By Melanie Gomez & Lula Aldunate
Illustrations by Maggie Ares
Elves are magical creatures found in Santa’s workshop. What we like and admire most about them is that they work hard, love what they do, and have an incredible talent for making toys.
But where do they come from?
Elves have a long story throughout history. Their origins are in German paganism, where they were known as tiny, magical creatures of light and darkness with the power to influence humans.
They first appeared in literature in 1850, when Louisa May Alcott (Little Women author) cast them as Santa’s helpers in her book Christmas Elves (unfortunately, the story was never published).
Since then they’ve shown up mainly in Holiday stories as crafty little people with pointy ears and happy faces, helping Santa make toys as well as creating decorations, keeping an eye on children, taking care of the reindeer, and reminding us what the Holidays are truly about. Little by little they’ve become very popular–and almost as important as Santa—making a great team because they love their job.
Although elves live in the North Pole, they use their magic to move at the speed of light and can visit your garden or house. They are part of the family of gnomes and sometimes live in the forest, in springs, or in wells. Some people believe that elves will protect you, but it’s also likely they will play tricks on you if you misbehave.
Even though elves are really hard to spot, they’re always around to keep magic alive and remind us to have a happy and generous spirit, and to help others, especially during the Holidays.
Happy Holidays from Allegria Boutique!
85th N3rd st #116
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 388-2500
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