Rosamund Pike - Merry Christmas Blue Kangaroo CBeebies Bedtime Stories

Hello, I'm Rosamund.

I love Christmas. Do you?

It's just a wonderful time of year, isn't it?

I love the tree and all the sparkly lights and the decorations

and all the yummy food, and the rustling,

and the giving and receiving of gifts.

And tonight's bedtime story is about a very special Christmas gift.

Would you like to hear about it?

Great.

This story is called Merry Christmas, Blue Kangaroo!

by Emma Chichester Clark.

Blue Kangaroo belonged to Lily.

He was her very own kangaroo and it was his first Christmas.

"Look", whispered Lily,

"it's snowing -

"just for you, Blue Kangaroo."

Lily made her own Christmas cards.

She drew robins and holly

and she stuck stars on them.

"I've made one for everyone," she said,

"and one just for you, Blue Kangaroo."

"Just for me?" thought Blue Kangaroo.

"I wish I could make one for Lily."

The next day, Lily and her mother made Christmas decorations.

They cut up coloured paper and stuck it with glue.

"It's going to be so pretty," cried Lily,

"and it's just for you, Blue Kangaroo!"

"And for you." said her mother.

In the afternoon, Uncle George and Lily's father

brought home the Christmas tree.

"It's Blue Kangaroo's first Christmas, Uncle George."

"Well, then," said Uncle George.

"here's a treat just for you, Blue Kangaroo."

"Just for me?" thought Blue Kangaroo.

"What will I do with a tree?"

The next day, Lily and her mother wrapped up presents.

"I hope you're not looking,

"because this one's just for you, Blue Kangaroo." said Lily.

Lily helped put the presents under the tree.

"Just for me?" thought Blue Kangaroo.

"I wish I had one for Lily."

Later on, Aunt Jemima and Aunt Florence came.

Aunt Jemima brought mince pies

and Aunt Florence brought gingerbread men.

"One for you, Lily, and one for your little brother.

"And this one is just for you, Blue Kangaroo," said Aunt Florence.

"Just for me?" thought Blue Kangaroo.

"It's just like me!"

Lily's grandparents arrived in the evening.

"It's Blue Kangaroo's first Christmas," said Lily.

Everyone sang carols around the tree

and then Lily sang one all by herself.

"Just for you, Blue Kangaroo!"

"Just for me?" thought Blue Kangaroo.

"I wish I could sing for Lily."

Before bed, Lily hung up her stocking.

"Do you think Father Christmas will come?" she asked.

"He'll come when you're fast asleep." said her mother.

"Good night, Blue Kangaroo." whispered Lily.

And she closed her eyes tight.

But Blue Kangaroo lay wide-eyed through the night.

-Suddenly, there was a funny noise.

-BELLS JINGLE

Blue Kangaroo's whiskers bristled.

His ears tingled.

"Is it Father Christmas?" he wondered.

A big, yellow moon was shining through the house

and everything was quiet.

-Then he heard it again.

-BELLS JINGLE

"It must be Father Christmas." thought Blue Kangaroo.

"Perhaps he can help me?"

Blue Kangaroo waited.

The noises got louder,

then crashing,

and bomp!

"Father Christmas?" he whispered.

"What can I do for you,

"little Blue Kangaroo?" asked Father Christmas.

"Well, Lily says everything is just for me,

"but I want something just for her

"and I haven't got anything." said Blue Kangaroo, sadly.

"Has she been good?" asked Father Christmas.

"Oh, yes!" said Blue Kangaroo.

"Then you might just find something in my sack." said Father Christmas.

"Have a look."

Blue Kangaroo looked and he found something

just exactly right.

Father Christmas wrote a label for Blue Kangaroo,

so that he could hang his present on the tree.

Then they had some milk and cookies.

"Good night, Blue Kangaroo." said Father Christmas.

"Lily is a lucky girl,

"to have such a good kangaroo as you."

In the morning, Lily ran downstairs with Blue Kangaroo.

She found that there were three stockings

hanging on the mantelpiece.

"Look!" said Lily.

"It says, just for you,

"my good friend, Blue Kangaroo,

"from Father Christmas.

"How did that happen?" she asked.

Then Lily noticed something else.

"Look!" she said.

"A little blue heart on the Christmas tree.

"That wasn't there yesterday.

"Who can it be for?"

The little blue heart had a ribbon,

with a tiny Christmas card tied onto it.

Lily read the message out loud.

It said, "Just for you, Lily.

"With love from Blue Kangaroo.

"Oh, Blue Kangaroo!" whispered Lily,

hugging him tight.

"Just for me, from you!"

"Yes," thought Blue Kangaroo, happily.

"Just for you, Lily.

"Merry Christmas."

That story was called Merry Christmas, Blue Kangaroo!

I felt really happy when Lily got her present from Blue Kangaroo.

Did you?

Now it's time for you to snuggle down under your cosy bed covers

and have sweet, Christmassy dreams.

Night, night.

SNORING