Writing Practice: Finding a voice: The Santa Society

Note: This is entirely a work of fiction, and my own personal representation of the Santa Clause legend. The content of this work may not be historically accurate, and in fact may be entirely anachronistic. But the purpose of the tale is to entertain, and tell a good story, so take it as such, and try not to worry too much about the details.

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Niclause was hard at work baking pepper nuts, while three other items baked around him, in his ovens. Sweat poured down his face, but he couldn't spare a moment to get a towel, and his hands were covered in flour up to his elbows.

"The Greeks just loved him, he was like some kind of symbol to them," said Teodor, the sailor who had just come back from Greece.

Niclause found himself nodding, interested despite all of the work he had to do yet. "Uh huh," he said as he whipped up some heavy cream to make into frosting. "Well then, don't leave me in suspense. What was the name of this amazing symbol?"

Teodor was practically bursting with anticipation by now. "That is the best part! His name was Saint Nicholas." He practically whisper the last part in a conspiratorial tone, then started giggling uncontrollably.

Niclause stood up from his work for a moment and rolled his eyes looking at Teodor. The man had been out to sea for far too long, trading with far away lands, and bringing back unusual tales. It had made him a little loopy.

But Niclause was not without a sense of sympathy, in fact he would have asked the man to stay longer and regale him even more with stories from places where everyone seemed to do things differently, but now was not the time. He had to much to do.

"Fine, fine," he said, finally grabbing a towel and wiping his brow. "Thank you very much for bringing my spices, but for now I have very much work to do." He took a few of the small spiced shortcrust biscuits from a pile that he had been working on, which were stamped with the likenesses of different animals, tossed them into a bag, and tossed it to Teodor.

The sailor looked at the bag for a moment, then pulled out a biscuit, which was stamped with the likeness of a duck. He smiled at it and was about to take a bite, when he suddenly stopped.

"OH!" he said. "I remember now why I thought it was so funny!"

Smiling on the outside, but resigned to the sailors continued presence on the inside, Niclause had already turned back to continue his work.

"Yes?" he asked politely.

"Yes!" said the sailor, laughing. "He looks exactly like your cousin Klaus! With the big round face, The bushy white beard, and the long white hair!"

That got more of a grin out of Niclause, but even so he still didn't have time for all this, so just as Teodor was biting into the spice cookie, he came around the counter and politely, gently, but firmly led the sailor to the door, just as the other man's eyes started going wide, and he started chewing more slowly.

Teodor looked down at the bag, just as Niclause was shepherding him out the door.

"You made these Niclause?" he asked through a mouth full of biscuit.

"I'm very sorry Teodor, but there's far too much for me to do right now, with the winter festival almost here."

He closed the door just as the sailor looked again at the remaining half of his cookie, saying "This is amaz-" before the door closed.

He worked and worked for the rest of the night, preparing for the winter festival, which he saw as his last chance to improve the fortunes of his bakery. If he could not make money soon, he would have no money for ingredients, and the bakery would have to close. He did not want to do that to his family.

However the following morning he felt himself having a revelation. He could hire his cousin to dress up like this Saint Nicholas, and sell his cookies! He stopped by the man's house before starting in the bakery the next day, and explained his idea, trying to remember all the things that Teodor had told him.

Klaus instantly loved the idea. He was a showman by trade, and loved to dress up in costume, and sing songs, and playact for children. This sounded just like his style. He went to his favorite seamstress and had her make the suit, which would be bright red, and ornate, and he made the tall hat, that resembled the clergy hats he had seen, only much taller, and this one would be more ornate.

Niclause laughed heartily when he saw it and knew he had made the right decision. He gave Klaus several dozen of the spiced cookies to sell at the fair that would he held that day in the center of town, while he stayed behind to continue baking for the remaining days of the festival.

"That costume is amazing Klaus!"

"Aha, Saint Klaus has come to sing us a song!"

"Thank you so much! Please buy a biscuit - for your little ones!" said Klaus beaming and smiling broadly. But the people laughed, or smiled politely, and declined. He was almost certain it had something to do with the animals stamped on the side.

He had been out there for several hours already, and had only sold two of the silly things. And in both cases they had stuck the biscuit into their pocket, and he was sure he had heard the last one mutter something about giving it to his dog.

The problem was that they had nothing to show for themselves. There was no enticing smell, no color, no sparkle, just an animal shape, stamped into one side. He hadn't tried on himself. He told himself that he didn't want to seem biased. The truth was, he had no idea how they would taste, and didn't want to risk it.

He was passing the space between two of the stone buildings in the square, when he heard a sound as if someone crying. There was a small child who looked as if she had lost track of her parents.

"Oh, dear," he said to her in a soothing deep voice. "Have you lost someone Little Miss?"

She looked at him, startled, and wide eyed.

He held up his hands in a placating gesture, saying "It's going to be okay my dear Little Miss." He held out one of the biscuits to her. "Why don't you have a cookie?"

'After all,' he thought, 'it's not like anyone else wants them at the moment.'

She came forward, slowly, and slightly suspiciously, and reached for the biscuit, stepping out of the alleyway. The very instant her hand closed over it a shout peirced the air.

"Lijsbeth!" came her mother's voice. Her parents and older siblings came running over to the spot where the two of them stood, and Klaus beamed at them. He tilted his head toward her and winked, saying, "See? I told you it would be okay!" His smile was infectious.

Her father came and picked her up into his arms, trailing two little boys behind him.

"Klaus, thank you so much! We were so worried when we realized that she was gone." He looked down at the tray of biscuits, and to the one that the little girl was now nibbling on. He started to reach for his coin, asking, "Ah, do you need...?"

Klaus shook his head and said, "I'm just glad that the little girl is safe."

The man smiled and laughed a little. "Okay. Truth be told, they don't look very appetizing," he admitted sheepishly.

Lijsbeths little voice came from his shoulder where it was resting. "They're good, daddy." The man looked at her bemusedly.

"Really little Lijsbeth? And you're normally so hard to please!" He looked at the tray with renewed interest.

Klaus realized then his mistake, but he knew it was too late when the man said, "Well, as long as they're free..." and took one of the cookies for himself. Klaus laughed a little nervously. Then each of his two little boys took one. By the time his wife and two daughters had each taken one the man had eaten half of his, and was pointing Klaus out to another couple, who also had children.

The whole thing snowballed until the whole tray had been picked clean. During the commotion someone had called him "Saint Klaus," which got a laugh from the crowd, and suddenly EVERYONE was calling him "Sinte Klaus."

A little while later, Klaus slunk back into the bakery, looking sheepish.

Niclause saw the empty tray and clapped his hands excitedly. "You sold them all!" he exclaimed delightedly.

Klaus hung his head in shame and shook it from side to side. Niclause's face fell.

Klaus held up the two coins that represented the days earning.

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Thanks! More tomorrow!