Tis the Season for Urlaub!

What do elves do, for example, in January, when they are exhausted, they are a bit grumpy, and their little muscles are sore from round-the-clock toy manufacturing and a season chock-full of mischief?

They do what their German elfin cousins refer to as “making urlaub”. This translates, more-or-less, to “taking a vacation”. But we’re not talking about a handful of days off from work so that they can spring clean their garage. No! They take weeks off -- or even a month or more -- to go somewhere fabulous and peaceful, and really take a rest from their work.

These elves did just that for January this year. It’s cold at the North Pole, and regardless of how much they adore their work, they want to head all the way to the sunny tip of the southern hemisphere. Their special elfin resort, in an undisclosed location, features a variety of activities.

Look at these beauties! Just like their human counterparts, nothing says “relax” like a spa treatment, complete with terry cloth turbans and a little spa sarong. Even a mani/pedi is on the list of indulgences, because elfin fingernails take a beating in Santa’s workshop.

Surfing attracts the zaniest of the elves. Decked out in their board shorts, and sporting tattoos here and there, these little guys are ready to take on the waves at their special resort in Argentina. (This is not giving away too much information on the secret location of their vacation hideaway. Have you looked at how many kilometers of beautiful coastline Argentina has!?)

A quick note about our elves’ hair color. Mrs. Claus puts a fun surprise into every elf’s stocking each year (in addition, of course, to her homemade treats and confections.) This year, knowing that they were headed for a beach vacation, she gave each elf a bottle of Sun-In to achieve that oh-so-natural school-bus-yellow color (much like my son’s hair when I let him -- or, in fact, helped him -- bleach his dark brunette mop of hair when he was in middle school.) It’s too bad that Mrs. Claus didn’t throw in a bottle of sunscreen, too. As you can see, a couple of the elves are going to be a little tender when they put on their pajamas tonight!

And speaking of Mrs. Claus (don’t head down this rabbit trail if you are on a tight schedule) I got to be Mrs. Claus in a made-for-television movie that was filmed in Colorado this summer. It seems like between Hallmark, OWN and other cable networks, there are thousands of Christmas movies each year, and when this one comes out -- after I’ve screened it -- perhaps I’ll share a link. A little boy actor on the set told his grandmother that while he was highly suspicious that the “Santa Claus” was just one of Santa’s helpers, he thought I was most likely the real Mrs. Claus. High praise, indeed!

Now, back to these boys...

These two elves are studying for their bird-watching merit badge so they showed up early for a penguin-watching trip. They wanted to be first in line.

It turns out that penguins love elves and do not need to be enticed with food or fancy bird calls. And no binoculars are required! In fact, even near-sighted elves (sort of like me) can remove their glasses for a good up-close view. The penguins crowd in from all sides to play with the elves, who speak fluent penguin, albeit with a distinctively North Pole accent.

This is not the final chapter for January. We are still awaiting a report from the cadre of elves who signed up for the adventure tourism option with the concierge (who looked, come to think of it, strangely like Mrs Claus). I understand they’ve had a fine time and met some new friends. We’ll have to wait for them to return to the resort and report all about it!

So. . .now you know why you didn't bump into an elf in January: they all went south for urlaub. They have a crazy-busy schedule penciled in this year and I hope you’ll be back often to learn what’s next on their elfin calendars.

You can check back for recipes and a few how-to videos as they become available (i.e., as I figure out how to use all the features on this Wix platform!)

You can also look forward to some interactive opportunities that could lead to a box of tasty elf cookies showing up on your doorstep. (Delivered by elves, of course!) So check back periodically.

Now I just have to ask: do you have a smile on your face? Be honest! Do you feel like your cheeks are a little bit more rosy? Perhaps your desire for a South American vacation has been rekindled! Why not pass that little bit of joy and happiness along to someone else?

I’d be honored if you would share the link to my blog. But, more importantly, why not share something special with someone close by (or at least reachable by mail)? I recommend the honest-to-goodness postal service (the kind that requires a stamp and a trip to the mailbox, or in my case, to my local UPS Store). Surprise a friend with a note or tiny gift. Or bake brownies for seniors who are sequestered at a local nursing home. I know you have some great ideas about how to give a little joy to others and I’d love to read about them in the comments.

And if you’re fresh out of ideas, I'll brainstorm with you to come up with some great options.