cleverly making keys and locks for the castle doors and treasure chest of kings and princesses. In his little shop he worked and sang and spent happy moments when children gathered around him to hear the stories he loved to tell. One night just before Christmas Eve Mr. Jingeling was just about to put away his tools and blow out his candle when in the door of his shop came Santa.

“You must come with me at once,” he said, “and I pray that you’ll be able to open the lock on the door of my Treasure House of Toys. I’ve lost the key and—I must have my sleigh packed with toys by tomorrow night.” Mr. Jingeling knew at once how serious Santa’s problem was and in a moment he gathered up his tools, hopped into Santa’s sleigh and the reindeers took off into the snow night. It didn’t take him long to make a perfect key to fit the lock of the big door at the North Pole and he and Santa became close friends from that time forward.

and his hands and eyes could no longer do their intricate tasks, Santa asked him to join his household where he is to this day, with a heart forever young and an important job to do as Keeper-of-the-Keys.

On his huge ring of keys, on his belt and in secret pockets of his green suit Mr. Jingeling has the greatest collection of keys that you could ever dream of. He has keys to all of Santa’s doors…the Doll Nursery, the Train Room, the Candy Closets, the Book Cases, the keys to Wind-up Toys and ever so many more exciting places and things in Santaland.

are keys to almost everything in the worlds of both reality and fantasy. There’s a fish-shaped key that opens Davey Jones Locker at the bottom of the sea, a key to Flowerland, one that fits Pandora’s Box, and a tiny key to the gate of the Land of Little People. Mr. Jingeling loves to tell stories about his strange adventures as a locksmith and as Santa’s friend and helper he is now able to tell them to children everywhere.

Mr. Jingeling may visit your town along with Santa Claus during the Christmas season. If he does you’ll find that Mr. Jingeling with his song and his stories carries with him the best keys of all…the keys to happiness and holiday fun for children everywhere.