The Smith Files: Elf Fever

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Elf Fever

I know you've heard of Elf on the Shelf. Who hasn't these days? That little elf is everywhere, and it seems that wherever he goes trouble follows. Well, the Smith family has gone elf crazy, too, but not for the little elf you see in all the stores. It all started when Brad and I first got married. His mom gave us a pair of vintage looking elves that looked just like some he had growing up. Apparently, in their household, Brad got to "hide" the elves in the tree every year as a fun family tradition. So, that's what we did. Every year for the past ten Christmases, we've taken out the elves and hidden them in our tree. When Brody and Leyton got old enough to help, they looked forward to doing it as well. And then the Elf on the Shelf happened, and I thought who needs a new elf when we've got two perfectly good ones of our own. So, this year Santa sent a letter to the boys that arrived on our doorstep on December 1st. It told them how our elves have been very naughty this year and and how he hoped they would show the little guys how to properly behave while also showing them grace the way Jesus does for us when we make bad choices. They totally bought it, and we've had elf fever ever since!

I'll admit, this didn't get off to a good start. It is hard to remember to move these little guys around at night, and there were a few mornings where I would wake up in a panic because I had forgotten to move them. But I've gotten used to it now, and it's even become kind of fun to come up with new ways to hide them. Sometimes I wonder why on earth I would give myself more work--they were perfectly fine hanging out in the tree all season just watching us--but the boys look forward to finding them every morning, so I guess we've started a new tradition this year!

The elves definitely don't do exciting things every single day, but here are a few highlights so far this year. It seems they like to:

roll around in toilet paper tubes