My dear girls and boys! You may be wondering what on earth this strange name means: 'The Sweet Forest'? The answer is hidden right in the name. In this forest, alongside ordinary trees, grow sugar-cube birches with marshmallow leaves, flowers where the pollen is sweet jam, biscuit trees, and so much more than I could possibly list. And the residents of this forest are unusual too: they can talk, invent things and, of course, be friends. But come now, friends, let's get to know them a little better. So, welcome to the Sweet Forest!
Even though the Sweet Forest was unusual, and sweets grew there, the seasons still followed one another just as they do in an ordinary forest.
Toby Bear, one of the residents of the Sweet Forest, wished with all his heart to see the winter, celebrate New Year and receive a present from Father Christmas. But how? Every year, his whole family slept soundly through this time.
You know how much I want to see the winter and dance around the Christmas tree, Toby sighed and complained, receive a present from Father Christmas...
And what's stopping you from celebrating New Year with us? asked his best friend, a little squirrel named Zippy.
But I sleep through winter, Zippy! Stop laughing! the little bear protested, nearly in tears.
I'm not laughing. We'll set an alarm clock for you, and we'll celebrate this New Year together!
Really?
Really, really. You'd better learn a poem. Ask my sister, she has a whole book of New Year poems, said Zippy cheerfully. You can recite it for Father Christmas at the Christmas tree.
Toby was so happy, so delighted, that he learned no fewer than three poems, and every morning he recited them to his mum and dad.
Summer passed, autumn raced by like a ginger squirrel, and winter arrived, creeping in like a snow leopard on soft paws.
The alarm clock did wake little Toby, but Zippy, instead of setting it for the evening, set it for the morning.
Where's Father Christmas, the tree, the dancing, the presents? Toby gazed at the snow in surprise. Are the presents under those white pillows?
Oh, silly, Zippy laughed, it's morning now, all that happens tonight. And those aren't pillows out there, it's snow.
Snow?
Yes, snow! Let's go and play!
What can you even play in winter? Toby was very surprised.
You're kidding! Zippy was even more surprised. In winter, you know, it's such fun! Let's go sledding down the hill first!
All morning the friends went sledding, running home only for lunch before heading straight back outside. And there was snowball fighting, ice skating, skiing! The friends even built a couple of snowmen. There were only a couple of hours left until New Year.
Very soon, Toby smiled, very soon.
He sat down on a little stool to rest, but before he knew it, he had fallen fast asleep, and neither his friends nor the alarm clock could wake him.
At the Christmas tree, the animals took turns reciting their poems to Father Christmas.
But where is Toby? I saw in my crystal ball how badly he wanted to come to the tree, said Father Christmas cheerfully, and he learned poems.
Grandad, he dreamed about it so much, he even learned three poems, but he got up early and played so hard all day that he got tired and fell asleep, sighed Zippy.
Don't be upset, Zippy, smiled Father Christmas, here is a present for your friend. When he wakes up in the summer, his winter dream will be right beside him. I am proud of him!
Yes, my dear girls and boys: if you believe in something, then miracles will surely happen, especially at the most magical celebration of all, New Year! Believe, my dears, and dream!
