21st December: Snowballs, snowmen and sledding

When the children awoke on the 21st of December they found a snow covered world, as a good two foot of snow had fallen that night. Jumping out of bed they all washed and dressed in record time. In her room Melody dressed herself in long sleeved dark blue dress, navy tights, knitted black cardigan, black boots, navy hat, scarf and gloves with a black cloak embroidered with silver stars. Jenny was also getting dressed putting on a knee length denim skirt, a long sleeved purple top and purple tights, with black leather converse, black hat scarf and gloves and a long black coat. Running out of their rooms the two girls met Zephyr on the first floor landing, himself dressed for the weather in brown trouser, green shirt with brown boots. Seeing each other they grinned as Kiara, Oliver, Chip, Marie and Scamp joined them. The humans then slid down the banister, glad that no adults were up to tell them off.

Entering the dining room they saw that only Roger, Professor Porter, Robin and Cogsworth were there.

"My you are up early" said Robin as they sat down.

"It's only eight thirty, I wasn't expecting to see you for another hour" Cogsworth said checking his pocket watch.

"It's snowing, we want to play" Chip replied as a round of toast arrived.

The children were just finishing their breakfasts when their parents and other guests began to trickle in.

"Have fun and stay warm" Eric said hugging Melody.

"I will Dad" she replied.

"Stay safe and mind the ice, we do not want any injuries" Esmeralda said.

"I don't want any injuries either" Zephyr replied with a grin.

"Try and stay out of mischief Scamp" Tramp said.

"Trust me I don't want a telling off" Scamp replied.

Running outside into the grounds at the back of the castle, the children stopped, looking at the untouched snow. Then they grinned running down the steps and jumping on each other, he sounds of their laughter drifting into the dining room. Dodging this way and that both animals and humans played together, knocking each other over. Lying on their backs Jenny and Melody made snow angels, both laughing as Kiara managed to send Scamp nose first into a drift.

"Let's have a snowball fight" Zephyr said a while later.

"Great idea" Scamp replied as the boys and girls split into opposing teams.

Soon the air was thick with flying snow, each team determined to beat each other. All laughing as they were hit, having as much fun being hit by snowballs as they were throwing them. Then suddenly there were two loud yells, as John and Robin were all hit.

"Having fun?" John asked as he brushed snow off his jacket.

"Loads of it" the children replied as John and Robin threw snowballs at them.

For a while the pair joined in the fight before walking off and leaving the children to their game. Changing location the children chased each other around the grounds soon ending up outside the castle kitchen. Just as Chip threw a snowball at Jenny, one of windows opened and Chief Louie poked his head out, only to receive Chip's snowball strait in the face. Seeing what he had done Chip gasped in horror as Louie wiped the snow away, then yelled as Louie threw one back at him.

"Aving fun?" Louie asked as he brushed snow from his hands.

"Sorry Louie, I was aiming for Jenny but she ducked" Chip replied.

"Do not worry Chip, it was only a snowball, I made plenty as a lad myself, no 'arm done. I simply heard the noise and opened to window to see what was its source was" Louie replied shutting the window.

Moving further away from the grounds the children stopped as they saw Hercules and Mulan walking towards them. With a nod to each other they dived behind trees, waiting for the pair to walk past. Then the human children threw snowballs, while the animals pounced on the pairs. Both Hercules and Mulan gasped with shock, throwing snowballs back and trying to fend off the animals. Catching Melody and Chip by their cloaks, Hercules gently threw both of them into a deep snow dirt, while Mulan did the same to Scamp and Marie. Surfacing out of the snow the four gasped, all grinning from ear to ear.

"Truce?" Mulan suggested.

"Truce" the children replied as Hercules and Mulan left.

Arriving back at the castle, Mulan and Hercules found the parents deeply involved in present wrapping.

"What on earth happened to you two?" asked Mrs Potts as she wrapped Chip's presents.

"Your son and his friends, they ambushed us with snowballs" Mulan replied.

"Well at least they are having a good time" Mrs Potts replied.

Outside in the garden the children had given up their snowballs, all walking through the grounds towards the castle.

"I know lets all make snowmen" Jenny suggested as they walked.

"Great idea Jenny" Oliver replied as the rest nodded in agreement.

Melody, Zephyr, Scamp and Kiara began working together with Jenny, Oliver, Chip and Marie teaming up. As they were working, Scamp began to sing Frosty the Snowman

"Frosty the snowman

Was a jolly happy soul

With a corncob pipe

And a button nose

And two eyes made out of coal" Scamp sang

"Frosty the snowman

Is a fairy tale they say

He was made of snow

But the children know

How he came to life one day" sang Oliver

"There must have been some magic in that

Old silk hat they found

For when they placed it on his head

He began to dance around

O Frosty the snowman

Was alive as he could be" Chip said as he gathered twigs for arms.

