Listen to “Christmas Story -The Naughty Stocking” on Spreaker.
It was the night before Christmas, and Max was hanging up stockings with his family. Each one was perfectly knitted with their names stitched on the top—Mom, Dad, Max, and Lucy. But there was one stocking that didn’t match. It was old, patched up, and had a face stitched on it with two button eyes and a crooked smile.
“That’s the Naughty Stocking,” said Dad with a chuckle, hanging it next to the others.
Max’s eyes widened. “Naughty Stocking? What does it do?”
Dad winked. “Legend has it, if someone’s been naughty, the stocking comes to life and causes mischief.”
Max wasn’t sure if Dad was joking, but he decided to stay up and find out. He hid behind the couch with a blanket, watching the stockings by the fireplace.
At midnight, the room fell silent. Suddenly, the Naughty Stocking wiggled. Its button eyes glowed red, and it jumped off the mantel.
“I smell trouble!” it squeaked, hopping toward the Christmas tree.
Max couldn’t believe his eyes. “Hey, stop!” he whispered, chasing after it.
The Naughty Stocking didn’t listen. It grabbed a strand of lights from the tree and started wrapping it around the furniture. Then it knocked over the plate of cookies and gobbled one up.
“These are delicious!” it said, crumbs spilling everywhere.
“Cut it out!” Max said, trying to catch it. But the stocking was too fast.
Next, it rolled over to Lucy’s gifts and started peeling the wrapping paper. “Oooh, a dollhouse!” it said.
Max finally grabbed the Naughty Stocking and held it tight. “Why are you doing this?” he asked.
The stocking squirmed. “I’m not naughty! I just love Christmas so much, I can’t sit still!”
“Well, you’re ruining it for everyone else,” Max said.
The stocking drooped its edges like a frown. “I don’t mean to ruin anything. I just want to join the fun.”
Max thought for a moment. “What if I let you help me set up for Christmas? But you have to promise to behave.”
The Naughty Stocking’s button eyes brightened. “You mean it?”
Max nodded. “Deal?”
“Deal!” the stocking chirped.
Together, Max and the Naughty Stocking cleaned up the mess. They rewrapped Lucy’s gift, put the lights back on the tree, and even arranged the cookies neatly on the plate. The stocking hummed Christmas carols as it worked.
When everything was perfect again, Max said, “You did great! Maybe you’re not so naughty after all.”
The stocking beamed. “Thanks, Max. This was the best Christmas ever.”
As the first rays of sunlight peeked through the window, the Naughty Stocking hopped back to the mantel and froze in place.
When Lucy and their parents woke up, they found Max sitting by the tree with a big smile.
“What are you so happy about?” Lucy asked.
“Oh, nothing,” Max said with a wink. But as he looked at the Naughty Stocking, he swore its crooked smile had grown just a little wider.
The end!
Follow-up Questions:
- Why did the Naughty Stocking cause trouble in the beginning?
- How did Max help the Naughty Stocking become part of the Christmas fun?
- If you had a magical stocking, what would you want it to do?