"You've been awfully bad;
So here's the scoop.
All you get in your stocking is snowman poop."

This is the poem that Santa includes if you ever receive a snowman poop (coal). Modern beliefs has it that Elves are true friends and helpers of Father Christmas. Right before Christmas, they would go from house to house, inserting coal into the stockings of naughty children. If children were to receive a lump of coal on St Nick's day, they would have up until Christmas Eve to behave. If so, Santa will return and present them with Christmas goodies instead.

At first, it was believed that Santa and his Elves lived in the North Pole. But people soon found out that reindeer can't be be found in the North Pole. Instead, there is a huge population of reindeers in Finland! Since then, people started speculating that somewhere in Lapland, Finland, lives Santa, his family and his team of Elves!

Some believes that Santa has as many as six to thirteen Elves living and helping him prepare for Christmas. The popular Western names of the Christmas Elves helping Santa Claus and their duties are as follows:

1. Alabaster Snowball - Administrator of the Naughty & Nice list.
2. Bushy Evergreen - Inventor of the magic toy-making machine.
3. Pepper Minstix - Guardian of the secret of where Father Christmas's village is located.
4. Shinny Upatree - The oldest friend of Santa and the co-founder of the secret village in Lapland.
5. Sugarplum Mary - Head of the Sweat Treats, she is also known as Mary Christmas. She is an assistant to Mrs Claus and helps her in the kitchen.
6. Wunorse Openslae - Designer of Father Christmas's sleigh and responsible for its maintenance. He also looks after the reindeers and it is believed that his reindeers reach speeds faster than Christmas tree lights.

So who are they?
The earliest descriptions of Elves are found in the Norse mythology. According to the Norse mythology, Elves are actually beautiful creatures with special powers. They are human-like, and are able to live a semi-divine life.

In the Scandinavian folklore however, Elves are described as beautiful creatures who dance in the morning and evening meadows. Elves are generally friendly beings. But would you ever offend an elf, they are known to bring diseases ranging from a slight skin rash to a full on fatal disease. For such reasons, epidemics and other sicknesses in the Scandinavian society were often blamed on vengeful Elves.

In German folklore, Elves are also regarded as �pranksters� who cast diseases and nightmares. Indeed, the German word for nightmare, Albtraum, actually means �elf dream�.

Elves are called differently in different parts of the world. In the Netherlands, they are called Black Peter. In Iceland; Yule Lads, in Germany; Knecht Ruprecht, in many parts of France; P�re Fouettard, and in Luxembourg; Hoesecker. But well,

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet."

we might know Elves by hundreds of other names, but from what we see here, they sure are SEXY!

No comments on this post.

Login to post a comment. Not a 123RF member? Register now.