It was Christmas Eve. Eight years old Victor Royden was as excited as most kids looking forward to their presents the next day. He had, of course, already made out his list of presents and dispatched it to Father Christmas in the usual way, - by putting it on the fire and watching the ashes go up the chimney to, hopefully, lapland! He had also hung a reminder on the bedpost, requesting a new bike, a games console and a VDV player! He snuggled down between the sheets and despite his excitement he soon dropped off to sleep.
He was suddenly aware of a noise in the room. He sat up to find Santa Claus standing beside the bed! Victor felt frightened. Santa pointed a finger at him.
"Ah! Victor Roydon. I an glad you are awake, it saves me the trouble of waking you! I want to tell you what a greedy little boy you are asking for so many expensive presents! Your cousin Matthew is only getting a box of chocolates! I am not going to leave you any presents at all this year! Instead I am going to give you something to teach you not to be so greedy!"
Before the boy could take in what was happening Santa had pulled back the bedclothes, lifted him out of bed and pulled down his pyjamas bottoms! Santa sat down on the bed and dragged Victor across his knees!
"I'm going to spank you! This will be your present for this year!"
With that Santa raised his hand and brought it down hard on Victor's bottom!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
"Yeeooooowl-aoooowl-aooooooowl! No please don't Santa! Please stop!"
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
"Aooooooowl-aoooooowl-aooooooowl! Mum! Mum! Dad! Where are you! Help me! Aoooooooowl!
"They can't hear you!" said Santa.
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
"Aooooowl-aoooooowl-aooooooowl!"
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
"Aooooooool-yaaaaaaah-ha-ha-arrrrrrrh!"
Suddenly Santa put Victor down on the bed and disappeared! Victor did not remember much more, he just went to sleep.
He awoke the next morning and the events of the night before came flooding back to him. He felt like bursting into tears. It was Christmas day and no presents! He sat up in bed and - but what's this! Three gift wrapped presents against the wall; one large and the other two much smaller. He sprang out of bed. All three packages were labled "Happy Christmas to Victor!" His fingers tore into the paper of the large one. It was soon apparent what it was. It was the new bike he had longed for. The other two were the games console and the DVD player! He went over to the mirror, dropped his pyjamas bottoms and looked at his pert little arse. Not a mark on it! He pulled up his pyjamas as he heard footsteps approaching. It was his father.
"Look dad!" cried Victor, "I've got the bike and games console and the DVD player!"
"My! So you have! Arn't they nice!" said his father, pretending he had never seen them before, "Get dressed now and then we'll take them downstairs to show mum."
Mr Royden went downstairs where Victor's mother was getting breakfast ready.
"How's Victor this morning?" she asked.
"Oh! He's fine this morning and pleased as Punch with his presents. That was some nightmare he was having last night when I took his presents to his room! I would have woke him up but I wasn't sure if it is safe to wake someone having a nightmare!"
Later that morning, when they had finished breakfast, Victor asked;
"Mum, dad! Would you mind if I gave my games console to Matthew?"
"What on earth for?" ejected his father, "Don't you like it?"
Oh! Yes I do dad! But I feel a bit greedy getting these nice presents and Matthew's only getting a box of chocolates!"
"Where in heaven's name did you get that nonsense from? A little bird has told me that Matthew is getting a new PC for Christmas!"
"Is he? I don't know I just thought I heard it somewhere!"
"Your not greedy Victor. You have been a good boy all year and worked hard at school. You deserve your presents! But it was a very noble and selfless thought. Your mum and I are proud of you!"
"Thanks dad!" said Victor, "By the way did you hear Father Christmas come last night?"
"Ha! Of course not! Nobody ever hears him. He makes sure everybody is asleep before he comes in. Why?"
"Oh! I thought I heard a noise last night." replied Victor, not wishing to describe fully what happened!
"Well, I might as well tell you, Victor. The only noise last night was coming from you. You were having a nightmare! Don't you recall anything about it?"
"I was having a nightmare? No I don't remember anything about it!" lied Victor.
So that was it! It was all a bad dream! Or was it so bad? Victor's mind wandered off into a world of fantasy! He could see himself across Santa's knee again! He was squirming and wriggling as Santa's hand cracked down again and again across his bare bottom!
SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!
What he did not realise was that as he was imagining being spanked he was in reality squirming and wriggling in his chair!
"Are you alright, Victor?" asked his father, breaking into his thoughts.
"Er! Oh! Yes dad! I was just getting a bit excited about it being Christmas Day!"
"You looked as if you were having another nightmare while you were still awake!"
Well, perhaps his dad was not so far wrong there!