K-2 Music Week 13

She and her brother, their parents, in all her cousins and aunts and uncles, plus the neighbors in their kids were all there, dressed up in their Christmas best. The house was all dressed up too. It was decorated with wreaths and stockings, mistletoe, and boughs of Holly. Right at the center was an enormous Christmas tree, drooping under the weight of ornaments and shiny garlands. Velvet bows and silver bells, tiny gingerbread men and candy canes, and hundreds of twinkling lights. Under the tree, piles of presents, most were tantalizing mysteries wrapped in their Christmas paper, but some were unwrapped and on display, like the stuff grown ups gave each other. And. The army of brightly painted soldiers and their red coats with gold buttons of shiny black boots. Clara and her brother Fritz and the cousins played under the tree, creating a military parade with their toy soldiers. 

Clara let out a little shriek when she noticed a little mouse peeking out of a hole in the wall. And when she saw it creeping toward a box of chocolates on the floor under the tree, she sprang up to grab them. She was putting the chocolate safely on the table when she heard the door. It was her godfather. She was so proud that he was her godfather. He was a very successful toy maker, and some people even said his toys were a little bit enchanted. Clara didn't know about that. For godfather actually had made the very toy soldiers that they'd just been playing with, and had them delivered earlier in the day, so Clara wasn't expecting any other gifts from him. But then. Her godfather announced that he had one more toy for his goddaughter. A wooden nutcracker, carved in the shape of a little toy soldier. 

He was painted just like the other soldiers, except he had a captain's hat and a captain's gold braid. Clara was immediately fascinated and held the nutcracker carefully. Fritz was jealous thinking the nutcracker would make a spectacular addition to the parade under the tree, so he snatched the nutcracker out of Clara's hands. And when she tried to get it back, he and the cousins played keep away, sending the poor nutcracker flying from hand to hand all over Clara's head. She watched in horror as one toss missed its target in the nutcracker hit the floor. Broken. Clara burst into tears, but her godfather patched the nutcracker back together with a handkerchief, and padded clear on the shoulder. There there, he said. He'll be okay after a little rest. Clara thanked him through her tears and carried her wounded captain to a quiet corner. Fritz, meanwhile, was feeling pretty awful that he'd broken Clara's toy. 

He slunk out of the party with a plan in his mind. An hour later, he returned and shyly offered a little nutcracker sized wooden bed to Clara. I made it for you for him to rest in and, you know, get better and stuff. Clara hugged him and said thank you. Then she tucked her nutcracker into his new little bed. As the last of the guests waved goodbye, Clara crawled beneath the tree to check on the nutcracker one last time, and ended up falling asleep right there. Curled around the little bed under the Christmas tree. At the stroke of midnight, Clara woke up. She wasn't sure what time it was. Was it Christmas yet? Had Santa cum? It was still dark out, so she knew it wasn't morning. She rubbed her eyes to try to see a bit more clearly. When she looked up at the Christmas tree, she noticed to her surprise that it seemed to be getting bigger. In fact, the tree, the presence, the whole room seemed to be getting bigger. Or was she getting smaller? Suddenly, Claire's size became the least of her worries. 

Out of nowhere, gigantic mice dressed up in army uniforms, began to circle the room. Clara rubbed her eyes again. She then saw that, yes, there were indeed mice in army uniforms scurrying about the room and furthermore, there seemed to be a mouse king leading them and giving them commands. Excuse me. Clara called up. Excuse me, mice. Who are you battling exactly? Then she looked over to see that her nutcracker had also come to life size life, and he had grouped the other toy soldiers into a battle formation to fight the mouse army. The toy soldiers were outnumbered, but they fought the mice bravely as the mouse king and the nutcracker captain faced off in a one on one sword fight. The rest of the mice closed in around the king and the nutcracker, biting his feet and making him stump. Clara could see that the mouse king was just about to deliver a terrible blow when she made a desperate move to save her nutcracker. She threw her slipper at the mouse king. It hit him directly on the head. Leaving him dizzy and stunned. Now an easy target for the nutcracker. He proclaimed victory and thanked his troops, and the mouse army picked up their dazed king and carried him away. 

Clara had been hiding under the nutcrackers bed, which now seemed to look more like a slave than a bed? Snow was falling, which was weird because they were indoors. And the snow wasn't cold somehow, but boy was it sparkly. She looked over at her nutcracker and did a little double take. He was still dressed in his red and gold soldiers uniform, but instead of a round wooden head and painted eyes, she saw a handsome young prince. The prince helped Clara into the magical sleigh and it began to move deeper into the forest, while the most beautiful snowflake she ever seen danced and swirled all around them. The snowflakes led them all the way through the snow forest. Into what appeared to be an entire kingdom made of desserts. Everywhere, desserts, sweets, candies, every imaginable treat cake candy and confection you could possibly think of. There were mountains of immense chocolate cookies topped with whipped cream, whiter than snow. 

Glittering flowers made out of sugar and buttercream frosting. Everywhere she looked. As the sleigh came to a stop, Clara heard what sounded like the tinkling bells of a music box. The kind with a tiny perfect ballerina who danced on the tip of her toes. And then, she saw the perfect ballerina. She looked like she was covered in tiny diamonds, but Clara realized with surprise that her dress and tiara and even her shoes were made from sparkling white sugar. She was the sugar plum fairy, and she invited them to a grand feast to welcome them to the kingdom of sweets. Clara and the prince were seated on a huge plush rug on the floor, and then the dancing began. Dancers from Spain's spun into the room. Leaping and twirling as they brought the guests mugs filled with hot cocoa, made from rich Spanish chocolate. Arabian women in veils danced like rising steam. As they offered Clara and the prince hot Arabian coffee. 

Chinese dancers delivered Mandarin tea. Then Russian men in fur hats and loud boots sprang into the room to deliver candy canes. Sweet shepherdesses with blond braids and rosy cheeks brought their gift of the almond sugar known as marzipan. And then a ruckus. A giant gingerbread woman called mother Ginger danced in 8 little Ginger children came tumbling out from under the frosting ruffles of her gingerbread skirt and danced the silliest sweetest dance. Then, the dreamy sound of a harp announced the entrance of an entire Garland of flowers. Who danced in beautiful mesmerizing patterns as a single dewdrop floated above them. Clara thought it was the most wonderful waltz she'd ever heard. Then, the harp continued at an achingly beautiful, wordless song began to play. The sugar plum ferry came back with her own prints to dance them farewell. At first, it was just the two of them. Then, an entire court came together to bid Clara and the nutcracker prince farewell. They helped their guests back into the sleigh and tucked warm blankets around them. 

Clara looked at the prince, sad that this marvelous adventure was over too soon. I wish it would never end, she said to him, all of this, I wish it could go on forever. Claire is nutcracker prince looked at her fondly and touched her cheek softly. It will go on forever, he said. For those who have an eye to see it. Claire wanted to stay awake for the journey back through the snow forest, but she just couldn't keep her eyes open. She drifted into a warm, sweet dream. The next morning, Clara awoke, it was daylight, meaning it was now Christmas morning. She found herself still under the Christmas tree, where she had fallen asleep the night before. She was surprised to find that her toy nutcracker was still in her arms. Had the whole thing been just a dream. Or had the magic of Christmas come to life and had she seen it with her own eyes. The end. Thanks for listening. The classical kids story time from American public media.