The Polar Express Quotes

“All aboard,” the conductor cried out.

“There is no Santa,” my friend had insisted, but I knew he was wrong.

The North Pole. It was a huge city standing alone at the top of the world, filled with factories where every Christmas toy was made.

He cupped his hands around his mouth. “MERRY CHRISTMAS,” he shouted. The Polar Express let out a loud blast from its whistle and sped away.

“There,” said the conductor, “is the North Pole.”

He stood, holding the bell high above him, and called out, “The first gift of Christmas!”

I reached into my pocket, but the only thing I felt was a hole. I had lost the silver bell from Santa Claus’s sleigh.

I shook the bell. It made the most beautiful sound my sister and I had ever heard.

On Christmas eve, many years ago, I lay quietly in my bed. I did not rustle the sheets. I breathed slowly and silently. I was listening for a sound—a sound a friend had told me I’d never hear—the ringing bells of Santa’s sleigh.

What I wanted more than anything was one silver bell from Santa’s sleigh.

It broke my heart to lose the bell.

“Why, to the North Pole of course,” was his answer. “This is the Polar Express.”

“They are gathering at the center of the city . . . That is where Santa will give the first gift of Christmas.”

A conductor stood at the open door of one of the cars. He took a large pocket watch from his vest, then looked up at my window.

We climbed mountains so high it seemed as if we would scrape the moon. But the Polar Express never slowed down. Faster and faster we ran along . . .

The reindeer were excited. They pranced and paced, ringing the silver sleigh bells that hung from their harnesses. It was a magical sound, like nothing I’d ever heard.

Santa circled once above us, then disappeared in the cold, dark polar sky.

Sarah found one last small box behind the tree. It had my name on it. Inside was the silver bell!

“Found this on the seat of my sleigh. Fix that hole in your pocket.” Signed, “Mr. C.”

At one time most of my friends could hear the bell, but as years passed, it fell silent for all of them. Even Sarah found one Christmas that she could no longer hear its sweet sound. Though I’ve grown old, the bell still rings for me as it does for all who truly believe.

Outside, the lights of towns and villages flickered in the distance as the Polar Express raced northward.

We drank hot cocoa as thick and rich as melted chocolate bars.

Santa shouted out the reindeer’s names and cracked his whip. His team charged forward and climbed into the air.