The Christmas Stocking Gambit

By R.S. Kellogg

In the northernmost region of the world, in the quiet end of the village of Santa's Circle, down a crooked snow-packed lane, through tall narrow houses painted various shades of green, one house stood apart from the rest at the end of a long winding road.

 

No doubt about it. Nicholas developed feelings for Jane, and they came on fast. As Santa Claus, Nicholas' free time feels limited. But he wants to make time for Jane, and give love a chance to flourish.

 

The question remains: What about Jane's interest in him?

 

To let her know of his fondness for her, Nicholas decides to send her a present. And he knows just the elves to help him come up with the perfect thing.

 

Unfortunately for Nicholas, his most brilliant elvish inventors also remain the most unpredictable.

 

If you love holiday stories with a side of romance, pick up "The Christmas Stocking Gambit" today!

 

This short sweet romantic story originally appeared in the collection The Future Mrs. Claus, by R.S. Kellogg, and is now available for purchase as a stand-alone story here.

 

The complete list of stories in order from The Future Mrs. Claus sequence in stand-alone format is:

 

1. "Meeting the Future Mrs. Claus," which reveals what happens when Nicholas visits his old friend Peter to ask a favor, and unexpectedly meets a woman he instantly feels attracted to.

2. "The Candy Cane Date," in which Jane takes a break from cooking dinner on Christmas Eve, and tries to imagine Nicholas' night.

3. "The Christmas Toy Genius," in which Jane prepares for a visit from Nicholas on a very cold morning.

4. "The Christmas Stocking Gambit," in which Nicholas attempts to give Jane a token of his affection, with help from some unpredictable elves.

5. "The Dance at Santa's Circle," in which Nicholas takes Jane to the North Pole for a dance.

6. "Love Comes for Santa Claus," in which Nicholas decides to ask Jane a very important question, and runs into unexpected obstacles.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.S. Kellogg
• Release date: Nov 4, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201973995

R.S. Kellogg

 R.S. Kellogg writes in the fantasy Breadcove Bay series, as well as exploring other story worlds and non-fiction topics.

Book preview

A Word on Authenticity of Myths:

The world of this story is a bit of an alternate reality space. Here, St. Nicholas has been operating for many generations as a Santa Claus figure, and the village where Jane’s family lives in the north has had some association with him as a living ageless being for many years.

The story does not follow the actual time lines of Christmas evolution and myths.

I hope you will enjoy it in the spirit of good fun, and tarry for a spell with the romance around how Nicholas may have come to fall in love.

Cheers,

R.S. Kellogg

The Christmas Stocking Gambit

by R.S. Kellogg

In the northernmost region of the world, in the quiet end of the village of Santa’s Circle, down a crooked snow-packed lane, through tall narrow houses painted various shades of green, one house stood apart from the rest at the end of a long winding road.

Though as narrow as any of the other houses, with the same style of steep gray roof covered in patches of snow and thick walls that kept the cozy heat inside, something about this particular house made it stand out.

It looked as if it were holding back from the others, as if preoccupied with its own thoughts.

The small green house sat at an angle to the street, rather than being parallel to it. The window boxes of the top windows displayed tiny gears and gyroscopes that moved with soft swishing sounds and glinted in sunshine, rather than being stuffed full of artificial poinsettias like most window boxes at the other houses.

The smoke that came out through the chimney occasionally had a little bit of sparkle to it, and often smelled of stranger things than wood: Sometimes peppermint or lilacs and sometimes, somehow, inexplicably the smoke smelled of good humor and imagination.

Overall, it was a strange house, with strange occupants—which was why most citizens of Santa’s Circle preferred to avoid it, unless they had to go there on business.

And if they had to go there on business, they preferred to have an invitation first.

Otherwise, strange things might happen.

Which is why Nicholas, even as figurehead and marginal power of the area, felt a nervous knot at the base of his stomach and stiffness through his back and jaw as he hesitated on the front porch of this house