A Family Tradition

So the holidays are (almost) here. Thanksgiving around the corner and Christmas shortly after. I'm beginning to get in the holiday spirit, operative word being BEGINNING. I've done a little bit of shopping for the kids. We have our cabin booked for the holidays for my side of the family, so things are starting to come together. This year we are starting a new family tradition, Elf on the Shelf. I wanted to do this last year as it started to get pretty popular but by the time I found out about it the holidays had already started so it was best to wait until this year. So, for those of you who don't know about Elf on the Shelf, here is the jist of it:

Have you ever wondered how Santa knows who is naughty and who is nice? The Elf on the Shelf – A Christmas Tradition is the very special tool that helps Santa knows who to put on the Naughty and Nice list. This interactive holiday hide-and-seek tradition is perfect for children and families of all ages.

The tradition begins when Santa sends his scout elves out to Elf Adoption Centers. Waiting for their families to bring them home, these patient elves hibernate until their family reads The Elf on the Shelf, gives their elf a very special name, and registers their adoption online. Once named, each scout elf will receive its Christmas magic and become a part of the family’s Christmas each and every year. 

Excellent listeners and even better observers, these scout elves are the eyes and ears of Santa Claus. Although they cannot be touched, or else they may lose their magic, the elf will always listen and relay messages back to Santa. Taking in all the day-to-day activities around the house, no good deed goes unnoticed; these scout elves take their job seriously.

Each night, after the family goes to bed, the scout elf uses his magical Christmas powers to fly back to the North Pole. Once there, the elf will make his or her daily report to Santa and visit with elf friends where they will tell stories about their beloved families, play with the reindeer, and of course, sneak some of Mrs. Claus’ cookies!

Before the family awakes each morning, their special scout elf will fly back to their home from the North Pole. However, since these elves like to play games, don’t expect to find them in the same spot!  While some like to hide in the freezer (probably because it reminds them of the North Pole) and others prefer to sit on the fireplace mantle or hang from the chandelier, these elves love to play hide-and-seek with their families.

On Christmas Eve, the scout elf will listen for Santa’s bell and then fly back to the North Pole until the next season, wishing every girl and each boy a Christmas of peace and a year full of joy.

So, I told Tayah the other day that we would be having an elf come to stay with us over the holidays until Christmas and he would be watching her and reporting back to Santa at night whether she had been naughty or nice that day. She was really into it and excited for him to come. She has already named him "William" and we look forward to William's arrival the day after Thanksgiving.