It's either an Elf on the Shelf or a new puppy.....

Well, Michael asked for an Elf on the Shelf.  For three years now I've wondered how long it would go un-noticed that we do not have one at our house.  Apparently in second grade you start comparing notes because it has been made perfectly clear to me that we are the only family without one.  (Side note:  Here are some other things you start to notice in second grade....who is good at math, who brings the best lunches, which kids have learned swear words, and that girls talk weird.)

Soooooooo.....now what to do. 

It's not that I'm opposed to an Elf on the Shelf.  As Michael pointed out (and I quote directly here), "They are loveable.  They are fun.  And they are magical because they come to life at night."  How could you go wrong with that combination?  It's not like I think you can't enjoy some of the more secular traditions of Christmas without losing sight of the real reason for the season.  I don't actually have a good reason for not having one except that between lots of babies over the past not so many years and every other holiday character around here (see previous post re: Morris, Gloria, Noel, Hans, the flamingos, etc....) I just haven't had the energy to keep up with an Elf. 

I offered to hide a Lego guy every night for Michael and let him find it in the morning.  He declined.  Said they weren't magical enough.

The fact is that an Elf on the Shelf really isn't going to make or break our holiday season either way.  That's the truth about most of the stuff around here. (Don't tell Hans, though.  His ego is HUGE and incredibly fragile.)  The kind of peace I strive for at Christmas is not bound by any tradition, gift or event, but by God's Son sent to earth.  Can there be peace at Christmas without an Elf, without coordinated wrapping paper, without all the family I want near me?

You betcha.

There's peace at Christmas--and every other day for that matter--because Christ waits for me on the other side and His spirit fills me until I can get there.

For the meantime, I've decided to wait and see if Michael brings up the Elf thing again.  He's a boy and he's young, so I figure there's a pretty good chance he'll forget about it.  If not maybe we'll just get him a puppy.  Right, Kevin???!!!  :)

XOXO.....Kelly