beside the fireplace, their heads flopped on their paws.
    â€˜Do you think those big, brave dogs would let anyone scary into our house?’ asked Dad.
    Asha woofed at the sound of her name. Jessie smiled her big doggy smile. Rosie shook her head.
    â€˜Of course not,’ said Dad. ‘The dogs only let really lovely people into the house, don’t they?’
    Rosie nodded and smiled. Dad put her down again.
    Lulu wasn’t scared but she was very curious.
    â€˜I’m going to wait up for Santa and say hello,’ she said. ‘I want to say thank you.’
    Mum laughed. ‘Santa won’t come down if anyone’s awake. He knows if you’ve been naughty or good. And he knows if you’re pretending to sleep.’
    Lulu looked at the chimney. It seemed a bit narrow for a person to climb down.
    â€˜How does Santa fit down the chimney with such a big tummy and a huge sack?’ asked Lulu.
    Gus nodded. ‘My piggy might get stuck in the chimbley .’
    Mum leaned down and kissed Lulu on the forehead. She looked into Lulu’s eyes and smiled.
    â€˜It’s magic, Lulu,’ said Mum. ‘Christmas magic.’
    Mum tucked everyone into bed and kissed them goodnight. Lulu lay in the darkness for what seemed like hours. She was going to wait up for Santa no matter what. It would be so exciting to see him. Lulu was sure Santa wouldn’t be cross if she was awake. He seemed so cheerful and jolly.
    Lulu’s ears strained to listen for strange sounds. Reindeer landing on the roof. Or the noise of someone sliding down the chimney. But all she could hear was the low murmur of Mum and Dad talking in the kitchen.
    She closed her eyes for just a second. But when she opened them it was light. It was Christmas morning.
    The house was quiet and still. Lulu jumped out of