When I was in the first grade, Anna Sibley came to class and told us all about her magic elf, this mystical being that left candy in her shoes in the nights leading up to Christmas. This seemed like a pretty good idea to me, so Jen and I dutifully left shoes by the front door before retiring that night. All that came of that particular experiment was being summoned from bed to explain to Dad why our shoes were in the middle of the foyer, but once we filled Mom in, things changed. Having selected elves, Jen and I were then treated to two weeks of gifts, left each morning outside our bedrooms. Not a bad deal at all.
As we got a little older, the elves came less frequently, eventually stopping by only during the final three days before Christmas. The presents improved, however, and once Jen and I left grade school, it wasn't such a big deal if we didn't get two weeks' worth of small toys and candy (and FAO Schwarz sweatshirts one year, for whatever reason). Dad still decried the entire practice as pagan and tried to phase it out, but the elves were resilient.
They're still coming, actually. I got lovely earrings this morning, and my elf is due again tonight. Of course, we're now to the point where often Mom beats us to bed, and sometimes the presents magically materialize before morning. I've been meaning to have a word with my elf about that...
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