Back at the North Pole, it has been at least a few hours since Toy Santa adjusted to his duties while the real Santa was down in Lakeside taking care of things with his family. Bernard and Curtis were watching his every move. At the moment, Toy Santa was keeping himself busy making faces in the mirror and saying, "I am Santa Claus. Boo!"
"Yeah. No, no, I think that this is gonna work," Bernard said to Curtis as he watched Toy Santa. "Good... Good job, Curtis."
"Would it kill you to give a wholehearted compliment?" asked Curtis. Toy Santa was still being silly in the mirror while practicing his "Ho-ho-ho's."
"Santa? I need you to look at this." Curtis held up the Keeper of Christmas Handbook for Toy Santa to see.
"All right!" Toy Santa glanced at the book for a moment. "Nice!"
"No, no," Curtis corrected. "I mean, I need you to read it."
"Well, let's try to be specific, shall we?" Toy Santa replied. "I'll take a look at it over at my desk."
"How does he know where it is?" Bernard asked, surprised.
"I programmed him that way," answered Curtis. "He has most of Santa's memories." The Number One and Two elves walked over to Santa's desk and Curtis explained to the toy that they need him to study everything in the book because it is "the key to being Santa."
"Right!" Toy Santa understood. "I'll memorize everything in the book. I'll follow all the rules. Rules are very important!"
"I like this guy," whispered Curtis.
Just then, Abby came in the room carrying a tray with a kettle full of hot chocolate and a mug. "Hi, Santa," she greeted cheerfully.
"Uh...Hi," Toy Santa replied.
"Oh. You look..."
"Like he got a good night's sleep," Bernard finished for her. There was an awkward silence for a moment until Abby said the right words.
"Like you got a very good night's sleep. How about a nice chocolatey cocoa?"
Toy Santa didn't know how to answer, so Curtis helped him by nodding his head up and down and smile while Abby poured the hot chocolate into the mug. Curtis instructed Toy Santa to close his mouth and then the toy took the mug.
"Be careful, it's hot," said Abby.
"Of course it is," Toy Santa replied. Once again, Curtis helped him with opening his mouth so he could take a drink. To Abby's astonishment, he drank it all with five gulps. "Aagh!"
Toy Santa slammed the mug on the tray. "Whoo! That's delicious! I like cocoa! Cocoa is a superior refreshment! Get me some more cocoa! Whoo!"
"Right away, Santa!" replied Abby. She dashed out of the room to the kitchen to make "Santa" another mug of hot chocolate.
"Ho, whoa!" exclaimed the toy. "I think Santa feels a little buzz! Whoooo!"
