I've always wanted to decorate my front yard for Christmas, I love Christmas light displays. We had a some outside decorations growing up, most particularly a blow mold Nativity scene. So, with our kids I tried to put up enough lights to show we were fully part of the Christmas world. Townhouses don't always have the best yards for decorating, but we've managed to get lights on on our tree and bushes, and occasionally had candy canes and lighted wreath on the front door. The problem was, I was the only family member who routinely saw the lights, coming home from work. The rest of the family not so often.
Then I had an epiphany! We had a sliding glass door opening into the back yard. So, I started decorating the back yard as well. It was a great idea, because we could now see the decorations and lights at night every time we went into the kitchen, we could see the lights. The back yard was now a winter wonderland. 😀
In recent years, we've started a new tradition: Kelly and I watch The Great Christmas Light Fight, my favorite houses usually don't win, but it is a fun watch anyway.
Today's letter was from a pretty rough year for us. Frau Perchta continued to make an appearance, but it also saw Belsnickel appear. Apparently, much of the folk lore on this famous elf is wrong, rather then being a Krampus or Perchta like figure, he was an elf who gave children candy in the days before Christmas. I always saw him and Bellringer as members of the Prep & Landing band of elves, similar in many was to the "elf on a shelf."
🎅Santa’s WorkshopNo. 1 Santa Claus LaneChristmas Town, The North PoleDec 24th, 2010Dearest Ren & Tori,A very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!I was very worried about you this year. I know it has been very rough for you both, and it is hard to stay on the nice list when bad things are happening. But that is when you especially must be nice to each other, and listen to your parents because as a family you will overcome all of your problems.Bellringer the elf had an adventure this year that showed him how true that is!You remember that evil old witch, Frau Perchta, who used to follow me on Christmas Eve to punish wicked children? Last year she stole the naughty list so she could beat the children on it but Bellringer stole it back. She got very mad at Bellringer and she wanted revenge!Frau Perchta knows many spells, and she can make magic snow globes like mine to spy with. She must have made one and watched Bellringer until she found out his weaknesses: curiosity and sweets! She went into the 🎄Christmas Tree Forest🎄 near my castle and she cast a spell to make herself look like a nice old lady, and then she cast another spell to build herself a house made of gingerbread! Then she started baking cookies and cakes and muffins and pies and candies.Now, my reindeer and elves often travel through the Christmas Tree Forest – especially in the summer! The elves keep the trees in good shape, and the reindeer just like to run through the trees. And some of the local snowmen live in there also. It wasn’t long before some of my Christmas town folks discovered the house of this “nice old baker-lady” that Frau Perchta pretended to be. She gave anyone who came to her house sweets to eat, as much as they asked for, and she showed off her neat little gingerbread house. All who tried her sweets thought they tasted as good as Mrs. Claus’ cooking!!!!Bellringer is one of my chief elves, as you know, and it wasn’t long before he heard of this house and its baker lady who could cook as good as or better than Mrs. Claus. Bellringer had to journey out to the forest to see if the gingerbread cookies and hot chocolate, especially, were as good as everyone said. But Bellringer had already promised to help his older brother, Belsnickel, clean out the reindeer stalls of their old straw and poop that day!Well, dirty straw cannot compare to warm gingerbread and hot chocolate, so Bellringer snuck out of the castle and down to the forest instead of helping his brother Belsnickel. He found the gingerbread house easily and the nice old baker lady, really Frau Perchta, invited him for cookies and hot chocolate! Bellringer was eager to try her cooking and greedily ate up all the cookies and drank all the hot chocolate. But this time, the witch had put a magic sleeping potion in them! Bellringer fell asleep!When he woke up he was all tied up by licorice ropes, and Frau Perchta had dropped her magic disguise. She screeched at Bellringer, “You foul little elf! You cruel fay! The children should be mine! They should all be mine to hit with switches and throw coal at! Mine!” Frau Perchta cackled, “Since I can’t have them I will eat you! As soon as my oven is hot in you will go!” And she started put more wood on the fire of her oven.Now, Belsnickel is one of my oldest elves, even older than Bellringer. He is also very wise, and when Bellringer didn’t show up to help with his chores, he easily guessed why. He followed Bellringer’s tracks out into the forest and found the gingerbread house. He was sneaking a peak in the window when Frau Perchta screamed at poor, tied up Bellringer and knew his brother was in danger. He carefully used his elf knife to carve a hole in the gingerbread wall of the house and crawled inside and hid.When Frau Perchta opened the oven Belsnickel jumped from his hiding spot and pushed her into the blazing oven! He slammed the oven door shut and quickly untied Bellringer. Both of the old elves jumped up and ran from the house and only just in time! Frau Perchta knows lots of fire magic and the oven could not hold her. She ended the spell that created her house and it melted all away. She turned from an old witch into a beautiful woman all in white, then she disappeared in a flash of light. I fear she is not gone forever.Bellringer was so grateful to his brother for saving him that he has cleaned the reindeer stalls for him ever since, though Belsnickel insists on helping.Well, it is time to start my ride. I am giving this letter to Bellringer; he will deliver it to you. Be good and be happy little ones.‘Til next yearSanta Claus
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