8:46 PM December 24th
Mr. Peabody was just finishing pulling a couple carrots out of a bag and placing them on a plate when he heard his 4-year-old son come running and jumping into the kitchen.
"Mr. Peabody, are you almost done?" Mr. Peabody turned and watched as Sherman excitedly bounced on the balls of his feet, his oversized red footie firetruck pajamas flopping around his legs.
"Well I've got the carrots for the reindeer here, and the cookies for Santa are over there." He pointed to the table where the sugar cookies sat, freshly baked by Sherman, with some help from Peabody.
Sherman walked up to Peabody's side and placed his hands on the counter and stretched up to see.
"That doesn't look like enough carrots for all of Santa's reindeer Mr. Peabody."
"Don't worry Sherman, I'm sure they will be willing to share."
They both walked out into the living room where the tree was; decorated with colorful lights, ornaments, and garland with a star on top.
Peabody placed the plate of cookies and the carrots on the table near the tree.
"You forgot the milk Mr. Peabody." Sherman reminded him.
"Yes, of course, we can't forget that."
Peabody walked back into the kitchen and returned with a cup of milk for Santa and placed it next to the cookies and looked up to see Sherman at one of the large windows watching the snow falling on the New York cityscape.
Peabody smiled. "Well Sherman, it's almost 9. You know the drill, 'Twas the night before Christmas' and then lights out."
Sherman sighed. "Yes, Mr. Peabody." He turned around and both started walking toward their bedrooms. Peabody placed a paw on his head and led him back to his room. "Just concentrate on going to sleep and as soon as you are it will come a lot faster."
He helped Sherman into his bed and fetched the book off his shelf and sat next to him on the bed again. Sherman snuggled into his fur and watched as Peabody opened the book and began to read. "Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse….."
Peabody finished and closed the book and hopped off the bed.
"What if Santa doesn't like milk?" Sherman asked as he played with end of his blanket. "What if he likes hot chocolate better?"
"Sherman, believe me… 'Santa' will love whatever you leave out for him." Peabody smiled as he straightened the bedsheets. Of course Sherman didn't catch the emphasized word but smiled too.
"Now go to sleep, morning will be here before you know it." Peabody pulled the bedcovers up to Sherman's chin and tucked them in.
Brown eyes met green as Sherman said, "I love you, Mr. Peabody."
Peabody responded in his usual fashion. "I have a deep regard for you as well, Sherman."
He flipped the light off and closed the door.
"Ahhh," He sighed "Now to 'be' Santa."
11:27 PM December 24th
Peabody put a bow on the last present and placed it under the tree. He breathed a sigh of relief and stretched as he stood up. He was tired and wanted to go to bed. Christmas was such hard work.
He nibbled on a couple of the cookies, drank half the milk and bit a couple ends of the carrots off to add to the effect. He put the rest of the wrapping material away and headed off to his room and flopped onto his bed.
"11:30. That gives me about 7 hours of sleep before Sherman comes running in here." He pulled off his bow tie and glasses and placed them next to his bedside clock. He pulled the covers up to his chin and was soon drifting off to sleep….
2:10 AM December 25th
Sherman opened the door to his father's room, tip toed up to the bed and gently climbed onto it. It was a king sized bed and Peabody liked sleeping on the side nearest the window so Sherman slowly crawled across it.
"Mr. Peabody?" He whispered.
Peabody didn't stir.
He gently lifted one ear. "Mr. Peabody?" he said a bit louder this time.
Peabody snorted and moved his head over towards Sherman. He opened his eyes and blinked the sleep out of them.
"Sherman, what are you doing awake? It's not…." He turned his head to look at his clock and then back at Sherman. "It's not 7 yet. You know the rules."
"I know but, what if Santa doesn't like milk and doesn't get me everything on my Christmas list because he wanted hot chocolate?"
The question was so real, so honest, so childlike that Peabody had a hard time containing his laughter.
"Sherman, I'm pretty sure Santa got you everything on your Christmas list."
"Positive?" Sherman looked at him worriedly.
Peabody smiled at him. "Positive." He cocked an eyebrow at him. "Did you get to sleep at all?"
Those brown orbs ceased to reflect the gentle moonlight that was streaming in through the window as Sherman shrunk back in embarrassment. "Uh, no?"
Peabody sighed. "Go back to bed Sherman."
"Yes, Mr. Peabody." Sherman crawled off the bed and returned to his room….
4:27 AM December 25th
Peabody was suddenly jolted awake again by a gentle shaking.
He turned to Sherman lying right next to him. He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his snout. "Sherman, if you get out of bed one more time…"
Sherman's vexed expression was unchanging. "But we don't have a chimney, how is Santa gonna bring his presents?"
Peabody chuckled. "Santa doesn't need a chimney, Sherman. He delivers to lots of different types of houses. He makes a way. Did you get any sleep this time?"
"Yes, but then I had a dream that Santa couldn't get in our house to deliver the presents and so he left."
Peabody put a paw on his head. "Sherman, go back to sleep, in a couple hours we can see what Santa brought."
Sherman hopped off the bed and went back to his room.
7:00 AM December 25th
"Mr. Peabody! Mr. Peabody! Wake up, wake up! Santa's been here, Santa's been here!"
Peabody was jolted awake once again but this time by a small body bouncing on him.
"Ok, oof- ok, Sherman, just stop bouncing on me." Peabody reached over to his nightstand and put his glasses on and clipped his bowtie to his fur.
Sherman pulled the covers off him and grabbed his paw.
Peabody chuckled. "Alright Sherman, let's go see what Santa brought, shall we?"
And with that he followed his energetic young son out the door.
