Wet weather, no sleigh ride together!

It had been a strange and rough winter at the North Pole. There wasn’t much snow but plenty of ice and rain. During the month of December, Santa always begins to make sure his flying team is ready for the speedy night trip on the eve of Christmas. Due to the weather, it had been very rough going. It didn’t ever take all eight of them to pull the sleigh, but it helped share the load. One could very well be enough, as they are magic.
Now, something you may not know is that Santa wasn’t the biggest fan of Rudolph after that initial saving of Christmas. I think it has something to do with Rudolph getting his own song and Christmas special. It’s not that he didn’t like Rudolph, he just didn’t like sharing the spotlight, and besides that he had eight others who never got as famous as Rudolph. Everyone knows Rudolph, and sure some people can name the other eight, but not everyone can.

Well after all of this Christmas training on the very Eve of Christmas, Santa came to check on his team. Going individually built Stables for each one as they all had their families.
Dasher was the first he visited. He spoke to Dasher and said, “Ho, ho, ho, are you ready to deliver Christmas joy to every girl and boy?”
Dasher shook her head. Yes, I said her. You might not know this, but the males actually shed their antlers in the winter. This makes all the reindeer with antlers pulling Santa’s sleigh female! “Santa, I can’t pull any sleighs, I have a terrible sprain in my leg after that last training session! The one where you made me sprint across the ice”
Santa inspected her leg and nodded in agreement. There was no way she could pull a sleigh without risking further injury. Santa then came to Dancer’s stable. “Ho, ho, ho! Dancer, it looks like you’ll be taking the lead on your own, Dasher won’t be able to come out on her leg.”
Dancer shook her head, “A dancer shouldn’t go out without her partner, and I haven’t practiced with any of the others. I don’t want to risk crashing the sleigh.”
Santa pondered this for a moment and nodded in agreement. It would be dangerous for Dancer to be alone at the front. Santa with his belly like a bowl full of jelly, walked to Prancer’s stable. “Ho, ho, ho! Prancer, you and Vixen will have to be at the front of the sleigh tonight, Dasher has sprained her leg, and Dancer can’t be with a partner she hasn’t been training with.”
Prancer shook her head, “I’ve just not been in the mood for Christmas with all of this wet weather. I’ve nothing to preen or prance about lately.” She looked very depressed!
Santa sighed and nodded in agreement. He understood the gray, wet, and damp weather had taken a toll on everyone. Prancer was normally so full of joy, but this weather had drained her. Santa moved on and with his beard of white he entered Vixen’s stable. “Ho, ho, ho! Vixen you’re going to be the lead on this year’s Christmas of five pulling the slegh! Dasher sprained her leg, Dancer needs a partner, and Prancer is feeling blue”
Vixen shook her head, “Santa, I would love to be the lead, but if you remember I requested this year off so I can stay with some of the bucks this year.”
Santa pulled out his notebook from his coat, saw in his own handwriting that Vixen was on vacation, and nodded in agreement. With a twinkle in his eye, he moved to Comet’s stable. “Ho, ho, ho! Comet, my girl, are you ready to fall on the rooftops this Christmas? I’m half-staffed now: Dasher sprained her leg, Dancer needs a partner, Prancer is feeling down, and Vixen has the day off.”
Comet shook her head. “Santa, you know I need the stars in the sky if I’m going to be in the front! I wouldn’t know the North Pole from the South Pole!”
Santa stepped outside, looked up and saw the clouds blanketing the sky above, and nodded in agreement. With his rosy cheeks he came to Cupid’s stable only to find it empty. He moved onto Donner’s stable, and said, “Ho, ho, ho!” Cupid and Donner were nuzzling against each other. “Well you two, are you ready to go ‘Click, click, click!’? Dasher sprained her leg, dancer needs a partner, Prancer is feeling down, Vixen has the day off, and Comet needs the stars to be in front!”
Cupid and Donner shook their heads, “Santa, we told you we would only do it if both of us can be side by side in the front.” Santa told them sadly he couldn’t make that happen this year. They said they would take legal action if they couldn’t.
Santa thought about the Christmas lawsuit, and nodded in agreement. He moved on to his last hope before having to ask Rudolph. Blitzen! Opening the stable door he said, “Ho, ho, ho! Blitzen looks like it’ll just be me and you! Dasher sprained her leg, Dancer needs a partner, Prancer is feeling down, Vixen has the day off, Comet needs the stars, and Cupid and Donner threatened to sue me.”
Blitzen spoke up, “That’s a bingo! Ve could first go to Poland, and then, very quickly, move into France. They von’t know vhat them Santa Claus!” Hearing this Santa’s eyes went wide.
“I think I remember why you don’t lead the sleigh! We will start in the United States as always!”
Blitzen shook her head, “Nein! Unless ve use my plan I von’t fly!”
Santa nodded in agreement. He sighed and went to Rudolph’s stable that was so much more fancy than the others. Adorned with lights and decorations, it was heated and carpeted. A security guard stood at the front. “Name?”
“Ho, ho, ho! It’s me Santa Clause” Santa sighed.
“What do you want with Miss Rudolph?” The guard asked
“I would like to ask her to guide my sleigh tonight.”
Rudolph came out hearing the familiar voice and said, “Oh Mr. Clause, you really are something. You come to me after all this time, and only using me when you need me. Well, I don’t need you anymore! But for old time’s sake I’ll help you out. Who knows? Maybe I’ll get a new song.”
Around the world they went in a flash the presents were delivered, Rudolph’s nose being the gaudy signal Santa hated. After he came back he came to Mrs. Clause. Tired and beat he said, “Ho, ho, ho! It was an awful trip this year. Rudolph was insufferable. I wish at least some of the others were there.”
Mrs. Clause looked at him and said, “You can’t expect them all to fly in the rain, dear!”