Haven i Jerne

When Lystig woke up the next morning in his little hidden burrow, the world had transformed. Snow was gently falling from the sky, and the garden lay blanketed in a pristine white sheet. Everything looked peaceful and magical, and Lystig couldn’t help but smile. The Christmas spirit was truly beginning to settle in.

He glanced up at Fjære, who was still sleeping in a small nest of moss she had built in a nearby tree. Her tiny feathers rose and fell gently with each breath. Lystig watched her for a moment; she had been an indispensable helper, and today they would need all her ingenuity.

But the snow also brought new challenges. The lights now needed to be placed in a way that wouldn’t let the snow cover them but also discreet enough not to arouse human suspicion. Lystig stood up, brushed the snow off his boots, and began planning the day’s work.

Fjære woke up with a little start and stretched her wings. “Good morning, Lystig,” she said with a sleepy smile. “Are we ready for today’s adventure?”

“We are,” Lystig replied with a twinkle in his eye. “But look around. We’ve got snow! It makes everything more beautiful but also a bit trickier.”

Fjære flew up to a branch and gazed out over the garden. “Oh, it’s wonderful!” she said, almost dancing in the air. “But you’re right. We’ll need to be extra careful now. The snow could reveal our tracks if the humans take a closer look.”

Lystig nodded seriously. “Exactly. We need to be quick and strategic. Let’s start with the large spruce bush next to the greenhouse. It’s dense enough to hide the lights but tall enough that the snow won’t completely cover them.”

They got to work, with Fjære flying ahead to keep watch. Lystig carefully balanced his sack of lights as he navigated through the snow. Whenever he left footprints, he quickly covered them with a small branch he had found.

At the spruce bush, Lystig began setting up the first lights. He wrapped them around the branches, making sure the wires were well hidden. Fjære helped by gathering small twigs and moss to cover the wires, making them less visible.

“This is going to be amazing,” Lystig said, stepping back to admire their work. “But we need to move on. We’ve got plenty more to decorate.”

They worked diligently all morning. The snow continued to fall, but Lystig didn’t mind. In fact, it added an extra layer of Christmas cheer, and he began humming an old elf song as he worked.

Suddenly, they heard a sound. Fjære froze and quickly flew up to a high branch. “Lystig, watch out! The humans are coming.”

Lystig hurriedly hid behind a pile of firewood, peeking toward the house. A small boy in a big winter coat came running into the garden with a sled. He laughed and played in the snow, dragging the sled behind him.

“It’s just the child,” Fjære whispered as she flew down to Lystig. “He won’t see you. But we’ll have to wait until he goes back inside.”

Lystig nodded and stayed hidden, watching the boy. He couldn’t help but smile. Even though he had to remain out of sight, he enjoyed seeing the joy the snow brought. It reminded him of why he worked so hard to create the perfect Christmas lights. It was for moments like these – moments that brought joy and magic to everyone.

After a while, the boy headed back toward the house, and the garden fell quiet again. Fjære flew back to Lystig. “All clear! We can continue now.”

They worked on through the day, decorating several more trees and bushes in the garden. As dusk fell and darkness began to settle, Lystig and Fjære were nearly finished with the day’s tasks.

“Shall we try turning on some of the lights?” Fjære asked excitedly.

Lystig hesitated for a moment. “We can, but only briefly. We need to make sure everything works, but we can’t risk being discovered.”

With a careful hand, Lystig switched on the lights they had placed in the spruce bush. A warm, golden glow spread through the snow-covered garden, illuminating the bush beautifully. Fjære gasped in delight.

“It’s incredible, Lystig!” she said. “Imagine the whole garden like this on Christmas Eve!”

Lystig smiled proudly and turned the lights off again. “We’re off to a great start, Fjære. But there’s still much work to be done.”

With the day’s tasks completed, they retreated to their hideout to plan their next steps. The snow continued to fall gently, and Lystig felt that the Christmas spirit was truly beginning to take shape.