Elves Home Ornaments

This one is for you Daddy!

From the earliest memory I have as a little girl, my Dad told me and my brother the 'Elves Home' story as our family would decorate our Christmas tree.  Each day after that... all the way up until Christmas day... I would sit in a rocking chair listening to Gene Autry's Children's Christmas album over and over and over, and chat to the elves that lived in their special ornaments.  When I grew up and discovered the trueness of all Christmas legends and tales... I actually thought the 'Elves Home' story was as well known as Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, The Night Before Christmas, etc.  It wasn't until I was 18, with an apartment of my very own, and went to purchase my own 'Elves Home' ornaments for my first tree that I discovered that my Dad had actually made that story up!  No one can tell a story quite like my Dad... we would listen to him with our jaws hung open... absolutely mesmerized!

Here is his story...

The ornaments that my Dad called the Elves homes are those ornaments that are round or oblong and have indentions in the middle of them.  He would tell us that the elves lived in these ornaments all year long, and when they were packed away after Christmas, the elves would come out and play at night and keep watch over us as we slept... but in the day time they would watch over us and report to Santa all our good deeds and bad deeds throughout the year... so that when Christmas season came, and it was time to decorate the Christmas tree, Santa already knew if we had been naughty or nice during the year.  But... during the time those ornaments hung on the tree we had a chance to redeem ourselves for any of our naughtiness during the year by being extra good as they kept watch over us until Christmas Eve when Santa arrived... then... when Santa arrived the elves helped him stuff our stockings and unload his sack of goodies that were placed under the tree.

I would sit in that rocker and sing along with Gene Autry as I chatted to the elves hoping they would see just how good I was... and also to see if I could ever catch one coming out of the ornaments.  I truly thought if I sat there long enough I would really get to see a real life elf... which of course I never did... but I never gave up believing I would see one.

I remember the day I went in search of my own Elves Home ornaments.  I was in the local Woolworth five and dime store browsing along the Christmas decorations aisle... when I couldn't find any of those ornaments I went in search of a sales clerk to assist me in my search.  I actually asked her if they carried 'Elves Home' ornaments... I will never forget the puzzled look the sales lady gave me... and then the "WHAT ornaments" reply!  I then not only described what the ornaments looked like in great detail... but also said... "you know... the ornaments that the elves live in"!!!  I was a bit perplexed that this woman had no clue what I was talking about... so when I got home, I called my Mom and Dad to tell them how dumb this sales lady was that she didn't know what Elves Home ornaments were.  It was then that my Dad confessed he had made that story up years ago.  Since he had told that story to my cousins as well... I really thought it was a well known Christmas story!

Thanks Dad for the many years of memories of waiting and watching for those elves... those are priceless memories indeed!  I made sure I told this same story to my own children every year, and I will be passing this story on to my Grandchildren as well.  And Dad... I wish you would turn this story into a book with your own illustrations included...  how cool would that be???  I love you bunches!!  You made Christmas soooo special!

HUGS!!!  Victoria