The Elf on the Shelf

The Elves brought us another gift today...it was the Elf on the Shelf. What is that you ask? Well, the material items are a book and an elf. The other part of the gift is that it is a beginning of a new Christmas Tradition for our family. According to the book, this elf, whom we've named Hershey, is here to watch the children and each evening he races back to the North Pole and reports what he sees to Santa. Because of Christmas "magic" he is able to go and return very quickly. To have Hershey in our home, Santa has lain down some rules; 1. Hershey cannot speak to the children, although the children can speak to him and tell him all of their wishes for Christmas, 2. We cannot touch Hershey or he may lose the magic that allows him to travel between here and the North Pole. 3. Every morning Hershey will be in a different place and the children must find him and 4. The final rule is that Hershey will return to the North Pole on Christmas Eve but will return next year.
This gift is very timely because Sarah was just asking me yesterday if Santa was real! She says that some of the kids at school have told her that her Santa is not real and that parents bring all of the gifts. I did my best to explain to her that everyone believes something different. But, just like in the Polar Express, if you don't believe then you don't have the magic of Christmas and Santa will not visit those that do not believe!
She cried and begged for me to tell her the "truth". I told her the truth was in her heart. The most amazing thing? When we got home, the elves had left her a gift of a Santa hat that we had JUST talked about in the car that Sarah needed for her chorus and her dance performance. The elves also left a note that said, "Santa is real". That pretty much sealed it for Sarah; Santa DOES exist!