Christmas Countdown Day 4

Operation Hot Chocolate: Attempt #2

The Glitter Glitch Incident

By Thursday morning, the Chaos Four had convinced themselves that last night’s fiasco didn’t really count as a failure.

Peppermint insisted it was “just a warm-up.”

Joe muttered something about recalibrating.

Buttercup brought snacks because she had no faith in anything going according to plan.

Mason showed up with a dangerous sparkle in his eyes, which meant explosives were involved.

Today’s Attempt #2 Plan:

Create a small distraction to keep Bob the Bulky Guard busy while Peppermint and Joe slip into Santa’s private kitchen.

Just a little glitter bomb.

Nothing wild.

Nothing catastrophic.

Absolutely nothing that would require North Pole emergency protocols.

(They lied to themselves beautifully.)

They hid behind a stack of wrapped presents while Mason prepped the “device”—a gumdrop, a cracked ornament, and enough glitter to haunt this place for the next 50 years.

Buttercup whispered, “If this goes sideways again, I’m quitting and becoming a mall elf.”

Peppermint crossed her fingers.

Joe rolled his shoulders like he was entering a McGyver showdown.

Mason lit the fuse.

Except… instead of exploding gracefully in the hallway like a distraction cloud—

The glitter bomb shot across the workshop

Hit the conveyor belt

And triggered the Gingerbread Release Button.

Suddenly the North Pole was flooded with 1,000 tiny gingerbread men sprinting for freedom, shouting their high-pitched battle cries:

“FROST US IF YOU DARE!”

Chaos.

Complete.

Holiday.

Anarchy.

Bob the Bulky Guard rushed in, bellowing,

“NOT AGAIN! WHO DID THIS?!”

Joe yanked Peppermint behind a giant nutcracker.

Buttercup tried to look innocent while covered in glitter, which was impossible.

Mason whispered, “10/10. Would do again.”

They escaped with their lives…

But not with the hot chocolate.

Attempt #2:

Failed spectacularly.

Morale still weirdly high.

Banned from glitter-based devices until further notice.