"And the children say

He could laugh and play

Just the same as you and me" Melody sang place coal eyes on her snowmen.

"Thumpetty thump thump

Thumpety thump thump

Look at Frosty go

Thumpetty thump thump

Thumpety thump thump

Over the hills of snow" Zephyr sang.

"Frosty the snowman knew

The sun was hot that day

So he said

"Let's run and

We'll have some fun

Now before I melt away" sang Kiara

"Down to the village

With a broomstick in his hand

Running here and there all

Around the square saying

Catch me if you can

He led them down the streets of town

Right to the traffic cop

And he only paused a moment when

He heard him holler "Stop!"

For Frosty the snow man

Had to hurry on his way

But he waved goodbye saying

"Don't you cry

I'll be back again some day"

Thumpetty thump thump

Thumpety thump thump

Look at Frosty go

Thumpetty thump thump

Thumpety thump thump

Over the hills of snow" they all sang as they worked, their voices carrying into the castle.

Standing back they admired their snowman, all they were missing was a carrot for a nose and some clothes, the coal eyes and mouth obtained from the coal bunker.

"Well you have certainly done a good job" said Winston as he, Mufasa, Eric and Tramp walked towards them.

"We all made them" Jenny replied.

"Who started off Frosty the Snowman? We could hear your singing on the second floor" Eric asked.

"I did, well we were building snowmen" Scamp replied.

"Well you can finish them later it is time for lunch, you all look cold" Mufasa said.

"I'm warm Grandfather" Kiara replied as they went inside.

"Hold it there all of you. None of you are taking another step until you have taken off those snow covered things" looking up they saw Fifi glaring at them.

Seeing the black look on her face the humans obligated, removing boots, and cloaks/coats, with dry footwear appearing instantly. Reaching the dining room they joined the other guest, with the children eating double helpings.

"You must be very hungry" Ariel said.

"It will be all the running around they have been doing" Lady answered.

Further along the table Simba and Nala were trying to persuade Kiara that she needed to wear a scarf and gloves outside.

"But I'm warm" she protested.

"Kiara you are not used to this weather, the last thing we want is for you to catch a cold so close to Christmas" Serabi said as Kiara groaned.

"Tell you what Kiara, I can make you a set" Flora said "What is your favorite color?"

"Burned orange, thank you Flora" Kiara replied with a smile and a glare at her parents.

Once lunch had finished the children made their way to the Attic at the top of the castle, the one place where all old clothes were stored.

"Where are you all going" came a voice and all turned around to see Hera standing behind them.

"We are going up to the Attic" Marie replied.

"Why might I ask?"

"To find some old clothes to dress our snowmen in" Oliver replied.

"You children know you are not allowed in the Attic alone. I am not letting you go in alone, heaven only knows what could be lurking inside" Hera replied as the children groaned, annoyed that they had been caught. "I will come with you" that this all grinned.

"I will come as well, two adults are better than one" looking around they saw Jane walking up the stairs.

Setting off the group climbed up three more floors until they reached the Attic door, with Chip opening it with a load squeak. Entering the Attic they began to explore, eager to see what was stored in the various boxes, battered trunks, wardrobes and sacks. Pulling on an old sheet, Chip grinned as he put a werewolf mask over it. Silently he crept up behind Hera and tapped her on the shoulder. The shriek she made was so loud it was heard four floors below, with everyone wondering what had happened.

"Is there a problem?" asked King Stephen poking his head around the door.

"No, it was just Chip having some fun" Hera replied with a faint smile.

"Jolly good, it is just that the shriek was rather loud" Stephen replied as he left.

A short time later the group sat investigating six boxes of old clothes, full of every item of clothing you could imagine from ball gowns to basketball shorts.

"These will be perfect for the snowmen" Jenny said pulling out an old scarf.

"They will, and they will work well for charades" Jane replied as she looked at on old dress.

"Well if we want to use these things we had better take them downstairs. They will all needed washing if we plan on using them for charades" Hera replied making the boxes float out of the room.

On the fourth floor they passed Hercules and Zeus who were moving a piano.

"Where have you been? You're all covered in dust?" Zeus asked.

"Attic, these rascals wanted old clothes for their snowmen" Hera replied brushing dust off her dress.

"I thought as much, was it you how shrieked earlier?" Zeus asked with a grin.

"Yes."

"I scared her. I put a white sheet and a werewolf mask on then tapped her on the shoulder" Chip said, causing Zeus and Hercules to laugh.

"Fine work lad, there are not many people who can catch my wife out like that" Zeus chuckled as Hera blushed.

