shelf elves

One of my favs has suggested favorite Christmas traditions as a topic as we sail down the snowy slopes to Christmas. I started to say waking up in the early morning to find our stockings filled with goodies. One such morning was memorable in that we all got up at 4 o’clock in the morning (thinking it was later) and started squealing over what we found. From Mom and Dad’s room we hear Dad’s voice like distant thunder, threatening but not dangerous, "It’s 4:00 in the morning……..get to bed." It wasn’t said with an exclamation mark, just a very large period. Amid humble, mumbled apologies we scooted back to bed. A favorite memory of a great tradition gone awry.

Next I thought of my parents tradition of getting the older kids each their own quart of eggnog. Except I was never old enough. By the time I was old enough they were divorced and mom couldn’t afford to do it anymore, or didn’t think of it. Favorite Christmas tradition that I hated because I loved eggnog and parents are stupid.

A recent resurgence of an old fad though has warmed my heart lately. I have always missed the little cloth elves with bendy knees that tuck into the permanent hug of their arms. I still want one. I can almost taste the reminiscence. In my mind my body shrinks down to my younger size and I hear my siblings as we discuss, disagree and redecide what the best pose for each elf is. We had three or four of them and continually repositioned them throughout the Christmas season. The texture of them is just as fresh to my mind as if I had just perched one on the mantle. I can see his approving smile of the life that is mine and I smile my agreement. I don’t know what they were called then and I don’t think we had a story attached to them. Now they are shelf elves and the story is that they report back to Santa every night whether a child has been good or bad that day. The shelf elves have brought back to me a tradition of love and family and satisfaction. The Babe doesn’t believe in Santa Claus but I have just talked myself into finding a way to get some elves to make a part of our tradition.

Thanks. for asking QbeDo.

Violet

December 11, 2012

We used to have traditions when I was a kid, but my husband had quashed every single one of them. I have none left. He’s such a scrooge.

7thHeaven

haha that was never me, the early up like that. I think that comes from the only child thing though.

Gregory & Heidi

December 12, 2012

On Christmas Eve my mom made Jesus a birthday cake and we sang happy birthday and then read the Christmas story.

cardslinger

I love Christmas traditions! I have seen shelf elves on Pinterest a lot lately. At least that’s what I think they are.

Coyote Walker

I like those little elves…

QbeDo

I like these. Thanks for writing about them.

Tuffy

Shelf elves have been part of our Christmas for 40 years. Love it. I believe in Santa Clause….me and Him go way back. He leaves me his cookies….

commonsensechristian

Never had any of those elves….they sound cute though. Hope you’ve enjoyed some of the nog this year–I have. 😛

~mujer~

I love the traditions of Christmas. I just hope I can make my kids’ memories as magical as mine were. Why does the Babe not believe in Father Christmas? Surely she’s not too old?

Moon Drift

nice. I’ve seen the elves but never had one. I wanted one or more too! These are awesome memories. I always have to try real hard at finding happy Christmas memories. I need to go through some pictures and conjure up things I recall of those days..

Live/Love/Laugh

I don’t remember shelf elves, but I see them everywhere now. I hope you find a fun way to work them into your holiday. A mom of young girls I’m friends with on Facebook puts the elf into impish positions and photographs him each day. It’s kinda cute and it’s hard to decide who’s having the most fun, the mom or the girls.

KindnessMatters

I had one of those elves as a kid, also. I loved it! They have made a big comeback.

Mirror_rorriM

December 14, 2012

It’s funny how it’s some of the smallest things that make the fondest memories as we grow older. If things work out for our little guy to stay with us, I will have to make sure I incorporate some traditions so that he’ll have something to look forward to and look back on (and perhaps even carry forward).

ryn: I guess just ignorant lol

December 15, 2012

RYN: I have no opinions about iPads. Except that they cost a crapton of money. It’s the main reason I didn’t get one. For that much money I’d rather have a laptop. While they have great apps, they aren’t computers (although they are getting pretty close). The thing about the fire that I didn’t expect is that it’s a lot heavier and more cumbersome than I thought it would be.