On a beautiful winter night, Adam and Arjun were having fun out sledding on a hill. Suddenly Adam exclaimed “What is that?’’. The boys saw a vortex with fire swirling around it heading straight towards them melting all the snow. They barely escaped the vortex, “What just happened? Why is it so hot?” asked Adam. The boys soon realized that it was a fire tornado and they had to stop it once and for all.

Suddenly the ground started rumbling and a portal appeared to suck them in. When they were out it was cold again and everything was frozen. It was a winter wonderland. “Where are we, Arjun?” “I don’t know but I do know that this is where we can fix what’s happening back home” said Arjun with determination. They spotted a sign saying “This way to the Stone of Ice” and decided to follow it. The boys reminded each other to keep their guard up since there could be danger lurking.

The boys were right! They had to cross a pit of freezing water, run past an ice monster and endure ice rain. “We’re finally here!” said Adam and Arjun jumping with joy. The Stone of Ice was on an icicle shaped pedestal, and the boys ran to grab it. The second they felt the stone in their hands the ground started rumbling again and the portal reappeared to bring them home. “Let’s stop the fire tornado!” said the boys as they raised the stone. The Stone of Ice extracted the fire from the vortex and voila! It started to snow again! They watched it, “It’s beautiful!” said Arjun. “I guess we saved the town after all” said Adam. And off went the heroes to sled again.

Once there was a girl named Anna. Anna loved looking up at the bright, flickering and beautiful stars in Winter. One day while sitting on her porch stargazing, she saw a shooting star. She wished she could go up all the way to the stars. Then she went to bed. The next morning, she woke up not to her room but in the middle of endless darkness. she felt sad. Then she turned around to see her favourite things: stars. Millions of trillions of stars along with a few spaceships. She spent some time there. She went to sleep in endless darkness, surrounded by the stars. The next morning, she woke up in her house and told her parents:

“When I grow up, I want to be an astronaut, I want to see the stars every day!”

Anna went to school the next day and got all the space themed books she could find. She was determined to become an astronaut. Once she came home every day with stacks and stacks of books reading for hours on end. By 25 she had read all the books on space in the city and was top of her class. From there she went to become an astronaut. 

After years of training, she finally went up into the stars for her first time. She spent months there an all her work was worth it. It was all like the dream she had but better, seeing infinite planets and galaxies and especially stars wherever she looked. As she looked at the stars through the window, she thought “if my younger self was here, she would be so amazed” she said in an excited whisper. I finally got my wish. She spoke. Months later she landed on earth and had to say one thing:” wow”.

On a cold winter night, Ella sat by her window, waiting for the first snow of the season. The stars sparkled brightly, but the sky stayed clear. With a sigh, she pulled on her boots and coat, heading outside to her favorite oak tree. “Why isn’t it snowing yet?” she asked the quiet night.

To her surprise, a tiny, glowing figure appeared on a branch above her. It was no bigger than a bird, with wings like crystal and a shimmering crown of icicles. “Because magic takes time,” said the figure, smiling down at her.

Ella stared in amazement. “Who are you?” she asked.

“I’m Frost, a snow sprite,” the figure replied. “But tonight, I need help to bring the first snow. Will you come with me?”

Ella’s heart raced with excitement. “Yes!” she said.

Frost held out a tiny glowing hand, and suddenly, they were soaring into the night sky. Below them, the town looked tiny, like a toy village. Frost waved his hand, and snowflakes began to appear, swirling and shimmering as they fell.

“Every snowflake is special,” Frost said. “Together, we’ll make the world sparkle.”

Ella reached out, feeling the soft, cold flakes brush her fingers. She laughed as they blanketed the rooftops, trees, and streets, turning the town into a winter wonderland.

This story is magical, mysterious and … blood rushing. Let me take you to the beginning. 

It was the start of winter. The windy snow was just swirling in and you could see your frosty breath melting away. The air was cold and chilly, but people’s hearts were still warm. Except for one person… That person's name was Sliver. 

Sliver was a young boy. That was his nickname, his real name was Christopher. 

You are probably wondering how his nickname became Sliver. I’m about to tell you. 

It was last winter when it all happened. Christopher and his dad were hiking up a mountain and needed to rest. They discovered a cave that looked promising for shelter.  As they were quenching their thirst inside, Christopher thought he had seen something shiny. But it quickly disappeared as fast as he had seen it.  

