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Grandpas Anagram Christmas
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Tim Collings
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SYNOPSIS
Peter and Jenny have to find their Christmas presents by working out anagrams which their Grandpa has given them.
When Christmas comes around, Peter and Jenny nearly always go to Grandpa´s and Grandma´s.
They travel there by car, with Mum and Dad in the front and Peter and Jenny sat in the back, they always try and think of what surprise Grandpa has in store.
Grandma always lays on a big Christmas dinner with a lovely roast turkey and all the trimmings, followed by a huge Christmas pudding with oodles of brandy butter and cream.
The family all play games at Christmas, various friends and neighbours come and go just to wish a Merry Christmas and have the odd glass of sherry, it´s all very exciting.
The house is adorned with decorations and a big Christmas tree which is covered with tinsel and baubles.
On arrival they are greeted at the door by Grandpa and Grandma, there´s hugs and kisses all round.
Mum and Dad bring presents for everyone, they are placed under the Christmas tree with all the others but to Peter and Jenny´s surprise there doesn´t seem to be any for them.
Now, the reason being, Grandpa has organised something special for them both.
"I can see you two are a bit surprised, fear not, for you will have to hunt for your presents yourselves." explained Grandpa.
"Rather than physical clues it will all be about 'Anagrams'.
"Do you know what anagrams are and can you work them out?" asked Grandpa.
"I think so," said Jenny. "Isn´t it when you have jumbled words that when rearranged spell out the answer?"
"That´s correct," said Grandpa. "This will be your first clue, when you have worked it out the answer will lead you to something that will reveal next clue, there are six altogether so best get cracking."
Grandpa handed Peter and Jenny a slip of paper on it were the words, 'A CLASS AUNT'
Peter and Jenny thought for a moment.
"I assume it must be a Christmas theme?" Jenny asked Grandpa.
"Maybe, maybe not." Grandpa replied.
"Not giving to much away then Grandpa." said Peter.
"Nope, it´s all up to you now." said Grandpa.
Grandpa disappeared out of the room leaving Peter and Jenny to think.
"So we have three A´s and two S´s, so maybe we have two words, try A and S together or S and A together, a Christmas word starting with SA."
"I know, I know", said Peter all excited. "Santa".
"Oh yeah, Santa, take out Santa from A CLASS AUNT, what´s left, CASUL which spells Claus." said Jenny feeling rather chuffed.
"Santa Claus", they shouted in unison.
"Santa Claus must hold the next clue, is it the Santa on the dresser in the dining room, let´s go take a look." said Peter.
Peter and Jenny rushed off to see, and there resting in the brim of Santa´s hat was another slip of paper, on it read the words, 'SPICE MINE'.
"Hum, Spice Mine, I wonder what this could be." said Peter.
"Yes Spice mine, let´s think what have we got here."
Jenny looked at the clue. "We have mice, pine, niece, nice, I don´t think it´s any of those they don´t sound Christmas, do they?" Jenny said.
There was a silent pause as they both thought.
"Did you say pine?" Peter asked.
"Yes, why?" replied Jenny.
"Well, what about pie, you get Christmas pies." said Peter.
"So you do, ok take out pie from SPICE MINE and you are left with SCMINE." said Jenny.
"What sort of pie could that be then?" asked Peter.
"Wait, hold on, I´ve got it, I´ve got it, take out the S and make PIES and you have left?" Jenny paused for a moment waiting to see if Peter could get the answer.
"I got it, mince, MINCE PIES," Peter shouted. "Oh brilliant, well done."
"Mince pies, well I think the mince pies must be in the kitchen, don´t you?" Jenny asked.
"Most definitely," said Peter "let´s go take a look."
Off to the kitchen they went, Grandma greeted them both as they burst through the door.
"And what can I do for you two then?" asked Grandma.
"Have you any mince pies?" Peter asked.
"Who wants to know?" Grandma asked.
"We do, who else do you think?" said Jenny.
"I thought maybe your Grandpa had put you up to it, he´s always after the mince pies." Grandma explained.
"No, no it´s for us, it´s in the clue, the anagram, the next clue should be in with the mince pies." said Peter.
"Oh I see, well you'd best look in that round blue tin, over there on the shelf." said Grandma.
Peter dragged a chair over to the shelf so he could reach to take it down and when they opened the tin there inside, laying on top of the mince pies, was another slip of paper with words, 'PEN RESTS'.
"Hum, Pen Rests, what do you think for this one?" Jenny asked, looking puzzled.
"Well, we have two S´s and two E´s, is it two words or maybe it´s plural, you know, words ending in S." said Peter.
"Ok then, try ST or PR, PRE PRES." said Jenny trying to spell out the answer.
"Yes, PRES.......ENTS, presents, pen rests, Presents!" shouted Peter.
"Oh, this all too easy."
"Easy, easy, easy." they both began to chant.
"The next clue must be somewhere with the presents under the Christmas tree" said Peter, "let´s go and look".
So off they went and there, sure enough, was another slip of paper which read, 'SCORING EARLS'.
"Oh," said Jenny, "I think we spoke to soon, this looks a little more difficult."
They thought for a few moments, arranging the letters as before, two S´s two R´s, nothing was coming.
"Snails, wouldn´t be that, ear rings, wouldn´t be that, looks like we´re a bit stuck." said Peter.
"No wait, I think.......... Yes, what about sing." said Jenny.
