The Elf on the Shelf

It's approximately 1:06 in the morning and The Elf on the Shelf is keeping me awake. My 9 year-old daughter decided to write him a letter and I had to oblige. Unfortunately, I was dead tired after putting both her and the 1-year-old to bed and forgot about (Buddy) The Elf. Fortunately I have one of those internal mother-will-not-get-sound-sleep-until-the-job-gets-done clock and woke up to get the job done. In all honesty, I've never read the story of The Elf on the Shelf because being that we don't celebrate said tradition in Latin America, I've never put any thought into actually reading it. The Elf has actually been in my daughter's room sitting on a shelf and played with since she got it as a gift two years ago. It wasn't until we moved to a new city this past summer that three neighbor girls who happened to be younger than my daughter pointed him out and questioned why the Elf was not at the North Pole like their Elf was.

My daughter, in fear of risking the possibility he could lose his magic decided to put him away. On Monday morning, her neighbor friend informed my daughter her Elf was back from the North Pole and raved about his existence. Because my daughter is on the threshold of still believing and beginning to doubt, I wasn't sure how she'd respond to her younger friend. I stretched out my antennae ears as far as I could and overheard her discussing with her friend why her Elf did not have magic. Both her and her friend agreed that the Elf needed a name so that he could actually feel like he was part of the family. They placed him on the shelf and waved goodbye to the new member of our family.

And so I, upon learning my daughter was still filled with the innocence of believing in fairy tales, decided to play along. I absolutely loved the look on my daughter's face when she came home on Monday after school and saw her Elf had moved from the spot she and her friend left him that morning when they took off for school. It was even more heartwarming when she told me she couldn't wait to tell her friend the news about her Elf. I'm quite certain I won't have this opportunity come next year when she'll find her younger's friend proclamation of the Elf's return from the North Pole as childish. For now, I'll cherish the moment of my little girl who is growing too fast before my eyes. I also need to go read the story of The Elf on the Shelf so I don't get any curveballs thrown my way. Off to bed to catch some much needed sleep.

What traditions do you have with your children? What traditions did you have as a child that you are sharing with your children?

Buddy, The Elf

My mini panther, Blossom, keeping me company.