“Let’s go,” commanded his father.  

“Wait,” asked Christopher, “I think I saw something flash right here.”  

Dismissing his son’s curiosity, his father pushed him along, “Let’s go, if we want to see the top. We better get going.”  

Christopher couldn’t resist however, and went ahead, reaching for the shiny metal.  In the process, he tripped, knocking over a stone. Sounds of cracks broke out…  Suddenly, rocks and boulders came rushing down, pinning them to the ground.  The cave collapsed inwards and crushed them both. Christopher’s dad’s last words were, “I love you, see you at the top.”  

Thankfully, there were other hikers who heard the commotion. They called the medics and Christopher was saved. 

I hugged myself for warmth as I admired the Christmas tree at the Vancouver airport. Mom and Dad were speaking to an airport employee. We’d just learned Dad and my sister, Amara, had to take a different flight. I didn’t mind much - I was mad at them anyway. My friends were having a party, but I couldn’t go because my parents forced me on this trip. Mom and Dad returned, their faces full of disappointment.

“Gia, it’s you and me on the flight. Your sister will be on a separate flight with Dad,” Mom said.

“Okay, that’s fine,” I replied, scrolling through my phone. I didn’t bother saying goodbye. I’d see them later.

Mom kissed Amara on the forehead and waved at Dad. “Have a safe flight,” Dad said. Mom nodded, and we boarded the plane. It took time to get through the crowded aisle, but eventually, we found our seats. I sat in the window seat, I loved watching the plane take off.

I plugged in my earphones and turned on my playlist. The flight attendant went through safety rules. I couldn’t wait to get home, see my family, and unwrap gifts. I just hoped we’d make it back in time since it was Christmas Eve.

As we took off, Mom fell asleep, exhausted from packing and making sure nothing was forgotten. When the flight attendant came by, I ordered apple juice for myself and coffee for Mom. She’d probably need it after her nap.

A few hours passed, and suddenly, it got dark. The flight attendant stepped forward to make an announcement, but I couldn’t hear her over my music. Then the plane jolted. At first, I ignored it thinking it’d end soon, but panic soon spread among the passengers. Mom pulled off my headphones. “We’re in a snowstorm,” she said.

I tried to stay calm, but as the plane shook from side to side, memories flooded my mind.Building snowmen with Amara, marathoning Home Alone with Dad, baking cookies with Mom. Tears filled my eyes as I realized how much they meant to me. I prayed to god hoping we’d be alright.

Just when I was losing hope, the plane started descending.Just then, through the window, I saw something incredible: golden dust floating in the air. An antler and the tip of a red hat came into view. Could it be? Saint Nick himself? Moments later, the plane stopped shaking.  And we landed safely.

The first thing I did was  hug Mom tightly, then when seeing Dad and Amara, I bursted into tears, apologising and telling them how much I loved them. That day, I learned to always appreciate my family. Turns out, the love of your family is the real Christmas miracle.

 As the heavy snowfall caked the white ground, everyone was quiet, and there wasn’t a sound. Not a whisper, not a squeak, just a few mice taking a peek. “Do you think he’ll come?”, questioned Chip, who at the time was sitting on the windowsill. He and his brothers, Fudge and Pop, were eagerly awaiting the arrival of Santa Mouse. It was Christmas Eve, and they had been looking forward to Christmas all year. The winter of 1948 had been harsh, especially since the war had caused less crumbs to be left around the household. It was a struggle to survive, and the eager mice hoped Santa could help. “I hope so”, replied Fudge. “If he doesn’t, we’ll have to survive on celery, and that’s disgusting!” The other mice agreed.

 What felt like hours went by as the small mice stared in anguish out the foggy window. Even the oven wasn’t warm enough to meet their needs. Shivering, Pop had had enough. “I’m going to go out. Waiting for Santa won’t work if we don’t make our problem the first thing he hears!”  he suggested. Even though they knew what dangers lay ahead, the other mice agreed and suited up. Using Cotton Balls from torn pillows, they made coats of fur - quite comfortable ones, in particular. Then, they set out for their journey to the backyard.

