Santa descended the spiral staircase from his office, each step feeling heavier than the last. The workshop sprawled before him in all its chaotic glory—conveyor belts humming with toy production, elves darting between stations with practiced efficiency, the great Christmas magic generator thrumming in the center like a mechanical heart.
Word had spread quickly through the North Pole's underground network of gossip that ran faster than any reindeer. Elves stopped their work as Santa entered the main floor. Saw-dust hung in the air like frozen snow. The workshop fell silent—an eerie, unprecedented quiet that made Santa's chest ache.
Hundreds of pointed ears turned toward him. Hundreds of eyes filled with confusion, sadness, and something that looked dangerously like betrayal.
Santa raised his hand, and the few remaining whispers died. He took a breath, drawing on centuries of experience addressing crowds, though he'd never imagined he'd be saying goodbye to them like this.
"My friends," he began, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands. "I know this comes as a shock. Believe me, it's shocked me as well. But sometimes, even the best of things must change. Reginald Frostbottom has decided that my methods no longer align with the company's vision."
An elf in the front row—Tinselbranch, who'd worked in the doll department for seventy years—let out a small whimper.
"I want you to know that this is not your failure," Santa continued, his voice growing stronger. "Each of you has given everything to Christmas. You've made magic real, year after year. That won't change because I'm leaving. The spirit of Christmas lives in every single one of you."
He paused, looking across the sea of devastated faces. Part of him wanted to take it all back, to rage against the injustice, to fight for his position. But another part—the exhausted part that had been growing for years—simply wanted to rest.
"Continue your work," Santa said finally. "Make this Christmas the best one yet. Show Reginald what you're capable of. And remember... you don't need me to make Christmas magical. You never did."