Spotlight on Bernard

The spotlight us up and it's focusing on Bernard.  I should probably begin with the story of how Bernard came to visit our family.  But it's a little long, so grab some hot chocolate and sit back and enjoy...

When my girls were quite young, their cousins told them about an elf that visited their family each Christmas.  My girls really wanted to have one of their own, so they wrote a letter to Santa asking for our own personal elf {your kids can too if they want to ask}.  And sure enough, Santa sent us Ernie the elf.  We got the book "The Secret of The Elves Elite" by Bill Cakmis to clarify all the rules of having a Christmas elf.

The story tells about how a long time ago, when the world was a smaller place, Santa was able to keep up with all the children and their behavior.  But eventually as towns grew, he needed help.  "So Santa gathered the hardest working elves he could find.  From that group, he selected the best of the best.  Of all the elves at the North Pole, this elite group of elves slept the least, worked the hardest, and produced the finest toys in all of Elfdom.  They were: The Elves Elite."  Santa sent his elves elite to watch the children and see if they deserved toys at Christmas.

The book told us that "just as the last ornament is placed on the Christmas tree each year, your elf is sent by Santa to find out where you live and to watch over you."  It goes on to further explain that "The Elves Elite are special because they are filled with the mystery of Christmas.  When one is touched, the mystery is lost." Therefore, the elves are not to be touched.

For 8 or so years now, we've had an elf visit.  It used to be Ernie.  But one unfortunate Christmas, Ernie was sitting atop our halogen lamp and my daughter turned it on for him.  It was a lamp we never actually used.  The lamp went up in flames, and thank goodness for fire alarms, I was able to save our house.  I came to the living room to find smoke and the lamp serving as a "fire pit" with a bonfire above it.  In panic, I grabed the lamp and took it out on the front porch.  {Sadly I suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns doing so!} 

My kids were so sad and so worried for their elf.  So they immediately emailed Santa Claus, who they had happened to already be emailing through the season.  In all the magic of Santa Claus, he emailed back right away:

 dear santa wat's ranndier football? is erny at your workshop? and how do you spell erny?is erny ok?abbie ternd on the lamp and that was ware erny was hiting. (hiding)

{my 5 year old daughter wrote this one}

Maggie,

I'm glad you wrote back.  Reindeer football is more like soccer than football, because the reindeer have a tough time holding the ball.  The elves usually divide into two teams with 4 reindeer on each team.  The elves can pass the ball and sometimes the reindeer catch it in their antlers.  Usually, however, the reindeer end up kicking the ball towards the goal.  Just between me and you, Rudolph's team always wins :)

Ernie is back now.  He did have somewhat of a rough day, but as you know, all elves have a special magic to protect them from danger.  I'm glad that your mom was so fast in putting out the little fire.  When he returned home, Mrs. Claus put him straight to bed and gave him an extra cup of hot cocoa.  He is now back with the rest of the elves, after playing a game of reindeer football (on  Rudolph's team, of course).

I have another elf, Bernard, that will be coming tomorrow to make sure you behave.  He is older than Ernie but much more sneaky.  You might not see him for a couple of days because he is a master hide-and-go-seek player.  Luckily, he knows that you are all on the nice list  (but you need to make sure you go to sleep on time and don't stay up too late).

Please give your Mom and Dad a hug for me and tell Abbie and Ethan that I'll be at your house in 12 days!  I'm so excited to give you the presents I have for you all.

Your friend,

Santa saved the day and sent us Bernard instead.  My kids still email Santa each year to see how Ernie is doing and he is always busy and well with Santa.

Bernard visits us each day starting when the last ornament is on the tree.  He watches to see if we are being good and it keeps my kids on their toes!  Each morning, he is in a different location, peeking down on us to make sure we are being good.  This makes each day a new excitement to find out where he is hiding.  The kids favorite spot is when he hides in the refrigerator, since it's cold like the North Pole.    {He is also very good at taking letters to Santa for us, which is handy!}

What a wonderful tradition it has been.  So if you haven't yet got your elf elite, write to Santa Claus right away!