It was the most joyous time of the year. A blanket of snow over the ground. Decorated trees displayed in homes. Children eagerly awaited the visit from Santa.

But this Christmas would not be like all others before it.

Far north where the heart of Christmas beats, things were not going well. After years and years of making children happy around the world, working all for just one day to bring others happiness, Mr Claus grew tired of keeping the holiday afloat. It made him bitter and resentful the closer Christmas came. More gifts to make and wrap. More kids to monitor, and endless preparations for a single night of merry craziness. Not to mention how freezing and exhausting it was flying around in a sleigh thousands of feet in the sky.

Mrs Claus was still content baking cookies and helping her husband with Christmas, it saddened her how much distance had come between them. Their livelihoods were becoming the ruination of their marriage, and by extent, their happiness.

When Christmas Eve rolled around there was much to be done that Mr Claus had neglected. The list of good and bad children hadn’t been updated in months, there were many letters from children unread, and Mr Claus himself was nowhere to be found.

Where might he be, Mrs Claus wondered as she made her way to their bedroom. She was disappointed to find him sound asleep. It was nearly noon, less than twelve hours until takeoff, and the man of the night hadn’t even gotten out of bed.

She woke him quickly, and he was slow to start up his day. Six hours until he had to leave. The irritated man made his way to the kitchen, disgusted to see the pans of Christmas cookies in a variety of shapes, freshly frosted and sprinkled.

In anger he flung a pan off the table, cookies turning to crumbs on the floor. He was so mad he didn’t even care that his wife would be upset.

When the elves called out for Santa at ten to six, he came much later, only half dressed in his suit.

“Did you finish reading the letters?” They asked.

“No.” He replied in an annoyed voice.

“Did you update the list.”

A snort. “No.”

“Did you do ANYTHING you were supposed to today?”

Ha. “No.”

The elves all shared a worried glance.

“Well… there’s not much we can do about it now. Off you go.”

As Santa took the reins and started off towards the sky, the elves gathered in a circle, all in great fuss.

“All these children will get no gifts!”

“And naughty children will get gifts they should not!”

Mr Claus didn’t hear anything more as he flew out of earshot.

As the night went on Santa dragged along his great bag of gifts. He sneered at every gift he dropped without care, and glared at every sleeping child he saw.

After a few hours Mr Claus became so overtaken in his bitterness that he gave up and tossed his bag over the sleigh and into the ocean. As he flew off in the clouds, he laughed merrily for the first time in a while, knowing that even though the children would despair and the Christmas spirit would be damaged, he was free.