Believe in the Elf!
This year is the Fish household we are embracing the spirit of believing. My girls are 10 and 14 (almost) and they have grown out of believing in Santa but still love the holiday spirit and magic of the season. We’re not a religious family so I try to focus on believing – believing that there is good in everyone, believing that you can make a difference by thinking about someone else first, believing that there is a little magic in the season that makes every day special…
This year we decided to give the Elf on a Shelf a try. Even though the girls know who is moving the Elf they love the idea that each day there is a new adventure in finding her and seeing what she was up to the night before while they were in bed. I think it’s going to be a fun tradition. Our Elf, Candy Cane, arrived on Thanksgiving day with a mini bottle of sparkling white grape juice for each girl to have with breakfast.
On Black Friday she was in the car when we got up early to leave Tennessee to head home. In her hands were some fun striped socks with toe holes for the girls to wear on their ride home. Then on Saturday she left a note asking the girls to do something for her – she asked them to believe that there is good in everyone and to find something nice to do for someone else that day. So on our long drive home from Savannah to Tampa they each found something sweet to do for the other (which makes this mom’s heart feel good.)
Today Candy had a gift for the girls, a box of Snow Caps for each of them and tickets to see Elf the Musical at the Performing Arts Center. This was the first time that either of the girls have been to real theater to see a show so they were both excited. We all got dressed up and headed out the theater, which was all decorated for Christmas. Santa even greeted us at the door!
Here’s a few pics we snapped before heading to our sky high seats (the high seats were what we could afford and for the basically the same price as a 3-D movie ticket we got to see a live, broadway musical, in person – what a deal!!!). Our Elf, Candy Cane even came with us so she could see her elf friends and Santa.
The play was cute and the music was infectious and fun just as you hope it will be when you go to see a musical. The story was a little different from the movie but both the girls enjoyed themselves and so did my husband and I. As I tucked in my 10 year old she smiled and said to me. “That was so fun mom! Let’s make that a tradition. I want to take my kids to see Elf when they are little.”
So today we started a new family tradition and kicked off a holiday season that will hopefully be full of the word Believe. Happy Holidays Sweet Shoppers! I’d love to hear what new holiday traditions you might be starting with your family this year. – Juli
