’Tis the season for our elves, Cookie and Biscuit, to make an appearance again. Can you believe this has been a tradition in our house since 2012?
I’m a member of an “Elf Facebook Group,” and looking at some of the posts there, I feel the original idea and spirit of Elf on the Shelf - Santa’s little scout making sure kids are behaving, simply sitting on shelves, counters, and similar spots - has completely gotten out of hand.
Scenarios in which toilet bowls or kitchen sinks are blocked for an entire day because elves are “doing mischief,” or situations where household items are actually damaged, are just not cool with me. Of course, I don’t have to participate in any of that, but it genuinely makes me sad to read posts from desperate, eager-to-please mums asking how to “surprise and shock” their nine-year-old because he says his elf is boring. Or from a six-year-old asking his elf whether he was “good enough to get a PS5.” Since when did elves become judges of a child’s worthiness for material gifts?
At our house, we like to keep it real.
When our elves arrived, they couldn’t find an appropriate landing space due to the accumulated clutter everywhere. So they ended up stuck in a picture frame filled with chocolate candy. The note asked Colin to clean up and set them free. In exchange, they promised he could keep the treats.
He didn’t get the hint.
What did our elves do? They ate all the chocolate themselves and ended up being treated for a “chocolate overdose” at the hospital. This is the text they sent:
Colin defended himself, claiming it wasn’t that bad and that there were still plenty of spots for the elves to sit. Well, the next day they did sit - at the office - where he had promised to help assemble Chlaussäckli for our customers.
You see, in Switzerland our Santa, St. Nikolaus in German or Samichlaus in Swiss German, visits on December 6, often accompanied by a donkey and a Schmutzli. Children are supposed to recite a rhyme and, in exchange, receive a little bag filled with treats. My co-workers are going to play Samichlaus this year and distribute the bags to our clients.
Sunday was Abstimmungstag, voting day. Our system of direct democracy allows us to vote “yes” or “no” on initiatives. This time, a group of idealistic young people proposed solving the army’s shortage of personnel by requiring all young adults — both men and women — to either serve in the army or complete a form of civic duty. I have many thoughts about this, but I won’t go into them here. Let’s just say: the elves and I were more than ready to cast our votes!
Unfortunately, Colin got injured in a hockey game this weekend. He’s suffering from a mild concussion, so the elves wore band aids in solidarity and to wish him a speedy recovery.
It's hard to believe that my little boy and his classmates are already attending orientation days at universities. Be that as it may, he set off for Bern this morning, and our elves would have loved to go with him. Nevertheless, they generously offered to reimburse him for his train tickets and lunch.
Oh my gosh! Colin is heading to university?! Where has the time gone?
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