Along with many other family traditions, we celebrate St. Nicholas Day which is December 6th every year. It’s such a wonderful, meaningful way to kick off the Christmas season.

Jack is still not old enough to understand Elf on the Shelf but we do have one with the book, the movie and the little adorable plush Elf so Joe and I started talking about how and what we wanted to do with the tradition of our Elf.

After a little brainstorming, we decided St. Nicholas will bring Mr. Elf (he doesn’t have a real name yet) every year when he comes to our house during the night on the fifth of the December. We will wake up to our stockings filled with small treats from St. Nick and to find our Elf in the kitchen for breakfast.

The question did come up, “how will you explain to Jack why some people’s Elf arrives sooner than his?” I guess we’ll have to deal with that when it happens!

If I had to explain it today, I would start by reminding him the birth of Jesus is the ultimate reason we celebrate Christmas, the story of St. Nicholas as the gift giver, the connection between Santa and the Elves and “because I said so.”