Every year, my dad's side of the family gets together before Christmas to celebrate the season before the holiday takes us to our own individual families. Last Christmas, the get-together was hosted by my cousins, Shannon and Doug, who have three small children (Keagan, Chloe, and Charlie.) After we put our coats away, we had no sooner hugged our hellos and poured our wine, and we had a Christmas crisis on our hands of epic proportions. Everyone knows the best place to gather for get-togethers is the kitchen, which is exactly where we had migrated. Shannon has a huge and beautiful kitchen, not to mention the menagerie of goodies that were waiting for us in there. Unfortunately, "Elfie" was waiting for us in there as well. Elfie was perched up on the fruit bowl smiling his innocent smile, but he had a knowing naughty gleam in his eye, and he knew exactly who his most vulnerable target was: my brother Grant, the quintessential bachelor. He had no CLUE who this Elf was and the damage he was about to inflict. So, as we gathered around the island picking at the hors d' hoerves, Grant unwittingly picks up the Elf asking, "What's this?" There was an almost immediate reaction as we all jumped out of skins at the sudden outcry of grief and anguish that rips through the kitchen. Chloe, who has fallen into a tragic heap of despair upon the tile floor, screams out, "YOU CAN'T TOUCH HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Grant threw down Elfie like he was stricken with leprosy as Shannon tried unsuccessfully to pry a crestfallen Chloe off the floor, who was just flopping around like a ragdoll, spent with emotion. Through her choking sobs, Chloe cries out, "He loses his magic if you touch him!!!" We all stand there aghast, shocked, and at loss for action or words as her parents try to repair the damage that been brought down on their middle child. "Grant didn't know, Chloe; Elfie only loses his magic if YOU touch him; Grant is all grown up, he doesn't count...." Eventually, with the lure of presents, Chloe calmed down enough for us to move on with the evening. (Which, by this time, I've consumed a bottle of wine on my own, but that is a whole 'nother story all together.)
However, Chloe has never let Grant forget this memory that will no doubt scar her for the rest of her life. Throughout the year, "Elfie" has come up numerous times in conversation. Grant felt really, really bad about it, too. So, this year Grant got his own Elfie. Aunt Sandi (Chloe's Grammy) bought Grant his very own Elf on the Shelf. Chloe stood by impatiently waiting for Grant to open it. She explained all how the Elf worked and that he, of course, COULD NOT touch him (that is why Grant is holding the Elf by as little as possible in the pictures.) Thankfully, Chloe has recovered, and our family has gained a new member. Grant's little Elf better get busy; he's going to have a lot of work ahead of him with all the things he's going to have to report to Santa. And I mean ALOT of work. Happy holidays from our Elf to yours!
