The Christmas Magic Jar

When heavenly skies throw down an icy snow blanket, different cultures retaliate, celebrating peaceful joy with holiday enthusiasm. Sitting around a Baltic region campfire or gathering table this twentieth first century Lithuanian Santa Clause tale could be a tantalizing treat, flaunting teasing trickery.

Coming back entering the cookie dough house, filled with cocoa and warmth, Kaledu Senelis' favorite elves were counting free candy they received haunting northern territory residencies.

"Are you home?" A backroom voice questioned.

"Yes, Nana Senelis," Airine dressed as a heart broken cupid announced, carrying a beau, Linus and an arrow.

"You can put Linus down," Nana Senelis laughed, "did you get tricked or treats during our traditional gothic scare night?"

"Treats," the child image elves replied, "what are you doing?"

"Reading Kaledu's emails," Nana Senelis patiently answered, "they think he has all the magic."

"Doesn't Kaledu create the magic?"

Snickering, Nana Senelis explained, "Young ones, magic comes from my jars, every year when November leaves, welcoming December, I put a little dab a do ya and woo lah,"

"When we start opening the advent calendars," Airine exclaimed, "receiving entertaining performances, singing and dancing, waking everybody up from their nocturnal sleep, celebrating another day until Christmas."

"That is right, Airine," Nana Senelis clarified, "and on Christmas Eve Kaledu drinks from the special glittering container and the spell illuminates our beloved radio tower, playing holiday music, then,"

"He travels the countryside, all night spreading independent messages, using words, not fists," Airine lowered her romantic weapon.

"Right,"

During the trio's chit chat, a mischievous mystical creature Magiskas Elfas invaded Nana Senelis' spice rack, reading each homemade creation until finding the one called myliu astrus. Quietly the shelf sitting devious creature replaced the contents with plain old sugar; and the jabbing jokester dreamed about embarrassing results the act would produce.

"Yes, I will take this stuff and put it in my pocket," Magiskas Elfas sinisterly stole all Nana Senelis’ mysterious festive spark.

As November passed the calendar torch, Nana Senelis prepared her enchanting potion beating sunrise and the first advent doors occupying the radio tower marketplace shopping area, revealing their theatrical presentation, stimulating good mood happiness.

Christmas Eve finally arrived, and Kaledu Senelis completed final carriage polishing and reindeer harnessing, giving the thumbs up. Tired, merchants buying and selling closed their booths and shoppes, grabbing hot drinks, expecting an evening enjoying cell phones that replaced transistors distributing yule tide favorites while, watching the Freedom Radio Tower, waiting, anticipating the official word, 'Christmas Eve partying has begun'.

Linus and Airine, getting very hungry, approached Kaledu Senelis, handing him a gift with a note "Merry Christmas, Nana."

Acting surprised, Kaledu Senelis opened the package, removing the lid, "The Magic Jar,"  

Looking around expecting change, Kaledu panicked, "what happened?"

"Nothing," Linus and Airine astutely observed.

"Nana!"

"Didn't you like my present?"

"Yes, Nana, but" Kaledu Senelis made a three hundred sixty-degree pivoting gesture, "everything is the same."

"What were you expecting?" Inquired Nana Senelis.

"The power of the Freedom Radio Tower signal sending season's greetings!"  

Whispering Linus and Airine concluded, "Magiskas Elfa,"

"You think so?" Nana Senelis pulled the dedicated elves aside, "board the carriage; I have an idea."

Seeing the development, Kalideu Senelis occupied the driver's side controlling the reigns, "Come on Rudolfas," and in horrifying fashion the colorful nose glared.

"What is wrong?" Requested Kalideu Senelis.

Finding left-over carrots, Airine and Linus jumped to the ground, opening their hands, breaking the orange delicacy, "Rudolfus, everything is okay, we are free and you can fly like an eagle."

Glancing over to Vixen, Rudolfus dropped a hint, "What did Pikciurna do?" Linus exclaimed,

"He let Magiskas Elfa inside the feed room!" Airine concluded.

Remembering calling duty dialed, Rudolfus perked ears told his four legs, ‘break into a brisk trot’, forcing Airine and Linus immediately to leap upon the moving vehicle.

Due to not wanting a circus spectacle entrance attempt, Kalideu Senelis went under the radar and when the forest raised its curtain, the community sat patiently dealing with the dark.

"Kalideu Senelis is here," murmured the crowd, "we tried the generator but,"

"What are we going to do? Nana," Kalideu did not notice Airine and Linus disembark.

"Rudolfus," Airine spoke, "turn on your blinding nostril," and when the red glowing nose globe shined, Vixen crumbled like a Kalideu Senelis late night snack with milk.

"Where is Magiskas Elfa? Pikciurna," Linus demanded.

As his hoof pointed towards the twenty fifth showcase, Nana Senelis placed her hands on her hips and confronted the showdown, "Magiskas Elfa!"

Relaxing center stage Magiskas Elfa sat in a chair, "I just wanted a simple quiet Christmas, no colorful glitzy hoopla."

"You do, do yah,"

"Yeah, reflect about everything, study the assembly required instruction manual, explaining setting up our freedom offering,"

"You can use Artificial Intelligence, and the new technology will give you an easy step by step procedure," Nana Senelis bellowed, feeling a tugging,

"Nana," Kalideu Senelis interrupted, "the mischievous one does make an important point."

"You are right, Kalideu, but I want my my liu astrus spice now."

Arm shaking Magiskas Elfa grinned, "Thank you," Nana acknowledged creating a bubbling refreshment sight, after adding water, "here Kalideu, drink it will make you feel better."

Toasting all his neighbors, Kalideu gulped the plop plop fizz fizz concoction, conjuring a power play electrifying the whole area. Dancing and singing emerged, encompassing all the advent windows and the radio tower peacefully glowed, presenting the flag's tri colors, "Remember Kalideu, red means stop and think, yellow proceed with caution and the green,"

"Time to go," Kalideu finished the sentence.

Monitoring the Saintly character leave, disappearing, Airine wished Nana Selinas a blessed evening, "Nana, was that a trick or a treat?"

"Well, Airine just like your wintry cupid arrow, it is a trick that changes into a treat," Nana Selinas explained, seeing Magiskas Elfa, wondering if the troublemaker was going to apologize.

"Did I do a good job?" Magiskas Elfa checked.

“You, as you do every year, did a wonderful job, keeping everything in perspective," Nana Selinas complemented.
"Good," Magiskas Elfa replied, unfolding a book and utilizing a simple reading spotlight, turning pages, starting another chapter.