A while later the children walked outside with the clothes for their snowmen, with Kiara wearing an orange scarf and hat. Melody, Zephyr, Scamp and Kiara placed an old green silk scarf, a fake silver tiara and a green evening bag on their snowwomen. Meanwhile Jenny, Oliver, Chip and Marie dressed their snowmen in a battered top hat, black tie, blue cravat, with a slightly battered cane attached to his left hand by a piece of string. Standing back they looked at their work with pleasure as Max walked out of the castle.

"Wow you guys have done a good job, stand next to them and I'll take a photo of you" Max said.

A few moments later Max's camera licked, all the children smiling widely.

"I'll print this off tonight, it will look nice of one of the walls, what are you doing now?"

"I'm not sure" Scamp replied looking at his friends.

"I've got an idea! Let's all go sledding" Chip suggested.

"Great idea"

"Perfect"

"That will be fun" came the replies.

"Max would you be able to open the garden shed for us?" asked Chip.

"Of course I can, the keys are in the kitchen" Max replied as they headed to the kitchen.

Reaching the kitchen they found it was quiet. As Max took the garden shed keys from the key rack, Chip noticed a tea tray on the table.

"Are you coming Chip?" asked Oliver as they left the kitchen.

"Say guys, how fast do you think a tea tray would go down a hill?" asked Chip turning to his friends.

"Pretty fast" Scamp replied as Chip grabbed the tray.

Leaving the kitchen the group walked to the garden shed, chatting as they walked. The garden shed was three stores high and the size of a double garage. Opening the door Max led the children inside. Entering they saw piles of gardening tools, 60 shovels, 5 lawnmowers, flower pots by the dozen, several wheelbarrows and about twenty wooden sleds. Grabbing the sleds Max locked the shed, and the group headed off.

Half a mile from the castle was a very large hill with a slightly smaller one directly next to it. Standing at the top of the hill all got on their sleds, with Kiara sitting with Melody, Oliver with Jenny, Scamp with Zephyr, Marie with Chip and Max on his own. With a nod to each other they set off, flying down the two hills, from the largest hill to the smallest. Reaching the bottom they all grinned before heading back up the hill for another go. Several goes later Chip looked at the tea tray with pride.

"This sure makes a fine sled" he said Mulan, Valentine, Kopa and Mushu appeared with sleds.

"Mind if we join you?" Mushu asked.

"The more the merrier" Scamp replied as they headed back up the hill.

Sledding down, Mulan and Melody's sleds accidently crashed into each other near the bottom of the second hill. Getting up all four had a few bruises off but were otherwise unhurt, both drivers apologising the each other.

While the accident was taking place, in the castle the clocks struck three thirty, with Mrs Potts staring at the table in the kitchen.

"I could have sworn I left a tea tray on table there, and where on earth ahs Chip gotten to, I have not seen him in hours" she said.

"If you are looking for your son I saw him with Max and the other children dragging sleds" said Cogsworth.

"So that means they will be at the hills, I had better go and see what they ate up to" she replied pulling on her coat and boats

A short walk later, Mrs Potts reached the hills where the children were sledding, and stopped in her tracks when she Chip and Scamp on her missing tea tray.

"CHRISTOPHER SYLVIAN POTTS! WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING ON THAT TEA TRAY? She shouted, as Chip and Scamp reached the bottom.

"I just wanted to see how fast it would go" Chip replied in a quiet voice.

"Hand it over now" seeing the look on his Mother's face Chip handed over the tray, shaking as she inspected it. "Well it is still in once piece, so I will say no more about it. However if I EVER catch you doing the same thing again you will be grounded."

"Yes Mother" Chip replied.

"Alright then let's leave it there. Honestly though Chip, you are just like your father."

"I am" Chip asked in surprise.

"Oh yes. When he was your age he once sledding down the kitchen roof on a tea tray."

"I bet Grandma was angry"

"Hopping mad, now off you go."

"Can I ask him about it later?"

"Oh you have some nerve Chip" Mrs Potts replied as Chip chose a sled and headed up the hill with Scamp.

Shaking her head Mrs Potts watched her son and his friends of a few moments before walking back to the castle. On the way she ran into her husband Sylvian who was head gardener at the castle. Telling him what their son had done Sylvian laughed with delight, pleased his son had continued a long running family tradition.

A few hours later as it got dark, the sledding group walked back towards the castle, with Mushu leading the way. Once the sleds were returned to the shed they headed inside and were soon tucking into their dinners.

"I think we are in for a quiet night" Esmeralda said after dinner had ended.

"I agree, all the snow has worn our children out" Duchess replied, Esmeralda took Zephyr to bed.

Esmeralda's words proved true, as one by one the children headed to their beds without protest. Sitting down that night their parents chatted happily with the other guests, glad that their children were fast asleep.