How tech saved Christmas

‘Twas the month before Christmas, and at the North Pole Santa Claus was busy preparing for the most magical night of the year. The toy workshop was bustling with cheerful elves crafting toys, wrapping gifts, and making sure everything was just right for Christmas Eve. But amidst all the festive activity, Santa had something on his mind. 

Santa’s mum, Mrs. Claus, lived in a cosy little cottage nestled in the snowy hills. Santa loved his mum dearly and is always careful to check in with her regularly, even when he’s busy. But lately, he’d noticed she wasn’t quite herself. She had taken a few falls recently, and although she always brushed it off with a smile, Santa could tell she wasn’t as strong as she used to be. 

One chilly evening, as Santa sipped hot cocoa in his office, he stared out at the twinkling stars, feeling a sense of worry settle on his heart. He couldn’t be there all the time, not while the workshop needed him to get ready for Christmas. Surely, there had to be a way to make sure she was safe and cared for. 

Determined to find a solution, Santa called his mum’s GP and social work team to setup an appointment at the Health Centre to discuss her care. The timing wasn’t ideal – Christmas preparations were in full swing - but what choice did he have?  

“Santa” Dr. Pineberry said, “why don’t we set up virtual appointments using Near Me? This way, you can join your mum’s healthcare visits without leaving the workshop.” 

Santa’s eyes lit up brighter than Rudolph’s nose “That’s brilliant!” he exclaimed, his booming laugh echoing through the room.  

The following day, with a few quick taps on his tablet, Santa opened the Near Me website to join the online appointment and made a quick call to his mum to guide her through the process. Now, everything was ready. Mrs. Claus sat comfortably in her favourite chair by the fire. She smiled when she saw Santa’s face appear on the screen.

Dr. Pineberry, and a kind social worker, also joined the call. "Hello, Mrs. Claus! What brings you here you today?" he asked, his voice gentle and warm. 

As the conversation unfolded, Santa felt a great sense of relief. Through Near Me, he could virtually sit by his mum during her appointments, ensuring she received the care she needed while still overseeing the Christmas preparations.

Meanwhile, the Social Worker got to work arranging extra support for Mrs. Claus. And Santa was able to turn his focus back to the toys and his jolly little helpers.  

Two nights had passed since Santa’s virtual call with his mum’s GP and Social Worker. He is still amazed by the wonders of using Near Me – “It’s so much better than taking the sleigh to the doctor’s office,” he said. The reindeer agreed; the sleigh has been feeling heavier than usual. Might have something to do with all those extra mince pies Santa has been sneaking during his late nights. 

To help Santa keep an eye on his mum’s daily routines, a magical lifestyle-checking system was installed by Social Work. Discreet movement sensors and door sensors, no bigger than a bauble, were placed around Mrs. Claus’s home. There was one by the front door to count her daily walks to feed the reindeer, another by her winter wonderland themed bedroom and even one on the cupboard where Mrs Claus kept her hot chocolate stash. 

These magical sensors kept track of Mrs. Claus’s movements as she went about her day. From devouring a stack of pancakes at breakfast to wrapping presents to indulging in a Hallmark Christmas movie marathon, her schedule was jam packed. Between naughty-and-nice list updates, Santa would sneak a glance at the system on his phone to check on her. It gave him comfort to see his mum was up and keeping busy. 

But one snowy evening, Santa peeked at his phone and furrowed his brow at what he saw. Mrs. Claus had been visiting the bathroom far more often than usual – almost as frequently as Dasher checked the reindeer’s carrot stash! Could something be amiss? And then there was her peculiar meal schedule. She’d have breakfast at 7 o’clock but wouldn’t eat anything else until 3 in the afternoon. Santa imagined her tummy grumbling louder than Rudolph’s nose glows on a foggy night. 

Aha! Santa realised; her late lunches coincided with his daily call to check in on her. “She must forget to eat until I remind her!” 

Santa made a mental note to call the Dr Pineberry to check if a pesky UTI was the cause of the frequent bathroom visits, and to find a meal reminder to keep his mum on track. 

Overall, Santa was satisfied that Mrs Claus was doing well and still spreading her festive cheer. Santa tucked away his phone and snuck back to the workshop – hoping the head Elf, Cinnamon, hadn’t noticed his disappearance. 

Relieved and reassured, Santa dived back into his work, humming a merry tune under his breath. 

The very next day, as Santa sipped his morning cocoa and thought about his mum’s check-up, a thought crossed his mind. “Maybe I should get a once over with the trusty Dr. Pineberry too! I’ll need to be in my best shape to get round the world in just one day” he exclaimed.

With that, Santa bundled up in his red jacket and made his way to the North Pole clinic.  

Unfortunately, it seems all those years of mince pies and hot chocolate have caught up with Santa. “Your blood pressure is too high, and it wouldn’t hurt to shed a few pounds” Dr. Pineberry declared.  

“What!?” Santa gasped. Mince pies were his favourite. How would he manage to cut back on his treats and busy workshop schedule. Christmas Eve is only weeks away. 

Thankfully, Dr Pineberry had a solution. “Don’t worry, Santa. We’ll get you set up with Connect Me, a magical health monitoring system. It will let you track your blood pressure remotely – no need to pause your Christmas preparations. It’s as easy as sending a text – or even using a landline phone!” 

The doctor handed Santa a shiny new blood pressure monitor. “All you have to do is check your blood pressure twice a day and send me the results.” 

