Weigh Out Way-In

CHAPTER 58

Last, Christmas presents

Out of the blue, there are very loud knocks on the door and very heavy booms from something banging the floor of the porch. Everybody stops talking, especially because Mrs Claus has put her index finger against her lips and says, 'Shh, be quiet.'

The silence falls in the hall and everybody holds their breath.

Then Onni (6), the bravest among the Finnish kids, rushes to the door and pushes it open.

'Joulupukki! Tervetuloa!' This way Onni welcomes Joulupukki.

The Finns start singing,

'Joulupukki, joulupukki, valkoparta, vanha ukki.

Eikö taakka paina selkää? Käypä tänne, emme pelkää!'

by these words offering help with his heavy sack, wishing him to step in and expressing they are not afraid of him.

Joulupukki's long wooden staff hits the floor again. This time it is the hall floor that echos the the heavy blow on the walls and on the ceiling and makes the place boom and vibrate.

Now it is even more quiet in the hall. The silence prevails there for some time.

Then this big, fat giant with a long, white beard in a red outfit steps inside, still holding the staff in his right hand and carrying a sack over his left shoulder, holding it in his left hand.

The giant hits the floor again and booms, 'ONKO TÄÄLLÄ KILTTEJÄ LAPSIA?'

 (ie, 'Any nice children here?')

The smallest Finnish kids answer 'Ooon', the message of which is confirmed by their anxious-looking parents by nodding their heads fervently. The Chinese parents follow the suit and give a few nods, not knowing exactly what's going on.

Kunming, a member of the commando team, asks Panda what's going on. Panda asks Magpie and then tells Kunming,

'It's time to receive some presents. He gives them to the ones who have been nice.'

Kunming says to Tiger, the master commando, with an amused tone, 'So Wolverine, who we met in Shenzhen, wouldn't receive any, if he was here!'

Then the Finns continue reassuring Joulupukki they know him with the help of the next line of the song,

'Oothan meille vanha tuttu, puuhkalakki, karvanuttu.'

and keep on singing further until they come to this point in the song,

'...vietä iltaa joukossamme täällä meidän riemunamme.

Tervetullut meille aina, käypä tänne, puuta paina.'

asking him to stay with them and to bring them joy.

Gigantic Joulupukki sees a chair next to the Christmas tree, which two elves have carried there. He lumbers to the chair and lays down the sack on the floor.

Next to the sack, there are some packages on the floor under the branches of the Christmas tree. They have been lying there for some time now, which still moments ago diverted the attention of Onni (6), Maria (7) and Emma (10) from the desserts to the packages. That's why they were going back and forth between their seats and the Christmas tree a bit earlier during the Christmas dinner to check if there are any presents with their names written on them. This excitement was so catchy that Leo (3) too, followed by Qi (3), Heng (5), Xudong (9), (the most active trio among the Chinese kids), joined them although none of them can read any Finnish. Susa (13), on the other hand, considers herself more grown-up and decides to stay in her seat even though she is feeling the urge building up in her to stand up and go to the Christmas tree, especially because a month ago she stated clearly what she wants for her Christmas present. The other kids, whether Chinese or Finnish, were too busy with their desserts or with their phones, to pay much attention to the presents.

Now that there was this familiar knock on the door, the older kids retreated back to their places. However, Leo, Qi and Heng, the youngest explorers, don't know enough about the situation and stay put around the Christmas tree. When they realise they've been deserted, they become petrified and frozen by the sight of this creature of a monstrous size, now standing by their side, and gather all their strength and shoot, like bullets, from the Christmas tree to their parents for safety. Leo peeks towards Joulupukki from under his mother's arm, Qi bursts out crying in her mother's lap, pressing her face against her mother's chest, and Heng asks his father, 'Shenme dongxi?' Xudong, however, approaches Joulupukki and greets him, 'Ni hao. Can you speak English?' and receives a surprising answer, 'Ni hao. shi de, wo ye shuo hanyu.' (I speak Chinese too.) Surprised, Xudong says 'Zaijian' and goes back to his place.

Then the chair squeaks under the heavy weight. Huge Joulupukki has sat down. Then he expresses his gratitude of being asked to stay a bit longer but explains the urgency of his business to go from Christmas fir tree to Christmas fir tree, by singing back to all present with these words,

'Kiitos, kiitos, kiltit lapset,...

The Finns, who would like to have him with them a bit longer, sing back,

'Joulupukki,...

A kitchen elf brings Joulupukki a glass of invigorating drink, which Joulupukki drinks. Then he wipes his beard with his left hand and expresses his gratitude by singing more of the song,

'Kiitos vaan nyt ...'

Joulupukki opens his sack and hands out some sweets to the kids. Then he asks Culturalph to assist him in handing out the gifts. The Chinese kids are the first ones to receive their gifts and then their parents. All of them sit down and put their gifts on the table but let them be untouched there, which amazes the Finns, the elves and the fine animals. Then Joulupukki gives the gifts to the others by still passing each gift with his left hand and then by shaking the receiver's right hand with his right hand, which is yet another matter to puzzle the Chinese.

After they have gone back to their places, they unwrap their gifts. The Chinese don't know whether they have to follow suit but are taken aback by seeing Onni's and Maria's gifts. To their amazement, Onni (6) has a broad smile on his face when he sees a brand new hunting knife and Maria (7) is pleased to see a wristwatch. Now the Chinese are feeling even more reluctant to unwrap their gifts.

They get horrified by their thought, 'What if I have a knife, or a watch, under the wrapping paper?'

And don't feel like opening their gifts at all.

The Finns starts exhorting them to unwrap so they do as they have been told. Luckily their reluctance turns into smiles because they receive toys, sweets and gift baskets of food. It seems Culturalph has enlightened the gift buyers in what to buy for the Chinese guests.

Finally everybody has received their gifts and it's time for Joulupukki to go to the next place to give presents there. So the Finns thank Joulupukki by singing the last verse of the song

'Kiitos sulle, ...'

Mrs Claus expresses the gratitude of everybody present to Joulupukki and walks him to the porch. Outside, Joulupukki climbs back on his sleigh and take the reins. Mrs Claus can see Joulupukki and the sleigh take off and disappear into the star-lit sky. From now on Christmas is all about enjoying the presents, sharing the joy, eating myriads of Christmas foods and delicacies (mostly chocolates made eg by such Finnish candy factories as Panda and Fazer), and just taking it easy for a day or two.

Shortie or Ccookie?

Check in Ccookie 7 why the word Joulupukki is used instead of Santa Claus here.