The kick in the butt to the mischievous elf

Remember when, just a few years ago, Halloween was just a curious Anglo-Saxon holiday that we watched, thinking it would never reach us? Well, pay attention, because the new imported custom that is here to replace our traditions is already here: the mischievous elf.

You may not even know about it yet, but since the beginning of Advent, social media has been filled with the mischief that naughty elves have been getting up to every night in all the houses that have opened their doors to them. 

The origin of this recent tradition—paradoxical as it may seem—can be traced back to the publication 20 years ago of the book The Elf on the Shelf, a story about Santa Claus sending a household elf to watch over children's behavior and report back to him every night. His main entertainment, however, is to get up to mischief at night, moving from place to place and generating excitement among the little ones, who must find him every morning and discover his misdeeds, without ever touching him so that he does not lose his magic. The story comes true in thousands of homes every day, thanks to the complicity of parents and the low price of the doll, which can be purchased for a few euros at any dollar store or online shop.

Teachers say that children talk about nothing else during recess: 

–What mischief has your Elf been up to today?

–Mine sprinkled flour on the kitchen counter and lay down on top of it, making an angel shape like you do in the snow. He made such a mess! What about yours?

–Well, mine mismatched all the socks in my drawer today, but yesterday he drew faces on the eggs in the refrigerator with a marker. How funny!

From December 1st until Christmas Eve, every night, the doll appears in a different place in the house, leaving its mark in the form of mischief, to the delight of children and, above all, of adults who enjoy themselves at the expense of their children's innocence. And here's the problem, because I don't know if you've had the same experience as me on Halloween. On All Hallows“ Eve, I came across groups of children accompanied by their parents visiting the neighborhood to ask for candy. The children were dressed up as the dead and had faces to match, while their parents smiled from ear to ear at how terrifyingly funny their children looked as they walked down the street. The fact is that few neighbors responded with candy to the question ”Trick or treat?" asked by the holy company. Halloween-related, much to the frustration of the little ones whose parents had assured them that on that day all the shops and neighbors would be generous and give them tons of candy. But that's not our custom! At least, not yet. 

The thing is, if there is one crucial aspect of traditions, it is the consensus that allows the entire adult community to agree, and since this is a relatively new custom imported from other countries where there is consensus on that night, well, what happens happens. If we don't all play along, it loses its charm.

The emergence of the domestic elf, derived from the also imported tradition of Santa Claus, of whom the magical character is a collaborator, has a clear offensive objective against our very own Three Wise Men. It breaks “the pact” that makes their magic possible and confuses children. It is not a question of waging a war of traditions, but of knowing who we are and agreeing on it. It is not a question of clinging to immovable positions anchored in the past, but of giving our children a firm foundation on which to build their personalities. By not respecting traditions or, worse still, jumping on the bandwagon of the first person who knocks on our Tiktok door, we leave children helpless in the face of the winds that blow hardest and deprive them of a thousand-year-old legacy cared for by parents from generation to generation. A legacy that allows us to know and identify ourselves with our people, with our closest community. By breaking the traditions that unite us, we become increasingly weaker.  

So much complicity, so much consensus to organize the Three Kings parade and everything related to that night, only for four influencers eager for attention to come along, take the scattergories, and ruin the game for us!

So, at the risk of being accused of inciting violence at this special time of year, allow me to advise you that if you see a mischievous elf appear in your home, don't let him stay there for a single night. On my behalf, give him a kick in the butt that will send him flying back to Santa's sleigh and, with him, travel to the very cold and very unpleasant Lapland so he can continue to bother his own kind there.