At our house, the start of the Christmas season officially begins on Black Friday! Forget about getting up at 4am to fight the holiday shopping crowds…we are still in our PJs at 1pm, warm and cozy, excitedly unpacking the bins and bins of Christmas decorations.   

 

The kids are greeted in the morning by their favorite elf, Jingles, who visits during the holiday season from the North Pole.  He reports naughty or nice status back to Santa every night and finds a new vantage point every morning. They absolutely love Jingles and have been talking about his return for weeks.   If you have not seen the Elf on the Shelf - you must go and get it and start your own ‘elf” holiday tradition.  Although I enjoy his tantrum halting abilities (”Jingles is watching”)  , it is the daily conversations about where Jingles might be perched, how he got back in the locked house,  or what Santa was doing last night at the North Pole that make this a wonderful addition to our Christmas Traditions.