One particularly snowy day a while back, Jo-Jo was out fooling around, like he usually does, out in the snow.  He was making snowmen, snow gophers, angels and generally just having fun.  When all of a sudden a line of snow started to push up from the ground.  It looked like someone or “something” was tunneling right towards him.

Just when the line of snow was about to hit him, it stopped and out popped a brown furry head with two small eyes and two very big and large front teeth.

Jo-Jo leaped for joy and screamed, “Well, hello, Baff.” Then he grabbed him and gave him big hug.  Jo-Jo was so excited. You see Baff is a beaver and a relative of Jo-Jo the snow gopher.

“How are you doing and what brings you to the North Pole?” asked Jo-Jo.

“I’m doing great and I just wanted to visit my little cousin," said Baff as he wiggled out of the snow and stood straight up.

“That is wonderful, you can stay with me in my house down in the tunnels,” Jo-Jo offered.

“Thanks for the offer, but, well, I am a beaver and I was hoping to find a river I could dam up.  Cut down some trees and build a winter lodge,” Baff replied.

“But Baff,” answered Jo-Jo, “This is the North Pole.  All the rivers are frozen and we just have snow and ice.  We even have to bring in our Christmas trees from other lands.”

“Gee, I do not know what I am going to do then, we beavers need our wood,” Baff thought out loud.

“Wait,” shouted Jo-Jo, “We will go to Santa, he always knows what to do.”

And sure enough, minutes later, Jo-Jo, the snow gopher and Baff, the beaver, stood before Santa explaining the situation.

“Of course, I can help your cousin, Jo-Jo,” replied Santa. “We have lots of wood scraps left over from all the fine wooden toys we make.  We always recycle the wood and this seems like a very worthy cause.  So take as much as you need Baff and enjoy your stay with us.”

Baff and Jo-Jo ran from the room shouting their thanks to Santa over their shoulders.

“Do you need any help, Baff,” offered Jo-Jo.

“No thank you,” yelled Baff.  “It is better to leave this to the experts.”

After hours of listening to the chewing and gnawing sounds outside the workshop, Jo-Jo with Santa and all the elves stopped their work and looked out the window.

And to their amazement, they saw not only the first “home-made” tree at the North Pole, but the first tree house as well.