Elf On The Shelf.....

For the first year, Mr. Elf is watching on Audrey's shelf.

::If you haven't heard of Elf on the Shelf, then I

will fill you in on a charming little tradition::

Carol Aebersold, an editor-in-chief of

Dayspring Magazine started this tradition

when her children were very small. Like

most kids through the ages, they wanted

to know how Santa really knew who was

naughty or who was nice. Her answer, came

in the form of a small pixie-elf. The first time

the elf arrived at their home, her children

officially adopted him by giving him a name.

Each year he would arrive around the holidays,

usually at Thanksgiving. His sole responsibility

was to watch the children's behavior and report

it to Santa each night. The next morning when

the children awoke, they discovered the elf had

returned from the North Pole (with a little parental

encouragement) and was now resting in a

different place. Her children would race each

other out of bed to try and be the first to spy

him in his new position. The tradition provided

an added benefit: it helped the children to

better control themselves. All it took was a

gentle reminder that the "elf is watching,"

for errant behavior to be modified.

~Now I know Audrey is a little to young

to understand now, but I cant wait to

introduce our children to this sweet

tradition. ~