So last week, I posted about my dislike of the “Elf on the Shelf”. I don’t begrudge others enjoyment of this activity but chose not to do so in our house. Which of course led to this:
Yup. The kid sent word to Santa that she wanted an elf. Mailed it from our mailbox (thankfully on a Saturday night).
The next morning after having headed out the evening before, my husband was to give my daughter and me, our annual ornaments. This is something that he has done with me, and once Grace was born, her as well since we have been married. Since the ornaments in our house are an early gift from Santa himself, he wanted to know if I wanted to use the opportunity to respond to the note. It was 6:00 AM and I knew I had maybe an hour to figure this out. So I wrote the following. I printed it out in green ink on the printer and signed it from “S.C.”
Dear Grace,
Thank you for your note. Please understand that I have many helpers at Christmastime. Sometimes I even ask parents for help. Some parents needed extra help with their kids because they aren’t always as good as you are. When grown-ups become parents they are given some special magic to help with Christmas. Every parent gets different magic so it doesn’t always look the same to every child.
For some very special children, they get special magic that is different from all others. I can’t tell you what that magic is yet, but as you get older, you will learn it.
Don’t think that you aren’t special just because you don’t have an elf that was bought in a store. Your magic is there. Sometimes it is just a little harder to see.
S.C.
Grace didn’t say much after she read it. She did roll it up and tied it with a gold ribbon that had been on my ornament. She smiled after reading it.
My Mom was visiting and asked Grace what it said. Grace was reluctant to share but after a moment, let me read it aloud to my Mom. My Mom nodded wisely.
It seems we are good at least for this year, for now.