Over the next few weeks, Santa stuck to the plan. He diligently checked his blood pressure every morning and evening, sending his readings through Connect Me. After a while, he had a follow up with Dr. Pineberry using Near Me. The results were nothing short of miraculous – his blood pressure had gone down and weight had been lost! 

Santa was delighted and more energised than ever. “I’m a lean mean, present giving machine!” he chuckled.

Santa couldn’t wait for the twenty fourth, he promised to himself that he would stick to his diet - even on Christmas Eve. With his health in check, he felt confident this would be the best Christmas yet.    

With Christmas fast approaching and after managing to get his blood pressure under control, Santa found his festive cheer returning. Now, he was eager to find new and magical ways to ensure his mum stays safe and happy at home. 

Whenever Santa stopped by to visit his mum, he loved to see the sparkle in her eyes when she answered the door. On the phone, though, their conversations were often brief – Mrs Claus simply didn’t have much to say. Also, it wasn’t easy for Santa to show off his latest inventions. Her nimble fingers could knit scarves warm enough for Jack Frost himself, but were useless when it came to touchscreen phones and tablets, so video calls were impossible. 

But then, one foggy Christmas eve, Rudolph came to say “Alexa, turn on the lights and play Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer.” To Santa’s surprise, the room instantly brightened, and Gene Autry’s voice burst from a nearby speaker. 

“Rudolph!” Santa exclaimed. “What sort of magic is this?” 

The clever reindeer grinned and shared the wonders of Amazon’s Alexa device. He explained how it could play music, tell jokes, read audiobooks, provide weather updates, and even open & close blinds. Most importantly, Alexa could help Santa video call Mrs Claus without her needing to lift a finger – a particularly handy feature for a man who spends Christmas Eve flying around the world. 

Santa twinkled with excitement, “I can check on Mum anytime, even while delivering presents!” 

But Rudolph wasn’t done. With Alexa’s help, Santa could set reminders for Mrs Claus to eat her lunch, take her medication, or whip up her super-secret hot chocolate recipe whenever the workshop’s supply ran low. If the elves ran out of hot chocolate, chaos would surely ensue! 

Santa set up Alexa in Mrs. Claus’s cosy North Pole home that very night. The results were magical. Santa’s mum quickly grew to love her new device, always chatting away to Alexa. And when Santa wanted to drop in, he simply used the Alexa app on his phone to start a video call. 

With another item checked off his holiday to-do list, Santa felt a great sense of relief. He could now focus on spreading Christmas cheer, knowing his mum was well cared for. Thanks to Alexa, her home was now filled with music and the occasional reindeer joke.  

In her cosy, snow-covered cottage deep in the heart of the North Pole, Mrs. Claus was quietly sipping a cup of hot cocoa by the fireplace while Alexa played The Greatest Christmas hits. The soft glow of the fire danced on the walls, and the scent of gingerbread cookies filled the air. But even in the warmth of her home, Mrs. Claus couldn’t shake the worry that had been on her mind. You see, her days of bustling around the North Pole were not as easy as they used to be.

There had been a few times recently when she'd stumbled or tripped, and though she always managed to get back up, the fear of falling again kept her up at night.  She decided she had to speak to Santa about her concern. 

Santa told his mum "I too have been thinking about that, and I have arranged another special gift for you.”  Just then an elf named Twinkle knocked on the door and handed Mrs. Claus a small red button. 

"This is a special kind of magic," Twinkle explained with a wink. "It’s called Telecare, and it’s your new best friend. Whenever you need help, just press your new red button, and you'll get the support you need right away." 

Mrs. Claus raised an eyebrow. "What kind of magic is this, Twinkle?" 

Twinkle smiled and pointed to a shimmering box on the coffee table. "This button is connected to the Highland Hub, a magical place where the kindest elves keep watch over you. If you ever need help, they’ll be there, ready to assist. It’s like having your very own team of helpers, just a button press away." 

"That sounds wonderful," Mrs. Claus said, feeling a little lighter already. "Thank you, Twinkle." 

The next day, as Mrs. Claus went about her usual chores — baking cookies, wrapping presents, and organizing the Christmas lists — she couldn’t help but feel reassured by the red button she wore on her wrist. 

The next afternoon, while Mrs. Claus was picking up some fallen pinecones outside, she slipped on the icy ground. For a moment, panic rose in her chest, but then she remembered the red button. With a quick press, she heard a warm, calming voice come through the speaker of the shiny box. 

“Hello, Mrs. Claus, how are you? We’ve received an alert from your Telecare system. Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine, thank you,” Mrs. Claus said with a relieved smile. “Just a little slip. But I appreciate the quick response. You elves really are magical.” 

“We’re always here for you,” the voice from the Hub responded kindly. “We’ve notified Santa and your responders, and they’ll be with you shortly. Is there anything else you need right now?” 

Mrs. Claus laughed softly. “Just some time to catch my breath and a cup of cocoa. Thank you, dear elves.” 

Within moments, Santa appeared, followed by a couple of helpful elves and a sled full of blankets and warm drinks. Mrs. Claus felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. Thanks to the red button, she knew she could always stay safe — no matter what the day might bring.  

On Christmas Eve, Santa was more relaxed than he had been in years. With all this new technology, he could check in on his mum, keep track of his own health, and still get the toy deliveries done on time. The stress had melted away, and the magic of Christmas shone brighter than ever. 

As Santa climbed into his sleigh, ready for his global journey, he felt grateful for the tech that made everything possible. He could focus on the joy of the season knowing that his mum was safe, and he was taking care of himself too. 

And so, with the help of technology, Santa was able to deliver Christmas—and save it too—proving that sometimes, a little help from the right tools can make the magic happen.