This is the time of year when children whose parents have purchased an Elf on the Shelf (or several) anxiously await their arrival. And for veteran parents with returning Elves on the Shelves? This is the time of year when they privately cringe at the prospect of hiding their elves in ever more creative places and poses. For every parent who posts clever pix of their elves perched on toilet seats, pencils with fishing line attached to their hands as makeshift poles, and Goldfish crackers floating in the toilet bowl, there are–undoubtedly–thousands more who secretly mock the Pinterest posts and youtube videos made by over-zealous Elf Masters. For these parents, Elves on the Shelves are but one more duty in their pre-Christmas list of things-to-do.
As one who had a revolving bevy of interesting (o.k., weird) dolls in her classroom for years, I admit that I really like my grandchildren’s elves, Elfie and Spencer. Of course, I am the retired grandmother and not the working mother who must ensure that Elfie and Spencer do NOT, under any circumstances, remain in the same spot and position for two consecutive days. Because inquiring minds want to know why Elfie and Spencer did not move. Are they sick? Did they lose their magic? Are they–gasp–no longer living??? Inquiring minds want to know, and placating these inquiring minds generally takes more time and energy than just hiding the elves in the first place.
My granddaughter, Gracyn, is smitten with elves. All kinds, big and small, official Elves on the Shelves and unofficial others. She loves elves and the idea of elves. And I love that she does. Every Christmas season, she covets the special times when she is allowed to touch and play with her elves. To gain this privilege–because if you touch them, they lose their magic–she writes heartfelt notes requesting that, for one day, she might be allowed to touch Elfie and Spencer without harming their magic. Yesterday was just such a day, and her excitement was palpable as we drove home from her late afternoon dance class. When she got home–she explained during the drive–she could actually touch and hold her elves until it was bedtime. When she got home, her day would get much, much better.
At age 7, Gracyn believes in Santa, in the magic of her elves, and in the general magic of the Christmas season. She oohed and aahed as we passed a farm house with a modest display of holiday lights. If they gave holiday light awards for country houses, she said, this house would be a winner for sure. As I thought back to the magnificent, over-the-top light displays of seasons past, I could only smile and say a winner for sure.
Gracyn loves to make and to wrap presents, relishing each piece of tape she puts on each gift (and if one piece of tape is good, two, three, or maybe four pieces of tape are even better). And if we run out of gifts to wrap? Not to worry. Gracyn will find random toys or items to wrap. Wouldn’t it be funny if we wrapped up some cat food for Papa? she offers with glee. Or let’s wrap this Playdoh for my dad. He would never expect this! Talking and wrapping, her eyes bright with anticipation, she is more lovely than I can say. Oh, that these times would never end and that her eyes would ever shine with the promise and joy of the season.
Last night, when her brother in his three-year-old zeal and naivety removed Spencer’s hat (which was glued to his head), she burst into tears that only come from genuine heartbreak. Griffin, you tore Spencer’s hat right off his head! He’s ruined! Grandpa quickly retrieved Spencer and went to work on re-hatting the poor elf. Her mom promised to glue his hat back on and that he would be just like new, just like his old self. Between sobs, she could only nod as tears continued to drip from her chin.
Because I am a grandmother and an active elf fan myself, I bought Elfie a new Christmas dress. Delighted, Gracyn wrapped it a plain piece of computer paper on which she wrote: Here is a new dress for you. Hope you are wearing it tomorrow! The next morning, Elfie hung from the top branches of the Christmas tree sporting her brand new Christmas attire. She looked marvelous, we all agreed. Hanging from another branch, Spencer was dressed to impress in a leather bomber jacket and aviator goggles. And standing at the base of the tree was Gracyn, her head tilted back, her eyes fixed on the elf pair, and a smile that grandly announced: Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year.
In the Sanctuary of Elves, anything is possible, and everything is probable: the magic of snow flurries, the magic of the first seasonal mug of hot chocolate with as many marshmallows as you want, the magic of singing Christmas carols in the car with your mom, the magic of turning the lights off and letting the glow of your Christmas tree flood the room, the magic of setting up your family’s nativity scene, in carefully tucking the baby Jesus into his manger, and the magic of special visitors–elves, reindeer, Santa, friends and family.
I admit that when I was working, I desperately needed daily doses of magic during the Christmas season. As I listened to colleagues boast of having finished their shopping and wrapping before Thanksgiving, I feigned appreciation. Often I broke out into a cold sweat when someone exclaimed only ___ days until Christmas! And when friends and colleagues showed up with plates of exquisitely frosted and decorated homemade sugar cookies, I wanted to admit holiday defeat (after I’d eaten a dozen for supper, that is). On these days, I needed to look through my children’s and now grandchildren’s eyes at the world around me. In short, I needed magic.
Tomorrow night, Gracyn will come over to help us decorate our tree. We will have hot chocolate and play Christmas music. I will let her choose the ornaments and place them wherever she wishes (many apologies to my own children who never let me forget that I often redecorated the tree after they had gone to bed!) Magic will abound in our ordinary home with our ordinary tree and our menagerie of ornaments, old and older.
If I had to describe loveliness, I would say that it is the flush in Gracyn’s cheeks and her sweet hands as she cradles her elves for those few precious moments when she’s been granted this gift. And if Spencer and Elfie are the bearers of such magic and loveliness, I say bring on the elves!