 Carefully, Chip, Pop, and Fudge made their way past the wooden dining table. An orange cat laid asleep beside it, and they were determined to not wake it. As they tip-toed through the house, a sudden “THUMP!” could be heard from the roof. “He’s Here!” squeaked Chip, the most eager of them all. Sprinting across the wooden floor, a slight squeaking of the floorboards could be heard. “Oh no. No no no no no. He’s awake!” squeaked Fudge, terrified. By now, the humongously large beast began to sprint towards the three, who were bolting across the house. “Run for the CatDoor!”, suggested Pop. 

As they squeezed through the small opening, a low jingling could be heard from the roof. “Santa Mouse!”, squeaked the three. The mouse’s sleigh could be seen drifting down to the snow. It was a majestic, magical sight. As the red sleigh grazed the white ground, the mice stared in astonishment. Before there was any time to converse, the mischievous Orange Cat had squeezed through the small opening. With a sudden throw of magic dust from Santa Mouse, the Cat laid down in a comfortable sleep. “That should last him a few hours”, cheered Santa. Eager, the three mice discussed their situation with him. However, before they had time to finish, he pulled out three humongous crackers from his small sleigh. “YUM!”, screamed the excited mice.

 As the sun began to rise, the mice were left with a jolly mood, and full stomachs. Not only that, but an understanding that sometimes it is good to face your fears, because in the end, something good will come out of it.

        Santa was feeling a bit under the weather. He had posted all the presents via Amazon, as well as gone out on his sleigh for all those whose presents were too large to ship on a delivery truck. As he sat down in his armchair, right in front of the warm fireplace, he knew exactly what he needed.

        “A vacation?” asked Mrs. Claus when Santa told her his idea, “We need to get started making next year’s presents!”

        “All the presents can wait for a week,” said Santa, “Besides, I have just the place to go!” 

        Santa had wanted to go to Norway ever since he had read a travel magazine that showcased its breathtaking wilderness and stunning auroras. Basically, since two hours ago when he was looking for good vacation spots. Mrs. Claus readily agreed, and booked the tickets right away. There was only one problem. They had no idea what to do or where to go in Norway!

        Fortunately for them, one of Santa’s elves had found a robot that could do anything you wanted. Santa tried to remember the name.

        “It’s Chat something, that I remember,” Santa said.

        “Chatterbox?” asked Mrs. Claus

        “Yes! I remember! It’s called ChatGPT!”

        They logged on to their chromebook and accessed the chatbot. After some time, they got a complete itinerary for a week, through the arcane magic of the Internet. That was one thing checked off their list. Another was what to pack. They packed all their winter clothes, and got their headphones to watch Christmas movies on the plane. They checked in online, and made sure they had packed everything. Finally, they were ready to go. They made their way to the North Pole Airport(serviced only by Christmas Airlines), went through Security, bought a bagel, and made their way to the gate, just before their plane was announced to board.

        Seven hours later, they made their way out of the airport and to their hotel in Oslo.         “We’ll have a great time in Norway”, said Santa.

In the small village of Hopeville, it was a very snowy and cold winter. The air was crisp, refreshing, and invigorating, while snowflakes danced gently from the sky, blanketing the world in a peaceful, white embrace. The sparkle of icicles catching the sunlight created a magical glow. Trees were covered in the magical white stuff. The ground was glistening white with ice, and houses looked like they had lost in a snowball fight. Spirits were getting higher as the days to Christmas got lower. Everyone was happy and having fun. 

There was a snow sculpting contest. The things made were a man, a globe made of snow, a snowball that was 10 feet tall and wide, and more. All the trees looked truly magnificent with the most gorgeous ornaments to be found on the face of Earth and snow glistening on top of the branches and the ornaments. On the 24th, the biggest tree in their forest was chopped and ornaments were hung on it. Presents were put under the tree by the mayor. At about 10 pm, everyone fell asleep except for two kids, Nick and Melinda. They were twins, but the only thing they shared was an insatiable curiosity. They quietly walked to the city square where they noticed that the globe made of snow was glowing a warm shade of gold. They peered into it, and what they saw surprised them. They saw a world with even more snow than what they had. 

Melinda said, “What is that Nick?”.

 “I don’t know”, he said.

 He tentatively touched it. It started to spin really fast and then Nick disappeared. Melinda screamed. As she was backing away, she slipped on ice and accidentally used the globe to help herself up. She disappeared in the same way as Nick. When she woke up, she found herself on a mat. A lynx was watching over them.

It said, ”Oh good. You’re alive.” 

