The Story of the Spoon

## Synopsis

Henry attends Thornvale's Christmas Fiesta and finds out that someone is stealing all of the spoons from the vendors. Henry tracks down the thief and finds out that it's the Yule Lad, Spoon-Licker. He makes a deal with Spoon-Licker that if he brings him a special spoon, he'll leave the rest of the spoons alone. Spoon-Licker agrees. After settling things with the Yule Lad, Henry meets back up with Stanley and Miguel and finds that his dad is there to surprise him.

## Episode Description

Welcome to three days of Christmas specials because Susannah is not good at making "minisodes." Getting started, enjoy this heartwarming (?) tale of Henry's first Christmas in Thornvale.

## Key Events

* Henry, Miguel, and Stanley attend Thornvale's Christmas Fiesta - a block party on Christmas Eve.
* Henry discovers that the Yule Lad Spoon-Licker has been stealing all of the spoons from the festival.
* Henry makes a deal with Spoon-Licker and gets him to leave in exchange for a special spoon.
* Henry's dad, James Marlowe, surprises him by attending the festival.

## Summary

It is Christmas Eve and Henry is getting his last gifts together. He is working on a set of sunglasses for Bjorn that will give him thermal vision while wearing them. Stanley knocks on the door and asks if he wants to go with them to the festival downtown. Stanley tells him it's a tradition to go down to the festival. Henry begrudgingly agrees. He walks outside and finds Stanley in a bright Hawaiian shirt and Miguel is wearing a party hat and many bead necklaces. Miguel takes off one of his necklaces and gives it to Henry to wear.

The festival is filled with Latin American music. Miguel explains that it's a "Christmas Fiesta" and that the town always throws a block party on Christmas Eve every year. Miguel orders himself a mojito and gets Henry eggnog. They walk through the vendors and Henry finds someone selling a cinnamon ice cream with gingerbread in it. The man hands him the bowl without a spoon. Henry asks for one and the man says he doesn't have any because someone stole his spoon. Henry asks who stole the spoons and the man says that he doesn't know.

Henry goes back to Stanley and Miguel and tells them they have a situation - that someone stole all the vendor's spoons. Stanley and Miguel aren't interested in finding whoever stole the spoons. They tell Henry to find them at the concert once he's done looking around. As Henry walks through the Christmas Fiesta, he realizes that there are many other vendors who have also had their spoons stolen. Henry looks for a hat to help himself 'blend' into the crowd. He finds a blue one and puts it on.

Henry spots a small bell at his feet. He realizes that whoever is stealing the spoons must be shedding the bells. He hears something near him and sees a small set of feet that are wearing shoes with a jingle bell on them. Henry crouches down and tells whoever it is to come out. The thing yells in surprise and drops all of the spoons its holding. It quickly picks them up again and takes off running. Henry chases after it, following the sound of jingle bells. He eventually finds himself in an alley, but loses track of it. Henry spots a dumpster in the alleyway.

Henry opens the dumpster to see a strange, small man inside. He has a giant nose and is dressed in red and green with a conical hat. He picks up a spoon, licks it, drops it, and picks up the next spoon to do the same. Henry immediately recognizes him as the Yule Lad named Spoon-Licker. He asks if he is indeed Spoon-Licker and the small man agrees. Henry asks what he's doing here and Spoon-Licker says that he likes spoons. Henry tries to get the spoons back, but Spoon-Licker says that he needs to lick all of them.

Spoon-Licker climbs out of the dumpster. Henry tries to make a deal with him to leave the rest of the spoons alone and Spoon-Licker says that he'll leave them alone if Henry finds him a special spoon. Henry tells him he saw a giant spoon in a pot of apple cider and asks if that will be special enough. Spoon-Licker agrees. Henry goes back to the vendor and manages to swipe the spoon without being spotted. He goes back to the alley but doesn't see Spoon-Licker.

Henry taps the dumpster with the spoon and the top pops open. Spoon-Licker says that the spoon is the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. Spoon-Licker honors their deal, saying he will leave now that Henry has given him the special spoon. Spoon-Licker crawls out of the dumpster and then waddles away. Henry smiles, happy to have interacted with a creature he had theorized for a long time was real. He heads over to the concert to meet back up with Stanley and Miguel. Stanley asks him if he found the spoon thief. Henry says he did, but doesn't elaborate.

Stanley says he has a surprise for him and points over to the edge of the crowd. Henry looks over and sees a tall man with a mop of black hair and a newly grown-in beard standing with a walker - it's his dad. Henry runs over to his dad and carefully gives him a hug. Herny's dad, James, wishes him a Merry Christmas. The two walk back over to the concert, James walking better than Henry has ever seen him walk in a long time.

## List of Appearances

* Henry Marlowe
* Stanley Marlowe
* Miguel Rodriguez
* Spoon-Licker
* James Marlowe