Elf Letters!!!!!!

Imagine yourself back as a little kid and how badly you wanted your heros to write you a letter? Or at least receive a response to yours...Now imagine actually getting one!!! The happiness would be overwhelming. Even if you were quickly distracted by bigger better things as most kids are.

A couple of years ago I started writing letters to my younger cousins from "Bernard the elf." I'm not really sure where the idea came from but the name Bernard totally came from the Santa Claus, which has recently posed a problem, but I'll talk about that in a minute. Bernard writes to the kids every year in early december telling them stories of the North Pole reminding them to be good and some tid bits about himself and Santa. I probably have more fun coming up with the stories than the kids do reading the letters. But there is nothing I love more than watching their animated faces as they tell me the latest story from Bernard or them pointing out similarities with the North Pole in everyone's favorite Christmas movies.

Here are some examples of ones i've written....

The older of the cousins finally put two and two together that Bernard might be the same Bernard from the "Santa Claus" movie with Tim Allen. I can't decide if I really want them to think that or not because I don't want them to think movies aren't real and thus Bernard isn't real. I don't know my aunt just stared at them wide eyed haha they can come to their own conclusions. 

With the letter writing we have come across a few issues though. First of all, think through what you are sending!!! This year I sent an application to a reindeer completely ignoring the fact that if they responded I would have to REJECT them!!! Clearly I can't let them be reindeer, when they can't actually go to the North Pole. I rectified this situation, by naming her an official Representative of the North Pole instead. It seemed to be at least a semi-acceptable alternative. But don't worry Santa was plenty impressed with her application, that's why he offered her the "better" job.

Another issue this year was that 3 children got letters but one never made it. They explained to him that the boy letters were mailed separately from the girl letters. Haha again this seemed to work ok, but i'd try to make sure they get there altogether! I made up another story about messenger penguins and a norwhale eating the mail...if you want to know the story you'll have to ask. :)

Anyway, I think the elf letter writing is such a fun way to get involved with younger relatives or even a fun thing to do with your own children.