Mommy, send back Buddy the Elf to Santa...tonight...I mean now!!!!!!

Our version of Elf on a Shelf was a flop! I mean, get that elf, the hell outta here! 

It was quite magical when our package arrived today from the North Pole. (I meant to take a picture of it, but under the current circumstances, it was best that it was removed from the premises.) While Jack was at school, a package was sent from the North Pole with our "Christmas Cheer Elf, Buddy" in it along with a package of candy canes and a Santa Pez dispenser. Jack was hugely pleased that Santa sent him such a nice early present. I thought this was just great! 

Anyhow, I wrote a letter posing as "Bernard, the head elf." It explained that this elf was here for the next week to spread Christmas cheer, and so on...  It also said that Buddy the Elf, will become magic just at night... Big mistake.... That part creeped the hell out of Jack!!!! (But only did that feeling surface at bedtime.) Below, is the letter he received.

Dear Jack and Henry,

I am writing to you from the North Pole. I am Bernard, the head elf, in Santa’s workshop. Santa Claus thinks you and your brother Henry are two very good boys. He wants to send you someone special to help spread the Christmas cheer! He is a Christmas elf and he lives in the North Pole. He must go back home after Christmas, but he will stay with you for a couple of weeks. His name is Buddy. Jack and Henry, you must be very careful with him. He is a magical elf, but he only does his magic while you are asleep. He doesn’t like to be played with during the day while he rests. Since he is a magic elf, he may get into a little elfish mischief. If he doesn’t get back to his resting place by the morning, please take care of Buddy and put him back to rest. I hope you enjoy having Buddy the Christmas Elf spend time with your family.

                                   

Here is Buddy the Elf and the bed that Jack very happily made him, during daylight hours. Cute, huh? He gave him a slipper for a pillow, a receiving blanket, and a little book for him to read. No problem! 

Buddy-the-Elf: I know, he is frightening.

When it was bedtime, Jack expressed concern over the fact that the elf would become "magic" at night. I assured him he was not a naughty elf and that Santa Claus sent him to be a nice, friendly elf who would have fun with us for this week. One of the reasons we didn't want to do the Elf-on-the-Shelf, was because I didn't like the scare tactics and that the elf was spying on children to report to Santa. Well, as bedtime continued, I could sense the ever increasing anxiety over the elf. I told Jack that I would whisper to Buddy and tell him not to be magic. That seemed to satisfy him. After a few minutes had passed by, I heard Jack yell for me in his room. He was clearly distressed as he was all sweaty and crazy eyed. (Geez, now I may be on Santa's naughty list for starting this....) Anyway, I asked Jack if it would be okay if I wrote Santa a thank-you note so we weren't rude and just send Buddy back to the North Pole in his box. Jack said that would be great! He said it with cheerful gusto! Whew! Crisis averted! As I was closing the door, Jack said he felt much, much, much, much better! Wow! Unexpected results. Maybe we'll try next year. Maybe....

Here is the letter I sent back to Santa Claus. ;)