Elfin Around

There are some seriously creative people out in the world. I sure do appreciate all of the hard work that so many people put into being so smart and talented. I appreciate, even more, that I can glean from this hard work, making my cuteness and abilities seem so effortless. Sigh. Thank you. Seriously.

One of those amazingly talented people that I "borrow" from quite frequently, is my friend Melanie. A while back, she posted about a friend who had given her the idea of an elf coming to visit them in their home. It is there, of course, to spy on the children...to make sure that they are being good, in hopes that he can make a positive report back to the big guy in red. The elf is tricky, though. It doesn't want to be seen. So, if you stare at it, it turns to stone. Clever.



The idea of a small inanimate object in my home having the power to cause near perfect behavior, sounded a little fun to me. And, for the most part, simple enough.

Some of the fun stuff caused by this Christmas visitor?

1. Chase was sooooo stinkin' cute about being so lucky as to be receiving a visit from such a distinguished guest.

2. He really turned on the charm. He was as good as gold.

3. Chase helped me feel like a kid again, seeing the magic of Christmas as a child, through his eyes.

4. He received a little, itty-bitty note of farewell and warm wishes from the elf with the overactive schnoz, when his tour of duty came to an end.

5. From what I hear, Chase was quite the celebrity at school, having "seen" an elf.


Some of the less-than-positives?

1. I was running out of creative places for our elf-on-stakeout to go.

2. Chase was a little rattled when the elf dared make a hiding spot on the shelf in his bedroom. A little too spooky for my Christmas kid, I guess. Luckily, the elf was a quick study and never entered the "inner sanctum" again.

3. I was constantly improvising with the rules of engagement, especially after I got caught reaching to grab the sensitive sprite (after Chase recovered from his shock, the fun resumed and all was well. Silly, Mom).

4. My nerves were shot having to endure the pressure of not getting caught.

So, I am not sure how long the little guy was able to reside in Melanie's house. He only lasted 5 hours in ours. I quickly came to realize, however, that the short visit from this little squirt had had a big impact on MY little squirt when,

1. Chase's friend came upstairs to report that Chase really missed the elf and was downstairs crying.

2. In his letter to Santa, Chase asked if the elf could come back and visit next year.

Ah, such good intentions. I think for next year, to take the pressure off of everyone, I am going to borrow yet another friend's creativity. At her house, elves are invisible to children.

Hope you all had a fabulously Merry Christmas!