The Christmas that Santa Arrived by Eighteenth Century Stagecoach

Although Santa always tried to deliver presents as quickly as he could,

One Christmas, Santa's sleigh got stuck in the mud !

Rudolph the reindeer tried to push it ...

But it still was not budging one little bit...

It was completely stuck in a rut...

Because of the presents which on top were all put...

The snowman went to fetch a winch...

To move the sleigh forwards inch by inch...

But the sleigh didn't move a millimetre at all...

It was still parked lop-sided by the wall...

Santa huffed and puffed as he pushed...

He was red in the face and sweated and blushed !

Just then from Smithell's Coaching Inn..

A stagecoach magicked and Santa put the presents in...

All was not lost...they'd be delivered by post...

Along with a tasty Christmas roast...

In the cold, as he started to shiver...

A highwayman appeared and cried out "Stand and Deliver !"

Santa was shocked...but the sleigh still was docked...

Towards the presents, the highwayman flocked !

It was beyond belief....a very naughty thief !!!

Running away, dropping the odd holly leaf...

Santa followed hot on the trail...

Closely followed by Rudolph, wagging his tail...

Into a wood...tucking into Christmas pud...

There they found the thief, cowering cowardly as naughty thieves should !

Santa gathered up the stolen gifts in a sack...

Then on the night shift headed back to the track !

Luckily, the thief hadn't opened even one...

So there were still presents for everyone !