Buddy Has Come and Gone

 Each year our wonderfully friendly elf, named Buddy (yes, we got super creative) comes to visit us on December 1st.  Buddy stays with us until the end of December when he must fly magically back to the North Pole. In reality, by this point we have completely given up on ideas each night of a new Buddy location or ingenious idea.  Most nights after December 20th are pretty much just stick him somewhere different before we fall asleep.  We are doing good if that's the case.  Sometimes, the case is, I feel an urging to use the potty in the middle of the night and then remember, "Crap!  Did I move that dumb elf?"  Yep, that's usually how it goes:)


Buddy was with us this December when 3 out of 4 of us were struck with the stomach virus in a span of 2 weeks. Poor poor Buddy because he must have caught it too.  One morning we spotted him in a bad way puking into a tupperware bowl.  Will just walked by that morning, and said, "I feel ya Buddy.  Hang in there."  

We try to stay "in the know" and do new things each year for the boys and Buddy.  Some years are better than others as far as that is concerned. I'm gonna go out and say that the first 2 1/2 weeks this year were pretty good. Mostly all new ideas, lots of laughs from the boys, and many times when he was so hidden that they took a long time to actually find him.  Sneaky Buddy!

The time has now come for Buddy to leave us again until Dec 1, 2016.  Each year the boys get really sad and ask to give him a hug before he flies away.  Kids aren't supposed to touch Buddy because it can make him lose his magical powers. That is all still true in this house too.  For 30 days the boys DO NOT DARE lay a finger on him.  That last day, I bend the rules and I let them each hug him.  Their only kids and they really do love him in a weird (only kids can understand) type of love.  Who am I to stand in the way of love?  And really, Buddy is just a $20 stuffed elf I bought from Target 3 years ago.  There's no magic.  All there is is childlike wonder and pure innocence still on their parts.  I will NOT stand in the way of that.  I know, all too shortly this stage will be forever gone.  Until then...hug that elf boy.  Love that elf.  Long for that elf and for Dec 1st.  Buddy loves you too!!!