Meet Fred!

He came from a book set at Hallmark. The book is titled "The Elf on the Shelf"

The book starts off....

"Have you ever wondered how Santa could know

if you're naughty or nice each year as you grow?

For hundreds of years it's been a big secret.

It now can be shared if you promise to keep it.

At holiday time

Santa sends me to you.

I watch and report

on all that you do."

....

"I can't speak to you, so says Santa Claus

All of us elves have to follow his laws.

I'll listen to you. Tell me your wishes.

Would you like a game or some tiny toy dishes?

The gleam in my eye and my bright little smile

shows you I'm listening and noting your file."

It goes on to say that he'll go home each night to report to Santa on how you've been and when he returns he will be sitting in a different place each morning. The kids have been so excited to find him each morning. He has been on shelves, on top of the TV, in the bathroom, and sitting on the light like in the picture. Guy and I have forgot to move him twice and had to come up with stories about why he didn't report to Santa that night.

The first night they were supposed to be cleaning their rooms and they kept coming to tell him everything that the other was doing wrong. "Fred, Maddie isn't cleaning her room, she's just playing" "Fred, Maycee is just stuffing toys under her bed." They have finally quit tattling on each other to him, but I still see Maycee talking to him every once in a while. She says things like " Are you gonna tell Santa how good I've been?"

I like this book. It is working for us. I wish he could stay around all year long! :)