"Hey, this glue gun is all gummed up!" Erno the Littlest Elf at the North Pole said, smacking the gun down on the worktable.

"Easy on those tools," Smith, the elder elf, said, "They may be old, but they just need a little tender loving care," he explained, hurrying over to Erno.

It was a typically busy day at Santa's Workshop. The elves were hammering, gluing and soldering bikes, dolls, skates and all of the wonderful toys that Santa brings to good girls and boys around the world. But on this particular day, there seemed to be more troubles than toys.

"Ouch, this saw is no good! No good at all," Percy the elf yelled.

"Let me help with that," Smith said hurrying back across the room.

Two other elves, Amber and Roly, sat side by side at the workbench. "I think we're going to fall behind if these tools don't quit messing up," Roly said.

"That would be terrible," Amber said, "We have to have all the toys ready for Christmas or the boys and girls will be disappointed!"

"Well, we won't be able to do it with these tools!" Roly said.

"Now, don't worry. Don't worry about a thing," Smith said, "Santa told me he has a surprise for us - and I've got an idea that it's about tools! We're all supposed to go to the airstrip tomorrow morning, and he'll show us!"

Percy and Erno strode over to the other elves.

"We've got a surprise coming in on that plane too!" Percy whispered to Amber and Roly, "But you've got to keep this quiet."

"Tell us, tell us," Amber cried.

"Okay outside everybody," Erno said to the others. The elves trooped out of the workshop and into the barn. "Santa has ordered some new tools from the Ignatius Tool Company," Percy said proudly.

"Well, we could have guessed that," Amber said, "Smith said so."

"Yes, but what you don't know is that Erno and I e-mailed Ignatius and he's bringing some other surprises too!" Percy answered.

"What?" asked Roly, "You can't drag us out here and not tell us," he insisted.

"Erno and I thought it would be fun to add some extra sparkle to Santa's sleigh this Christmas!" Percy proudly said.

"Oh yeah!" Erno said, "We've ordered underglow and neon and strobes - it's gonna look totally awesome when we're done!"

"Old Magic will look like new Magic!" cried Amber.

Just then, the barn door opened and in walked all eight of Santa's reindeer moaning and groaning and wearing miner's helmets with the single light, like a giant eye, in the centre.

"My back is killing me," Donder complained.

"I never knew a miner's life was so hard," Comet added.

Rudolph, whose nose was always shiny, had an extra glow of twinkling sparkle, almost like diamonds, emanating from his nose.

"Hey what's with the costumes, Halloween is over," Percy hollered to the reindeer.

Startled, Blitzen looked up and cried, "Hide the nose! Don't let them see the nose!"