Buddy the Elf

We have an elf. It all started with a letter to Santa from Kierstyn asking for an Elf on a Shelf. Interestingly, Santa didn't send an elf right away but that Kierstyn of ours was persistent. After some pointers from her friend at school Kierstyn realized that the correct persuasive tactic was to include a glass of water (not milk) and 3 saltine crackers with her note. Sure enough, the next morning we found Buddy hiding in our kitchen cabinet.

Every night this month Buddy has flown back to the North Pole to report on the Meredith children's behavior that day (Trevin is really hoping Buddy got lost last night) and each morning we find him hiding in a new spot. That Buddy has been rather tricky, finding lots of interesting hiding spots---in the Christmas tree, high on a kitchen shelf, in the fireplace, even in the light fixtures. He seems to always find a good vantage point for checking in on the kids.

I have heard reports of other Elves who wreak havoc in the homes they come to visit but thankfully our Buddy seems to be slightly more mild-mannered. He has been known to t-pee the living room, take all the couch cushions off, hide the stockings, and open all the kitchen cabinets/drawers...but overall I'd give him about a 4 on the Mischieviousness Scale. One morning we awoke to discover that Buddy had been playing Scrabble overnight. The kids had fun trying to decipher Buddy's messages:

We hear tell that Buddy will be leaving us tonight and won't be back until next year. The kids sure have loved having this special visitor in our home and we'll look forward to his return visit next December.

We love you, Buddy!