Seo Jones had embarked on many adventures already. He has been incarcerated by a sect and had to watch a human turn into dust through the force of a link. But the things which were about to happen to him dwarfed all the other experiences he has had so far.
It was the 23rd of December. Anna Lytics, the assistant to the professor, packed her bag and slid into her winter coat. ‘Have a nice holiday, Professor’, she said. The linkologist was lost in thoughts and played with one of the Links he had found a few days ago in a cave in Norway. He barely looked up to her: ‘Same to you.’ The assistant was about to leave when she turned around once more. She contemplated, then she said: ‘As you know, I’ll have a few friends over for Christmas. You’re most welcome to join us. My potato salad is legendary.’ ‘Thanks’,he replied. ‘We’ll see.’
Seo Jones despised the Christmas holidays. When he was a kid his father would only give him a few Links as a present. He found them old and somewhat boring. Up to this day, he was still waiting for that bicycle with the swept banana saddle. If it hadn’t been for Grandma Father Christmas would have delivered no toys whatsoever to him. So Seo indulged in his daydreams as he starred at the candle that Anna Lytics had put on his desk. The hypnotising effect of the flickering flame soon set in and Seo Jones fell asleep at his desk.
A rumbling, banging noise woke him from his sleep with a jolt. ‘What the hell is going on?’, he protested grimly as he noticed some dust sprinkling into the fireplace. Seconds later the bearded face of a man appeared where the dust had settled. ‘Come on, give me a hand. I’m not getting younger, you know.’ Seo Jones did not comprehend what was going on. He took the man by his arm and pulled him out of the fireplace. ‘Thanks, Seo. I’m Father Christmas.’ The professor shook his head in disbelief. ‘Seems that you students are in dire need for some novel ideas.’ The man who was wearing a red cap, a red jacket and a red pair of trousers laughed. ‘I knew you’d say this. That’s why I’m here.’
During the following minutes Father Christmas tried to convince Seo Jones that he was neither a student nor an unskilled worker. But it was no use. Consequently, Father Christmas took Seo and pulled him toward the fireplace. Before the professor realised it, he was sitting in a reindeer sleigh which hovered in midair above the university. ‘Wow’, was the only thing the linkologist could say. He sat next to Father Christmas with his mouth widen open. Father Christmas grabbed the reins, then the sleigh started to fly off.
After a few seconds Seo found his tongue again and was at least able to utter a few words. ‘How did…what’s all this… you are Father Christmas?’ ‘Yes, Seo, I am Father Christmas’, the bearded man answered and flipped in the face of the linkologist. ‘Just so you don’t think you’re dreaming.’ ‘Ouch! Are you mad?’ A grin appeared on the face of Father Christmas. ‘It’s no fun anymore to flip in one’s face.’ They continued their journey above the town. There was no end to Seo’s astonishment. ‘Don’t you have some presents to give to the people?’, he inquired. Father Christmas looked at him. ‘We’ve outsourced that to external service providers. I’m more in charge of public relations. You know what I mean? Bring the magic of Christmas to the people. That kinda stuff.’
‘What’s that got do to with me?’, Seo wanted to know. Father Christmas stopped the sleigh. ‘You are one of those who don’t believe. That’s why I’m here.’ The bearded man looked Seo straight in the eyes. ‘You have lost your faith in me because you didn’t get that bicycle or the toy train for Christmas. But consider this: where would you be today had your father not given you the Links as a present? Maybe you’d be working as a bank clerk or a gardener. Those are great jobs, but you became a linkologist. The old Links your dad gave you are the basis of your success. You know the entire world yet you are ungrateful. All the same, you have kept the Links clean, just as your father showed you, and they’re still sitting on your shelf. So perhaps they were just the presents you had wished for secretly because you admire your Dad. Think about that one.’
At this moment, the sleigh continued the flight. Seo barely had the time to ponder about these words as Father Christmas padded him on the shoulder. ‘Look down there.’ A brightly illuminated community centre appeared beneath them, and the sound of people singing emerged from below. ‘These children can only dream of bicycles or toy trains for Christmas. They are not as lucky as you were back then.’ Father Christmas maneuvered the sleigh nearer the window. The children sat with their parents at the tables while eating bockwurst and potato salad. Small presents lay underneath a Christmas tree. ‘This festivity almost didn’t come off’, Father Christmas explained in an unusually serious tone. ‘You think you know the power of the Links? You know nothing, Seo. Many small Links have made a miracle come true. Suddenly, money and toys were donated because the Links had spread the message throughout the world. I call them Links for Charity.’
They continued to gaze through the windows for a while. Even after Father Christmas and Seo Jones had left to resume their journey, Seo kept thinking about the glow in the eyes of the children when they received their presents. ‘So I guess now you’re going to show me the Links of the future.’ Father Christmas laughed out broadly and nearly let go of the reins. ‘Think you read too many of Charles Dickens’ books, haven’t you? I don’t have a crystal ball, and I can’t see the future either. Try the Easter bunny. He bought a thing like that, and now he’s stuck with four tons of pink Easter egg colour because the ball told him that this would be the fashion nowadays. But as it turned out, everyone wanted just blue and red.’ On their way back to the university Seo and Father Christmas talked about everything under the sun. After they were back in the office Father Christmas said Good Bye: ‘Remember, the magic of Christmas doesn’t come in wrapping paper. It’s in the heard of the people. You have it, too, but it’s deeply hidden.’
A loud bang woke Seo Jones from his sleep. Some students were throwing snowballs at his window. ‘So it was only a dream’, Seo thought. He stretched, got up and noticed something glowing near the fireplace as the sun shone into the office: it was a bike with a swept banana saddle. Seo rubbed his eyes in amazement, motioned up to the bicycle and found a note attached to the handle bar. ‘Have fun with it. Hope the colour fits. Your friend, Father Christmas.’ The linkologist mounted the bike and shakily began to ride it across the corridors of the university, his face glowing with pride. And for the first time, he would have a go at Anna Lytic’s legendary potato salad, and he truly enjoyed a candle-lit Christmas with his assistant and her friends.