Our Elf on the Shelf, aka, Boone, arrived bright and early the first Sunday of December, ushering in the Christmas season with a festive North Pole Party. This tradition takes a different shape each year, but many things remain the same. Count-ons include Santa hat strawberries and muffins, chocolate milk topped with whipped cream, a letter from Boone himself, and a new Christmas movie and ornament to add to our growing collection. This year, I added a trip to our new donut shop, Icon Donuts, for a colorful platter of delicious goodness. Donuts filled with eggnog and infamously called, "The Griswold," or another filled with a White Russian cream and called, "The Dude," these donuts were the highlight of our party this year.
It's not lost on me that these childhood traditions do have an ending date. It seems like this is the first year I've noticed just how big (and a bit odd) Cruz looks on Santa's knee! It was also noticed that he didn't show too much emotion (okay, hardly any at all) Sunday morning when he came out of his room and noticed the table and Boone in the middle of it. Let's just say he got far more animated watching the Bears game later that afternoon! Mila, however, it seems she's noticing more and more the older she gets! After feeling a little disappointed after getting Cruz's response, Mila made up for it with her excitement and enthusiasm. And she noticed everything. Something tells me she might be my spirit loving girl at the holidays.
Boone always gifts the kids an ornament that holds some meaning from the past year. This year, it was a Harry Potter ornament for Cruz and a unicorn for Mila - their Halloween costumes and Cruz's fun 8th birthday party. Cruz found a place for his ornament on the tree, Mila has chosen to keep hers as a bracelet and refuses to hang it on the tree. ;)
The past couple of years, we've used Boone as a way to brainstorm ways we can use this month to be a little more intentional about showing up in our places to spread some joy. I love that our celebration of Boone and all things "Elf" led to a conversation of people that could use some extra love this holiday season.
So what has Boone been up to so far this month? I haven't taken pictures every day, but did include a few of my favorites. Beau usually gets all the credit for the most creative ideas...
Boone playing Go Fish with some friends...
This was a good one! A little elf chair tied to the ceiling fan. And he stayed spinning all through the night!
And probably my favorite so far. We had a quiet Saturday night and Beau got a little creative while I was wrapping presents. He set up this little photo booth, then took a bunch of pictures with my camera the kids could scroll through the next morning. Their pictures looked pretty similar to the pictures on my phone from our Christmas party the night before!
North Pole Parties from years' past... 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012.
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