GREEN VALLEY — With just days to go before Santa sets out on his annual trek around the world, the jolly old elf is no doubt packing his sleigh, plotting a course and perusing that fabled list to confirm who’s been naughty and who’s been nice.

The man with a jelly belly, bottomless sleigh and nine magical reindeer has long defied the laws of gravity and more to deliver Christmas joy to good little boys and girls everywhere. And, while academics have long struggled to explain the science of Santa, a group of Ceres Elementary kindergartners had it all figured out this week.

His task is tough.

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, estimates there are 2.1 billion children under 18 in the world. Santa only has about 31 hours, given the differences in time zones internationally, to stop by each good boy and girl’s home, squeeze down a chimney or through a door, drop off the gifts and get back to the sky.

Yet, he manages with just a sleigh, tiny reindeer and a legion of little elves who make the gifts each year. After all, St. Nick has magic on his side, according to the small Ceres scholars.

The Christmas preparations don’t happen overnight, though. The students said Santa and his elves operate a workshop year-round. They disagree on whether that headquarters is situated at the North or South Pole, but they are certain it is one of the two.

“Santa’s house has a top and a door and a wall inside of it,” Tyler McCroskey excitedly declared. “He has these little people inside, and they make the presents ... And, he has a doorknob so he can get out.”

Those little people piqued Victoria Pruitt’s imagination.

“They use wood, and they use paint. They can color and paint the toys for Santa,” she said.

So, where do they do all this work?

Rebecca Clemons thinks Santa and the elves live in an orange house.

“Because I think that,” she said.

Dayanna Barie believes the jolly elf decorates with all the colors of the rainbow, and Codi Breeden is positive the Claus household is covered in red to match St. Nick’s Christmas Eve suit.

Whatever his color scheme, the kids know Santa’s tiny reindeer pull his sleigh over approximately 322 million square kilometers he’ll have to travel to visit the nice children worldwide.

North Carolina State University professor Larry Silverberg theorized recently in a Reuters story that Santa makes the most of the space-time continuum and stretches each minute of Christmas Eve. Without that ability, his journey would take at least six months to deliver all the presents Santa painstakingly packs in his sleigh.

The Ceres students have a much simpler philosophy.

“He’s magic,” MacKenzie Tabor said. “I think Santa gives the reindeer magic to make them fly too, probably with his crystal ball.”

Magic alone will not make a reindeer fly, though.

“The reindeers can fly with their feet by doing this,” Hannah Murphy said, leaning back and pumping her little legs vigorously.

Meanwhile, Miss Connie, a teacher’s aide in the class, said she and her 17-year-old daughter have discovered a secret reindeer dust that attracts Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and all their reindeer friends.

“You take really dry oatmeal and mix in some glitter so it sparkles,” she said. “You put it out on Christmas Eve, and it works!” she told the wide-eyed little ones. “I put it out every year, and the reindeer come every year.”

Once Santa’s on his way to good children’s homes, there’s also the question of how he gets in to leave the loot.

“He uses his magic to make himself real small,” MacKenzie said, speaking more quietly as she revealed the most important of Santa’s secrets. “Then, he can squeeze down the chimney without getting stuck.”

Asia Slaughter feared kids without fireplaces were just out of holiday luck.

“They won’t come down,” she said, shrugging.

But, Codi had a better solution.

“You can keep your door unlocked, so Santa can just come through the door,” he said.

With his travel plans down, the Ceres students also decided they didn’t believe Santa would need too much time to make the Christmas rounds.

“It takes 21 minutes,” Tyler declared, while his classmates guessed the trip would take between 88 and 150 hours.

Along the way, the big guy also has to remember who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. We all know Santa sees us when we’re sleeping and keeps an even closer eye on us when we’re awake, but how exactly does he do that?

“He has a magic snowball,” Jared Grubb explained. “He sees you ‘cause there’s a picture inside the snowball, and it shows him what you’re doing when he looks at it and says your name.”

Kaitlyn Croy agreed with Jared’s explanation, but she said Santa sneaks peeks in a unique snow globe.

Cammie Mabe imagines a roll of sorts that scrolls through the clouds.

“He just watches the sky. It tells him if people have been good or bad,” she said.

Some of the same unconventional technology helps Santa fulfill wishes each Christmas, and just in case he was listening, they were quick to share the things that adorn theirs.

“I want to find some new Heelys and a new skateboard under my tree,” Victoria said, starting on a roll with her list. “I want a Barbie house and a new Barbie car, and some Hannah Montana stuff. And, that’s all.”

Juvonta Reed’s wish was a little more exotic.

“I want a monkey for Christmas — a crazy one,” he said. “To beat my brother up.”

Should the monkey turn up Christmas morning, Juvonta plans to name it Fluffy.

And, Abigail Sumrall just wants something with dragons on it.

“I love dragons,” she said.

Though their wishes were long and their hopes high, the students also knew there is a bigger meaning behind Christmas.

Some appreciated fun time with family and the mischief members can make on winter days away from school.

“You can make snowmans and anything you want,” Abigail said. “You can even make yourself a snowball fight.”

Others just enjoy the togetherness.

“The best part of Christmas is the loving,” Jared said. “Between everybody you know.”

“Your Mamaw and Papaw Joes, and everybody else you know,” Tyler added.

And, though they like to receive, these Ceres students also understand the joy of giving.

“Christmas is all about giving — giving presents to people you know,” MacKenzie said. “Like snow globes.”

— Contact Tammie Toler at ttoler@ptonline.net.