"Oh yeah, sing, singsong, singing, singers, try singers." said Peter.
"Singers, what does that leave, C O R A L, oh look Carol, CAROL SINGERS." said Jenny all pleased with herself.
"Well done," said Peter "but carol singers! There aren´t any carol singers to have the next clue.
"That is a very good point," said Jenny "Where are we going to find some carol singers, I don´t suppose there any outside in the street."
"So there must be something in the house that has carol singers, but what?" Peter asked.
"I know, what about Grandpa´s CD collection, maybe there is one with carol singers on it." said Jenny.
"Ok let´s go take a look," said Peter, making his way over to the CD rack.
They both thumbed their way through all of the CD´s but found nothing.
"Well, I can´t see anything here, can you?" Jenny asked.
"Nope, nothing here." said Peter.
Peter and Jenny sat back on the sofa looking around the room thinking.
Suddenly Jenny, out of the corner of her eye, noticed all the Christmas cards that had been displayed on the mantel piece above the fire, and there on the end was a card with the picture of some carol singers in the snow.
Jenny jumped up, "Look, carol singers." she shouted.
"Where?" Peter asked, expecting to them coming down the garden path.
"Here, look on this card, carol singers!"
Jenny took down the card from the mantel piece and there inside was another slip of paper.
"Now that was clever of Grandpa, it seems it´s not that easy after all." said Peter. "What´s the next anagram, Jenny?"
Jenny read the anagram, "RIGHT STEEL"
"Ok, here we go again, what do you make of this one?"
"Two T´s, two E´s and one S, it could be plural again." said Peter.
"Well it seems a bit obvious to me but if you change the R for the L you get 'LIGHT'. said Jenny.
"Ok, so what have we left, R E S T E." said Peter.
"Steer light, light steer, can´t be that, oh hang on you said could be plural, so 'LIGHTS', leaves R E T E, which spells?" Jenny asked.
"TREE," shouted Peter, "TREE LIGHTS."
"Right, off to the tree." said Jenny.
"Ah but which tree?" said Peter asking the question. "There is one in the house and one in the garden."
"So there is." Jenny replied.
"But knowing our Grandpa you can bet he´s gone for the one outside."
So outside they both went, hoping to find the next clue.
For in the front garden there stands a tall fir tree that Grandpa decorates with tree lights every year.
Looking carefully at the string of lights that wrapped the tree, Peter and Jenny find another slip of paper hanging from one of the bulbs.
"This must be it." said Peter, taking it from the tree.
And sure enough on it were the words, 'GASP!!! A RAG GARDEN'.
"Gasp, a rag garden." said Jenny. "That looks very strange and very hard, don´t you think?"
"Hum, I see what you mean." said Peter.
After some serious thinking, neither Peter nor Jenny could make any sense of the clue.
"Anything?" Peter asked.
"Nope, not a thing," replied Jenny "do you think it may not be a Christmas thing?"
"Well it´s quite likely as they all have been so far, maybe it´s a bit of a trick." said Peter.
"Well I can only see, 'edge', 'rage' and 'spade' but I don´t really think it is any of them, do you?" Jenny asked.
"Do you know what?" said Peter.
"What?" replied Jenny.
"I think we are well and truly stumped and need Grandma´s help, she won´t tell Grandpa." said a sneaky Peter.
So back to the kitchen they both went and in through the door they burst, once more.
"Grandma, we need your help." Peter said with some urgency.
"Oh dear are you in trouble?" asked Grandma.
"No, no, nothing like that, we just need some help with one of Grandpa´s anagrams, it´s proving to be a little difficult." said Jenny.
"Well, come on then let´s have a look at what you´ve got." said Grandma.
Peter showed his Grandma the slip of paper with the clue.
"Gasp a rag garden, hum, sounds like one of your Grandpa´s daft ideas, anagram you say?"
"Yes that´s right, we can´t see anything." said Peter.
"Now is it anything to do with Christmas or not, that would be a big help?" asked Grandma.
"Well, so far, all the clues have been to do with Christmas but this one I don´t think so." Jenny replied.
"Well in that case I can see something that may help you both, it maybe what you are looking for." said Grandma.
"So what is that?" they asked.
"Can you see Grandpa in the clue?" said Grandma.
They both studied the anagram for a moment, then Jenny said excitedly, "Yes, yes I can, what does that leave?"
"Wait, wait it´s umm, A S G A R E G." Peter blurted out.
Grandma thought for a moment again.
"I think I know the answer," she said with a smile. "Let´s say it´s Grandpa´s, Grandpa with an S, so take out the S. There I´ve given you a little clue to see if you can get the rest, the second word begins with G."
Peter and Jenny thought, they jumbled the letters about, suddenly Jenny shouts.
"I´ve got it, I´ve got it, I´ve got it, it`s garage, Grandpa´s garage."
"Oh well done," said Grandma. "You had best go and see what´s in Grandpa´s garage."
Very excited Peter and Jenny made their way outside to the garage and on opening the big wooden doors there in the corner were two huge Christmas stockings brimming with presents, one stocking was labelled Merry Christmas Peter and on the other Merry Christmas Jenny.
"Oh that was really good, Grandpa´s games are brilliant." said Jenny.
"They sure are." relied Peter.
The only thing left now was that they just couldn´t wait for Christmas morning to come, so they could open all their presents.
The End
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