The Day We Learned About “Scout Elves”

During the holiday season over the past few years, I’ve noticed that along with all the magic and joy comes what I affectionately refer to as the “Christmas Crazies.”  Our kids that for the most part are really good well-behaved kiddos, absolutely lose their minds during the month of December and in turn, make me lose mine.  So, I was intrigued by everyone talking about how they put an elf on their shelf and their kids started being good.  I was sold on the idea. 

So this year, at the end of November, I was “in the garage” when our doorbell rang.  The girls went running for the door (with me just a little bit behind them) and that is when a “Scout Elf” arrived at our house.  The girls were so excited and they were thrilled to discover that our Elf came with a skirt.  I guess that makes her an “Elfette.”  Anyway, we read the story which taught us about how Scout Elves help Santa know who has been naughty or nice by watching and listening to what goes on all day around the house and then reporting back to Santa each night at the North Pole.  When your elf comes back, they land in a new spot so you have to find them each day.  I loved watching their faces as we read how it all works.  When we got to the part about how the Scout Elves help each other and share information on the things you do when you aren’t at home, the look on Brooke’s face was priceless.  She’d thought she’d found a loophole in the “watching” system.  Denied. 

So, the first thing you are supposed to do is name your Elf.  Without any debate, our Elf became none other than Rosie Sparkle Hansen.  Then they placed her carefully in their room by their mini Christmas trees.  That is the ONLY time you can touch your Scout Elf.  Otherwise, she loses her magic (more details on that can be found on the DVD sold only at select Target stores apparently).  Thank goodness Kyle caught it on our DVR – it contains valuable details about the elves and their magic.

About 20 minutes after Rosie had been placed, the girls were in bed, but not asleep when Kyle came home.  He went up to see them but I forgot to tell him the do’s and don’ts of Elf ownership.  So he walked in their room, they immediately pointed to Rosie and started to tell him all about her.  To show his interest, Kyle went over to take a closer look and reached out and touched her.  They hadn’t quite made it to the part about “no touching the Scout Elf.”  If a 4 and 9 year old can have a simultaneous coronaries, then that’s what happened.  But they calmed right down when we reminded them that dad didn’t know yet and it was still technically her first night at our house, so she would be fine.  All was well again.

It has been fun and enlightening to watch the effect Rosie has had at our house.  Although Emily has no idea why Rosie is here, finding her each morning is Emily’s favorite thing to do and at the top of her to-do list each morning.  Finding Rosie is even more important that a Sippy cup of milk and that is saying A LOT.    She also loves pointing her out to anyone and everyone that comes to our house.  Fortunately, Rosie has stayed up high and very much out of reach, so no more touching related trauma has occurred.

Brooke makes a very obvious effort to be extra good when she is in a room with Rosie.  When her behavior isn’t the best, I will remind her that Rosie is watching/listening and she will tell me that Rosie can’t see/hear her, she is too far away.  Always looking for a loophole that one is…

Katelyn has really tried to be good too and I have loved watching her enjoy having a Scout Elf at our house.  One day, we were talking about how her buddies Ben and Bradley got a Scout Elf (“Ninja Steve”) at their house this year too and she said, “Oh good!  I thought we just got one this year because we were being so bad.”  She has been 100% on board and is enjoying the magic of it all with her sisters.

It has been so fun to see where Rosie will appear each day.  Some of our favorites have been: on the ceiling fan blade, riding various roosters/decorative items in the kitchen and trying to blend in with the Christmas décor.

When Kyle’s grandma Cleo passed away, we made a quick trip to Boise.  Emily and I were in the family room at Grandma Carol’s house, when Emily discovered that Rosie had followed us.  She tried to tell Katelyn and Brooke but they said that Rosie couldn’t come with us – then they looked up and saw her there.  It was priceless. 

On the airplane ride home, Brooke looked out the windows and saw the flashing red lights on the wing – she got so excited and said, “Look Mom!  That’s how Rosie came with us!  She’s out there on the wing!”

The next evening, we were driving home from ballet and while we were stopped at a red light, Emily looked out her window, pointed at something in the distance and started shouting, “Rosie! Rosie! Rosie!”  Both Katelyn and Brooke were silent for a minute as they processed this and then one of them said, “No Emily, that’s not Rosie.  Remember she is at our house, but it must be one of the other Scout Elves!”  Well played Emily, well played.

It has been so much fun.  It will be sad to see Rosie leave us on Christmas Eve when she returns to the North Pole, but I know we will all anxiously await her arrival and the joy that she brings with her to our home next year.  In the meantime, I hope she encourages the Easter Bunny to find some robotic Scout Egg friends that encourage good behavior.  If she does, count me in.