STRIKE ENDS BUT ELVES TOO BUSY

Welcome back to this year's Reindeer Games! The games continued without Santa’s elves, who were on strike over a forced diet of fruits and vegetables. Normally, the elves officiate the contests and build the events for the games, like the Obstacle Course.

And so far, the games have gone on well without the elves. Rudolph has filled in as a judge for the Figure Skating and the TV replay machine helped with the Speed Skating event.

But now there’s a problem. Although the strike is over, the elves are all-hands-on-deck making toys and today’s event is the Obstacle Course. The elves have always constructed a super fun obstacle course for the reindeer to navigate.

“We need someone to help us build the obstacle course.” said Rudolph. “Without the elves, I’m not sure what we’ll do. You know, the reindeer are fast and can fly, and the Yeti are big and strong. And those are good things. But we really need someone who can build things and make things. That’s very important.”

Yet, the games must go on. So Rudolph and the reindeer have staked out a course near the Palace, using some cones, some folding chairs and a few wayward cardboard boxes and garbage cans.

And the reindeer will give Rudolph’s course a try.

First up is Vixen. Vixen is ready, and she’s off! It’s around the garbage can, over the folding chairs, in and around the cones and through the cardboard boxes. In just 2.2 seconds! Very good time.

And then it’s Comet, Blitzen, Prancer, Cupid, Dancer, Dasher and Donder. All the reindeer complete the course in good time, and the top six will move on to tomorrow’s second round.

But it wasn’t a very exciting race, and the fans were not too happy watching reindeer zooming around cones and garbage cans.

“It’s not the same,” said Rudolph. “Only the elves can build a real obstacle course.”

Indeed. But that's the best that can be done for now. So it looks like Vixen, Comet, Blitzen, Prancer, Cupid, Dancer are the top 6 and will compete in tomorrow’s second round.

Check back tomorrow to see whether the elves return to build a real Obstacle Course and bring some excitement back to the Games.

“We needed someone to help us build the obstacle course.” said Rudolph. “Without the elves up until now, we needed to do something. You know, the reindeer are fast and can fly, and the Yeti are big and strong. And those are good things. But we really needed someone to build things and make things. That’s very important.”

Yet, the games must go on. So Rudolph and the reindeer staked out a course near the Palace, using some cones, some folding chairs and a few wayward cardboard boxes and garbage cans.

And the reindeer will give Rudolph’s course a try.

First up is Vixen. Vixen is ready, and she’s off! It’s around the garbage can, over the folding chairs, in and around the cones and through the cardboard boxes. In just 2.2 seconds! Very good time.

And then it’s Comet, Blitzen, Prancer, Cupid, Dancer, Dasher and Donder. All the reindeer complete the course in good time, and the top six will move on to tomorrow’s second round.

But it wasn’t a very exciting race, and the fans were not too happy watching reindeer zooming around cones and garbage cans.

“It’s not the same,” said Rudolph. “Only the elves can build a real obstacle course.”

Indeed. But that's the best that can be done for now. So it looks like Vixen, Comet, Blitzen, Prancer, Cupid, Dancer are the top 6 and will compete in tomorrow’s second round.

Check back tomorrow to see whether the elves return to build a real Obstacle Course and bring some excitement back to the Games.