Aren’t Christmas traditions funny old things?

I feel like my childhood Christmases were simply magical!  Our traditions were a part of the very fiber of our family’s collective identity. There is something almost sacred about them.

And yet…

I still remember bringing out my Mannheim Steamroller Xmas albums to play in the apartment I shared with my BYU chums.  I LOVE those albums. In the 80’s when I was a medium sized lass – they were the cutting edge of coolness and my sibs and I spent HOURS listening to them and dancing around the house. When I played them at the Y, as a college age lass, my chums laughed me to scorn. (I won’t lie, it hurt a little)

Jan doesn’t like those albums either, but friends, corny as they are, they fill me right up with remembrances of my Christmas past. And so, I adore them.

Openly.

Here on my blog I pledge my little girl heart to YOU Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums. SYNTHESIZER AND ALL!

Along with the MS albums are many other odd and wonderful traditions that I hold dear. One of the most cherished traditions is “the elves”. Every year a set of Santa’s little helpers were assigned to take care of us during the month of December. They would watch to see if we were being good – brushing teeth, listening to parents, RESISTING giving younger brothers “swirlies” etc. And if we were good they would leave us little presents all around the house. On the doorstep or under our pillows. They could zip all around the house and you’d NEVER see them (but every now and again you could hear them giggle)…they were magic so you know, the normal laws of physics did not apply to them.

When my parents moved to fabulous Provo UT it turned out that the Elves had a established a post  – under one of their pine trees.

This very pine tree, in fact!

It is called,

ELFINDEN

It is a place where they go to chill out in between gigs. They sip hot cocoa and rest their weary bones etc. Because Grandpa is on good terms with the elves, he must know their secret handshake er something, they let his grand-kids in on their hideaway, and maybe they feel a little guilty because they don’t pay property tax. Whatever the reason, we know about it and we hang out there too.

It’s kind of awesome, if you ask me.

Last Christmas, when we were staying with Grandma and Grandpa the elves hooked us UP!

It began, as it often does, with the discovery of a note. This note instructed us to go to Elfinden (aka their hideaway).

(The adventure begins!)

We all bundled up and made our way out to Elfinden.

(Grown up mommy – but still as excited as the little kids)

In we all went –  under the pine boughs to discover…

…that the elves had decorated Elfinden for Christmas. (Please note that Brynn, also grown-up lady, was just as excited as the kids)

They left us yet another note that would lead us to a special Christmas surprise!

Out we came and off we went!

Following the clues,

which lead us to this ark (just part of the surprise,and  just a beginning of what was to come!)

We kept following the trail of animals until,

We discovered that the elves had taken a little storage space under the stairway and turned it into what we now refer to as, “The Ark Room”.

BEHOLD!

As little peeps they found a way to cram a WHOLE bunch of fun into a tiny space. They are so good when it comes to decorating small spaces – I wonder if they ever considered decorating Manhattan apartments during their “off” months.

Oh, Elves – I love you! How I love you!

Because this tradition means so much to me, it goes without saying that the dear little guys come and visit Millie and Clara too.

We have this here mailbox.

It is where the elves leave us the good stuff.

They have been kind to us this year.

On Friday they left us…

I am here to report that it was well received,

“On Dasher! On Dancer! On Prancer! Right into my mouth!!”

YUM!

“And to all a good night”.

Peace out

and

peace on earth, suckaz!