The hat ripped off in warp drive leaving patches of barren head and scattered silvery strands. His wrapping-paper eyes still gleeful below brows scorched orbiting Kelt-9b.
A cardinal flight suit displayed his rank, Commander of Cheer. The Keppelerians sheared his beard to make seasonal souvenirs. The Great Giver had returned to face an undecorated street of masks.
He’d landed his sleigh well past curfew, which alerted the local authorities, who promptly placed him under fourteen-day isolation. Christmas was under quarantine that year.
© khartless 2021, All Rights Reserved
I wrote this Christmas flash last year, which required a strict 82-word limit, the use of the image above, and an interstellar space traveler. Happy holidays! Enjoy!
Yard Sale of Thoughts 
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