“Huh?” asked Melinda. She slowly got up. 

“Who are you?”. 

“Oh, I’m a hamster.” the lynx said. 

“You’re a lynx. Got it. So, where are we?”, she asked

“Oh, we’re in Hawaii.”, the lynx said

“Really?”, she asked.

“No, you dolt!! We’re at the North Pole!”, it said

“Oh. So can we meet Santa?”, she asked.

“That’s what we’re doing!! Jeez!!”, it said.

“That’s sarcasm, isn’t it?”, she asked.

“For once, it isn’t.”, it said

Suddenly, behind her, she heard a sound. As she turned she saw that Nick had woken up as well. 

“Just in time. We’re here”, the lynx said.

They stepped inside the tent. There they saw Santa. He was getting ready to distribute all of his toys. Melinda and Nick went to him and asked him to return them back to their home. The last thing they saw was Santa’s warm smile. When they woke up, they were in their beds. Under their pillow they found a card. It showed a picture of Santa waving and the words, “Merry Christmas”.

The night began with the quiet promise of snowfall. Fourteen-year-old Willow Harper trudged along the frosted path to the lake, her scarf pulled high against the biting cold. The northern lights danced above, ribbons of green and violet weaving through the stars, illuminating the snow-covered pines. She didn’t know why she had come here; something had compelled her to leave the warmth of her family's cabin.

Her family had visited this secluded spot every winter, but this year felt different. Her older brother, James, had left for college, and her parents’ laughter had faded into silence. The cabin seemed emptier with each passing day. Yet tonight, the lake called to her, urgent and insistent.

As she approached the frozen expanse, Willow noticed a figure at the edge of the ice. A boy, her age perhaps, stood with hands in the pockets of a threadbare coat. His crow-black hair curled over his brow, and his breath came out in ghostly puffs.

"You shouldn't be out here," she called.

The boy turned, his face pale and shadowed beneath the aurora’s glow. "Neither should you," he replied, his voice tinged with curiosity and sadness.

Something in his gaze made her hesitate. "Are you lost?" she asked.

"Not lost. Searching," he said.

"For what?"

The boy glanced at the ice. "Something that's been missing for a long time."

The lake shimmered, the ice refracting the northern lights. Willow felt an inexplicable pull downward, rooting her in place. The boy raised his hand, and the air grew impossibly still. A sound like distant chimes rang out, and suddenly, the ice began to glow.

Shapes formed beneath the frozen surface—trees and houses, animals mid-motion, as though an entire world had been preserved beneath the lake. Willow staggered backward, her breath catching in her throat.

"What is this?" she whispered.

The boy knelt, pressing his palm to the ice. "This was my home," he murmured.

Willow crouched beside him, transfixed. "What happened?"

"The storm," he said. "It came so suddenly. Everything froze—time, memory, life itself." His voice cracked. "I've been trapped ever since."

A chill crept up her spine. "Trapped?"

The boy’s eyes blazed with an intensity that made her flinch. "You can help me," he said. "If you’re willing."

Fear and curiosity battled within her. "How?"

Without explaining, he took her hand and placed it against the ice. The cold burned, but before she could pull away, a surge of warmth radiated through her. The frozen world beneath the ice stirred to life. Sunlight dappled treetops, children laughed, and rivers flowed once more. The boy’s face softened, the shadows lifting.

"Thank you," he said, his voice full of hope.

As quickly as it began, the vision faded. The ice returned to its opaque stillness, and the boy’s grip loosened.

"Wait," Willow said. "What happens now?"

He smiled faintly. "Now I can go home."

Before she could protest, his form shimmered, dissolving into mist. She was left alone, her hand still pressed to the ice beneath the swirling aurora.

The walk back to the cabin felt surreal. By the time she reached the porch, the first snowflakes had begun to fall. Inside, her parents were seated by the fire, their faces softening with relief.

"Where were you?" her mother asked.

Willow hesitated, then smiled. "Just… out by the lake."

Her father chuckled. "That lake always has a way of calling us, doesn’t it?"

As Willow sat beside them, a strange warmth settled over her, a quiet reassurance that things were beginning to change. That night, as snow blanketed the world, she dreamed of a boy with crow-black hair and a world reborn beneath the ice.

It was then that she realized, all the boy had needed to get home safe and happy was a friend wishing for the same. And, as it turns out, that was all she had needed too.