Traditions

Just as school uniforms are a tradition at many schools, families fill their holiday season with many traditions to keep the magic alive for younger generations. Some of our favorite Christmas traditions include leaving cookies out for Santa, going to church on Christmas Eve, and putting out homemade reindeer food because we all know Rudolph and his crew work so hard and need a treat.

The holidays can also include a magical little elf who is the eyes and ears for Santa. The Elf on the Shelf is a fairly new tradition born in 2004 by authors Carol Aebersold and her daughter, Chanda Bell. The Elf on the Shelf is a story of elves who hide in homes watching over children during the Christmas season. Each night when children go to bed, the elves return to the North Pole to report to Santa all things, good and bad. After the elves report back they return to their assigned homes, hiding in a different location each day. The children search for them in the home creating a fun game of hide and seek each morning.

The book explains how the elves get their special magic once the child names them. And, they can possibly lose their magic if touched.

Kids wake up bright-eyed and excited to see what antic their elf has been up to in the middle of the night. Some elves like to wrap the toilet in toilet paper, while others enjoy writing on mirrors with shaving crème. The possibilities of the elf’s tricks are endless and totally up to the imagination and personality of your elf.

As parents, we sometimes get a little fed up with the elf’s messes and mischief. But, when we see the sparkle and wonder in our children’s eyes as they search for their elf, their joy helps put everything back into perspective.

Appreciate these moments, enjoy your family traditions, and take it all in for they go by way too fast.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Academic Outfitters.