Illustration: Thomas Nast, Merry Old Santa Claus (1881), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Your turn! Tell the joke step by step with the key words only. Say each step aloud first, then click Show a model to compare and listen. You don't need all the details of the letters: tell the story your way, but don't forget to mention the presents the workers bought… without the gloves! When you can do all 6 steps without the models, film yourself (check the assessment grid first).
1Set the scene
Christmas timethe post officesorting the lettersgot the attention
It was Christmas time, and the workers at the post office were sorting through the letters from the children that were addressed to Santa Claus.
And one of the letters really got the attention of one of the workers.
2Tommy's letter: the coat and the hat
a good boypoorIf I had…, I would…make fun ofembarrassed
It said: “Dear Santa Claus, I've been a good boy all year long, but my family is really poor,
and if I had a warm coat, I would be able to play outside, and I'd be able to keep warm at home because our house is really cold.
And if I had a warm hat, my ears wouldn't get all red, and the kids wouldn't make fun of me.
Oh, I'm so embarrassed, the kids always make fun of me and laugh at my red ears.
3Tommy's letter: the gloves and the video game
I wish I had…firewoodfreezea video gameLove, Tommy
And I wish I had a pair of gloves to keep my hands warm, because I have to help my parents get firewood for the fire, and my hands just freeze.
If I had a good pair of gloves, I wouldn't be so cold and frozen.
And I would really like a video game, too. If I had a video game, I'd be able to talk about it with all the other kids. I'd be so happy.
Merry Christmas, Santa. Love, Tommy.”
4The collection
sounded so poorhis colleaguesgive some moneyeighty dollarsa coat, a hat, a video game
Well, this boy sounded so poor and unhappy that the worker went and sought his colleagues,
and they all decided to give some money.
Each one gave a dollar, five dollars, ten dollars. And they got about eighty dollars and bought…
…a nice warm coat for this boy, a nice warm hat, and a video game. And they sent it to his house for Christmas.
5The thank-you letter
after Christmaswonderful presentsI didn't use to…used tonot… anymore
So after Christmas, they received a letter addressed to Santa Claus from little Tommy.
It says: “Dear Santa Claus, thank you for all the wonderful presents. I love the warm winter coat.
I didn't use to play outside because I was so cold,
but now I do, and I just love it.
I love the nice wool hat. It's perfect.
My ears used to get all red, and I used to be so embarrassed when the boys made fun of me.
But they don't do that anymore, and I'm really happy.
I also want to thank you for the video game.
I used to imagine how great it would be to play,
and now I know.
6The punchline
unfortunatelythe glovesI guessincompetent losersstole
Unfortunately, I didn't get the gloves.
I guess those incompetent losers at the post office stole them.”