When people come to the Bohn residence, they’re greeted by two excited little girls eager to show off their one foot tall house guest.
“Her is sitting on the tower,” confides three-year-old Paige, as she and her four-year-old sister Caydence show off their elf Sparkle, who will be staying with them over the next month. Sparkle sits, oblivious to their excitement but still listening, atop a Lego tower. “She’s a good visitor.”
Their mom, Pamela Martin Bohn, first heard from a friend about the tradition of getting an elf in the house for Christmas. Looking into it more, she heard about the popular Elf on a Shelf gift, which includes the elf and book set. According to the product’s website, “Excellent listeners and even better observers, these scout elves are the eyes and ears of Santa Claus. Although they cannot be touched, or else they may lose their magic, the elf will always listen and relay messages back to Santa.”
This year, several St. Paul families have made good homes for the in-demand elves – that is, if they managed to get their hands on the elusive creatures.
“They sell out, fast. I’ve been to a few locations where they sell them, and they sell out that day,” Bohn said. When she heard of a place in Cold Lake that had the Elf on a Shelf set, she immediately jumped in her car and drove out to pick one up.
On the first morning, the girls found their new elf in their Christmas tree. At first, they were dubious, thinking it looked like any regular stuffed creature.
But Bohn explained, “She only talks to Santa. Through the magic of Christmas, she only comes alive when she’s with him.
“They totally bought into it.”
In between their travels, these elves sometimes get into mischief, with Sparkle sticking a straw in a bottle of syrup and drinking the contents or wrapping up the top of the toilet in Christmas wrapping paper and turning the water purple. More recently, when the girls were sick, Sparkle ended up catching the bug too, and was found lying on top of a box of Kleenex, surrounded by crumpled tissue paper, with a thermometer in her armpit.
“My kids laugh for five minutes every day when they find her,” said Bohn. She noted that since Sparkle came to stay, she has made Paige and Caydence more conscientious of their own actions as well, and more “aware of the good things you can do in the Christmas season,” such as making cookies to give away.
The girls often share confidences with Sparkle. After they got into a fight over a book, they started pulling at it and tore it. “Paige was devastated and she ran right over to Sparkle and said, ‘I’m sorry Sparkle, please tell Santa I’m sorry,’” said Bohn.
And as much joy as Sparkle has given the girls, she’s also made fun for their parents, as they look forward to the new spots and new trouble for Sparkle to stir up each night.
“I love Christmas. I love everything about the Christmas season, the lights, the decorations, the giving,” said Bohn, adding the Elf on a Shelf is a nice addition to the festivities. “It’s just one more thing for them to do and be excited about . . . it’s just to start a new tradition with your family.”
