Santa and Elf Business

Our kids still enjoy our Santa and elf traditions.  We don't specifically try to encourage them to believe and just enjoy this fun tradition together.  If any of our kids ever specifically ask about the validity of Santa Claus, we will have a truthful discussion at that time.  We always stress that the true meaning of Christmas is about Jesus's birth and that he is the greatest Christmas present ever.  The traditions we utilize to celebrate Jesus's birthday are our most precious traditions but visiting Santa and seeing what mischief our elf visitor gets into every year is just for fun.

Our elf buddy Brewster arrived a little later this year awaiting the arrival of our little Grayson.  He brought some Christmas doughnuts and a sweet letter to the boys. 

Eating their snowman doughnuts.  Mattox got some too. 

Brewster thought the boys would like chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast on another morning. Then, he trapped himself in a snow globe.  He was still inside the next morning so we figured he couldn't get out.  We took the bowl off of him so he could get out the next night. 

He left the boys and Mattie a sweet candy cane love note, and he and Snoopy had a little sledding adventure. 

He was hanging out on the stable above baby Jesus one day, and he built a Lego Christmas tree another day. 

He drew the boys some funny face art on their bathroom mirror.  Apparently, he also really likes Home Alone because he quoted the old movie line and called the boys "filthy animals."  Haha! 

After hanging out in the bathroom, he had an unfortunate incident.  We try to keep the bathroom door closed to keep Mr. Mattox out, but he got in there and gave Mr. Brewster a little bath in the sink...at least we hope it was the sink.  He brought him to me in the living room and handed him to me wet.  When I checked the bathroom, he had also knocked a glass candle onto the floor so I was very thankful he had not gotten hurt.  The next day, Brewster seemed to come down with a little cold and needed to recover.  After he was feeling better, he "elfed" the boys' pictures and gave them all little hats. 

The boys all wrote their letters to Santa this year.  Our town had a special mailbox where we could mail our letters.  

Taking our letters to the mailbox. 

Everyone mailed their letters. 

Santa showed up to pick up his mail!  Our town posted that picture on their facebook or instagram account. 

The boys were so excited to receive responses from Santa.  It looks like Santa is a U.S. citizen since his address is in Alaska.  Or maybe he just keeps an address there so he doesn't have to pay crazy international postage rates.  Haha!

The boys got to meet Santa in our little town. 

We also had a little photo prop fun.  I think Mattox makes a really cute Santa. 

And finally Santa showed up on Christmas Eve to leave his surprises and a special letter from him and Brewster.  The boys almost forgot to leave him some treats that night so I left him some of Daddy's sausage balls and candied pecans.