24 Days of Martin – Day 09:  Elves

“Popcorn is on the way!”, cried Mom from the kitchen.  She placed bowls of popcorn on a tray and walks into the living room.  Dad was in his red and green pajama pants lounging on the couch with a pillow behind his back and fuzzy blanket in his lap.  He says these pajama pants are not Christmas pajama pants, but he only wears this pair in December.  Martin has on his “Elf” pajamas and is propped up against the couch with many pillows and has created quite the cozy area with several blankets.  Mom sits down next to Dad on the couch and pulls part of his blanket across her so her lap is covered.  She passes out the bowls of popcorn and both Dad and Martin dig in.

It’s Christmas movie night and tonight they are going to watch “Elf”.  It’s one of Martin’s favorites because of all the chaos, but mostly it’s the syrup on  the spaghetti, Mom just thinks it’s cute, and Dad, well, he thinks parts are funny but it’s not on his top ten list of Christmas movies.  Martin has watched “Elf” several times already this Christmas Season.  He’s trying to get ideas for his Christmas Carnival project.  He has a few ideas but his top two are an Elf Yourself Photo Booth or an Elven Workshop/Craft Station.  All he knows is he wants his project to include Elves.

“Mom,” Martin says swallowing a handful of popcorn. “Did you know elves are helpers?  They don’t just build and wrap toys for Santa.  Elves also maintain the sleigh, take care of the reindeer, and keep an eye on the naughty/nice list.  There is even a Secret Elf Corp to help keep the Santa & Mrs. Claus secure.  Plus they also do a whole bunch of other things at the North Pole.”

“I knew about the toys, the sleigh, and the reindeer,” replies Mom, “but I didn’t know about the help with the naughty / nice list and I sure didn’t know about the Secret Elf Corp.”

“Oh!”, exclaimed Dad.  “You didn’t know about the S.E.C.R.E.T.T. ELVES Crops?  The Special Elite Christmas Response & Emergency Toy Team?”, he joked, laughing so hard a piece of popcorn shot out of his nose!”

“Ew!!  Gross!!”, yelled Martin as he was also laughing and dodging flying popcorn.

Mom sighed and rolled her eyes at the two of them.  “Martin, I know how much you enjoy Germany being a part of all of the Christmas traditions.”

“What!”, gruffed Martin, annoyed by Germany always being a part of their Christmas stories.  “But it’s the NORTH POLE!!”, he wailed.

“Well,” replied Mom.  “Back in medieval Cologne, most businesses had Heinzelmännchen, and most homes had Kobolds.  Heinzelmännchen and Kobolds were very small helpers who would help complete unfinished projects and make sure the space was ready for the next day.  For Heinzelmännchen, this means getting bread ready to go into ovens, sharpening butcher knives, gathering all dropped pins and needles in the tailor shops, and other odd jobs in the towns tradeshops; and the Kobolds would put away dishes, start a load of laundry, or sweep and mop kitchen floors, and other small tasks in homes.”

“Kobolds sound like ‘Doby the House Elf” from “Harry Potter”, added Martin.

“Very much so.”, agreed Mom.  “All of these tasks were done during the night.  Sometimes it would be only one helper at night, sometimes more, usually no more than three, but if there were big projects in the tradeshops or large events happening in homes, there would be five.  The Heinzelmännchen were very industrious and dignified little helpers who valued respect.  They were always courteous, unless they had their trust broken or their privacy violated.   Kobolds were tricksters and pranksters who would hide small things and make mischief, but friendly mischief like moving the car keys or hiding the remote.   The more they liked you, the more fun the tricks and pranks.  If you did anything to lose their friendship, the more mischief you would get.  They especially liked to get people in trouble.  They would put salt in the sugar, or squeeze toothpaste on the mirror, or take all the toilet paper out of the bathroom!”

“Mom,”, Martin demanded.  “What do these Heinz-mansions and Kobolds have to do with elves?  I want to start the movie!”

“Movie! Movie! Movie!”, chanted Dad.

“Not helping.”, muttered Mom as Dad laughed harder.  “I’m getting there Martin.  Be patient!!  As I was saying,” Mom continued, “Heinz-el-männ-chen” and Kobolds were little helpers all around the town of Cologne.  However, one night, the Tailor’s wife decided she wanted to see what the Heinzelmännchen looked like so she scattered peas all over the stairs.  She hoped this would trip up the Heinzelmännchen and she could see them.  The Heinzelmännchen were so offended by this breach of privacy and lack of trust, they left that night.  And remember I mentioned the Kobolds would become more mischievous if they started to think you weren’t friends anymore?  Well, this  act of treachery from the Tailor’s wife was more mischief than even they would carry out.  In a sign of friendship and solidarity, the Kobolds left with the Heinzelmännchen because of how poorly the Heinzelmännchen had been treated.  The people in Cologne were so sad and distraught by their little helpers leaving, they built them a fountain in the center of Cologne.  It didn’t work and the little helpers never returned.”

“Cool!” said Martin.  “Can we start “Elf” now?”.

“Not so fast”, replied Mom.  “There is just a little bit more to the story.  Germany also had Christkind, not little helpers, but gift-bringers more like Santa, and they only worked during the Christmas season.  Each region of Germany had their own Christkind and on Christmas Eve after dinner, children would stay in their rooms, waiting to hear a bell to ringing.  The bell let the children know Christkind had been to their house and left their gifts.  Now, the Heinzelmännchen and Kobolds in Cologne had nothing to do.  So they decided to become helpers to Christkind.  Christkind was so thankful, she made them into small helper angels.  As the Heinzelmännchen and Kobolds become populous in Cologne, there became too many to help Christkind.  Numerous Heinzelmännchen and Kobolds decided they liked the thought of helping Christkind.  They had heard about St. Nick, also known as Santa Claus, and wondered if he might need any help.  So they moved to the North Pole and eventually became the elves we know today.”, finished Mom with a smile.

“As I keep saying,” Martin teased, “It’s not a Christmas tradition if Germany isn’t involved!  Can we PLEASE start the movie now?”