Roast on open fire

Not even a third of the way through the Winter Course of the Winter Summerland miniature golf course a delicious fire hazard is brewing. Hole number four is also known as Putt Out the Campfire, and is a source of contention for Santa’s Elves. From their note it is clear that all the responsible elves leave the party early:

Did we douse the fire?
No one remembers
Please help putt it out
Just aim for the embers

Of course, what the elves neglect to mention is why they started the fire in the first place. Just off to the side of the well prepared campfire is a canvas sack filled with, what else, chestnuts. The directions for preparation are simple, “For best chestnuts roast on open fire.”

The allusion here is to the holiday standard, The Christmas Song. Perhaps best known for the Nat King Cole rendition from 1961, the song was actually the work of Bob Wells and Mel Tormé. According to Tormé, Wells was simply trying to keep cool during the blazing summer of 1944, by writing down chilling phrases associated with winter in an attempt to keep his mind from boiling. Tormé found the half completed thoughts, expanded them into lyrics, wrote accompanying music and viola! Instant Christmas classic and a nut that known no bounds, even though it may effect your miniature golf game…