Read softly… with a little drama… and a lot of silliness.
The journey south was fast—whoooosh!—because Santa’s llama sleigh had turbo socks on. Alfie held on tight while Dad laughed, and Messi shouted,
“¡Vamos, vamos!”
Suddenly… POOF! ❄️
They landed in the middle of the Argentine desert.
But something was very wrong.
It was snowing.
Snowflakes drifted down onto cactus plants. One cactus sneezed.
“¡Achís!” 🌵❄️
“This is not normal,” said Messi, squinting.
“Ni un poquito,” agreed Creevy.
A loud whistle blew—except it sounded more like a kazoo.
“PEEEEEEP… maybe?”
Out waddled a penguin referee, wearing flip-flops, a referee shirt two sizes too big, and a Christmas hat slipping over one eye.
“Hola… ehhh… is this a match?” the penguin asked.
He looked at his clipboard upside down.
“I am very official. I think.”
Maradona floated closer.
“Amigo… you’re guarding the Magic Christmas Whistle.”
The penguin gasped.
“Ohhh THAT whistle! I thought it was for calling empanada breaks.”
The penguin tried to blow the whistle again.
Prrrp!
Snow suddenly fell even harder—right into the desert dunes!
“Oops,” said the penguin. “¿Perdón?”
Before anyone could reply, music blasted from behind a snowy sand dune.
🎶 Boom-cha-cha, Navidad! 🎶
Out jumped a very funny singer wearing sunglasses, a glittery Christmas jacket, and moon-walking in the snow.
It was entity["musical_artist","Bizarrap","argentine music producer"]—except he was singing instead of DJ-ing… and dancing like a confused flamingo.
“¡Feliz Navidad, cheee!” he sang.
“Why is there snow in the desert? No idea—but it slaps!”
He slipped.
“¡Epa!”
Landed in the snow.
Kept singing anyway.
Alfie laughed so hard he nearly dropped his Santa hat.
“Okay,” said Dad, brushing snow off his shoes, “we need that whistle.”
The penguin scratched his head.
“But if I give it back… how will I know when it’s lunchtime?”
Messi smiled and tapped the ball at his feet.
“How about a deal? We play a quick match. Winner gets the whistle.”
The penguin’s eyes sparkled.
“¿Un partidito? Sííí!”
The snow swirled faster.
Bizarrap started beatboxing.
Santa shouted, “Kick-off in cinco… cuatro… tres…”
And Alfie felt it again—
That magic feeling.
Because this wasn’t just a game…
It was about to be the strangest Christmas match Argentina had ever seen.
⭐ To Be Continued…
Before Chapter Three, Alfie gets to decide:
-
Who should be on Alfie’s team?
- More soccer players?
- A rugby player as goalkeeper? 🏉🥅
- A llama or two?
-
What silly mistake should the penguin referee make next?
- Blow the whistle backwards?
- Give himself a red card? 🟥🐧
- Forget which team is which?
-
What Argentinian Christmas food should appear mid-match?
- Pan dulce
- Empanadas
- Alfajores
Buenas Noches campeón… tomorrow night we kick off Chapter Three - The Match of Many Llamas (and the Great Pan Dulce Pause) ⚽❄️🎄