Ho Ho Ho Hum

In an effort to jump start our Christmas spirit and trick the boys into better behavior I bought the Elf on the Shelf. If you haven't heard of it it is simply this stuffed elf (who's a little creepy actually) that sits around your house during the holidays. Each night you are supposed to move it to a different location and tell your kids that the elf returns to Santa nightly to report on their behavior. It comes with a little storybook, which says that before the elf can do his job you have to name him.

I put the elf out for the first time this morning. The kids were underwhelmed. But we read over the book at the breakfast table and as instructed, decided to come up with the elf's name. Sam suggested Charlie. Jake disagreed, loudly. Jake suggested Avery Moore (his girlfriend). Sam objected. (It's a girl's name!) I suggested a Star Wars name. Jake wanted White Mama. Sam finally agreed to Avery, but Jake had long changed his mind. Finally, mercifully, they came up with General Snowball.

We'll see what happens tomorrow when General Snowball turns up on the mantel or the bookcase. But as the song goes, "we need a little Christmas, right this very minute" because no one here seems to have the spirit. Maybe it's too early. Maybe it's too warm. Maybe there are too many layoffs and financial crises. Or, possibly my worst fear, that kids don't get that excited about Christmas anymore. Why should they really? They get just about anything they need and want throughout the year. My fault entirely, I know. But it just seems to me that I was really excited about Christmas as a kid. Barely contained, visible excitement.

I may not be a kid anymore but I need that right now.