The Return of an Old Friend

The day after thanksgiving, we always get a visitor to the house. He shows up in the night and sticks around until the day after Christmas. This has happened now for the last 6 or 8 years.

He says his friends call him Engelbert. Engelbert is the Santa’s elf assigned to our house. He has magical powers that will go away if you touch him. He comes to our house each year to make sure we are good. We leave notes for him and he writes us notes on little pieces of white paper with torn edges.

Mostly he just hangs out in high places and watches our coming and goings throughout the day. He likes spots with views of as much of the house as possible but rarely spends more than one day in the same spot. This makes finding him each morning part of the fun.

Engelbert showed up again this morning. I wasn’t sure if he would since he told us last year that he was getting old. He made it sound like he was maybe thinking about retiring. I’m glad he didn’t.

When Engelbert first started coming to the house we didn’t really know what to think about him. It was neat to find him each morning, watching us from some new location in the house, but that was really as far as our relationship went. Over the years we have come to love him, and from his letters, Engelbert seems to have come to love us too.

Last year was especially with the kids writing him little notes several times a week and him responding to them. The kids would ask unusual questions about where he lives, and what kind of work he does when he is not here, and if he gets to ride on Santa’s sleigh. Engelbert would faithfully write back in his little neat handwriting, always on those small sheets of white paper with the torn edges.

Over the years, and I think especially last year, our relationship with Engelbert blossomed into something much more than just a standard Elf/Family sort of thing. Last year he became our friend.

This morning Engelbert is setting in a small handmade bowl that sits from time to time on the mantle in the living room. When our four year old woke up, he walked through the house calling, “Engelbert, where are you? Engelbert.” In time he found him, sitting there, looking down from his perch. The customary first night gifts at his side.

Ah, Engelbert, it’s good to see you. You are welcome in our home. You look well. I’m glad to see you haven’t retired yet. I’m glad to be able to spend another magical Christmas Season with you, watching over our small family as we grow up together. I’m glad you’ve chosen again to spend this time with us. And I’m excited to read more of your notes and watch my children’s faces as they find your new spot each day.

More than all of these, I’m glad you are my friend. Merry Christmas.

Clark