he's baaaaaaack ...

Does anyone else out there have an "Elf on the Shelf"?

We got ours 3 years ago and he quickly became a very important and endearing part of our Christmas traditions ... we named ours "Toddy" and he's our own personal elf from the North Pole who acts as our liaison with Santa by returning to the big man's Workshop each night only to return to our house by morning, always tucked into a new perch to observe and watch over us during waking hours.

For some families we know, the Elf on the Shelf was a massive "fail" - the kids were freaked out and scared by the idea of an elf who comes to life at night. Fortunately for us, our Elf on the Shelf exceeded our every hope and both ladybugs love to wake up and search the house for Toddy ... over past years, he's been known to like lampshades, curtain rods, clocks, picture frames, bowls, and once even rode a tiny porcelain horse that was just his size ...

Did you notice the papers tucked under Toddy's arm in that first photo? Last year, our little ladybug would make Toddy little tiny-sized treasures that she felt would be useful for him ... these included a briefcase, papers, a tiny pencil, and a tiny modified ziploc baggy with 2 cheerios inside. This year, the treasures have expanded to include meals and snacks. Here is Toddy's teaspoon-sized apple pie and ice cream, which was served in the lid of a peanut butter jar ...

Toddy loved it and ate it right up! Here he is over the weekend enjoying a tiny pancake no bigger than a dime ...

I wonder how you feel about this little tradition ... is it unabashed consumerism or is it something sweet? Am I horrible for lying to my girls or will they appreciate the magic that it brought them? Whatever the answer, we love this little guy like crazy ... Toddy seems to hold the key to the magic of Christmas, I see it in my little bug's eyes each morning when she finds him in his new spot - the pure joy on her face is the most heartwarming sight you'll ever see! Thank you, dear Toddy, for giving us that gift ...