Our first Christmas-in-July chat featured Elf Ernest, Senior Vice President of Public Relations at the North Pole. The purpose of the chat was to discuss plans for Christmas in July.
The chat was well attended and featured a lot of diverse questions. Not only was Christmas-in-July discussed but so too was the possibility of a chat later this month with both Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Here is the chat transcript:
| Elf Ulan | Hello, Elf Max! Happy Christmas in July! |
| Elf Max | Hello! |
| Elf Max | Thanks for being here! |
| Elf Max | It was starting to get lonely |
| Elf Max | I’m not sure how many will be joining us today |
| Elf Max | Hello Elf Radar! |
| Elf Radar | HI |
| Elf Ulan | I hope many people will join here! |
| Elf Max | Ah, there’s the boss now! |
| Elf Ernest | Hahaha….I’m nobody’s boss, Max |
| Elf Max | Still, it’s good to have you here. |
| Elf Max | Elf Ernest, you are the first of the Christmas-in-July chats. |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, how did that happen? |
| Elf Max | I’m not sure, but I’m certain you know more about what is ahead for us over the next few weeks. |
| Elf Ernest | I do know some things, but honestly a lot of Christmas in July is still very much in the planning stages. A lot is up in the air. |
| Elf Ulan | Hello, Elf Ernest! I’m apologize for my mistake in your name last chat |
| Elf Max | Are you talking about online Christmas in July or Christmas in July at the North Pole? |
| Elf Ernest | Elf Ulan, you have NO WORRIES! You are the best |
| Elf Ernest | Elf Max, I’m talking mostly about the online Christmas in July. |
| Elf Max | Okay….I saw that some more chats were scheduled publicly today on the Christmas in July page here at Santa Update |
| Elf NotJack | Busy chat today huh |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, and we’ll put out some news on that later…likely Monday |
| Elf Max | Hi Elf Not Jack |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you, you’re so kind. |
| Elf NotJack | Hello! |
| Elf Max | We just kind of jumped in on things when Elf Ernest showed up |
| Star5556 | Hello elf ernest |
| Elf Ernest | Sorry about that! |
| Elf Ernest | Hello Star5556, not sure I know you! |
| Elf Ernest | Welcome! |
| Elf Max | It’s all good. |
| Star5556 | Do you want my name |
| Elf Ernest | It’s just nice to see a new face, Star5556. We welcome you |
| Star5556 | My name is jayden Culver |
| Elf Max | Maybe I should let folks ask their questions first, Elf Ernest? |
| Elf Ulan | Hi, Elf Radar! |
| Elf Ernest | However you want to work it, Max, is fine with me. |
| Elf Max | Ok, let’s take their questions first. Who has a question for Elf Ernest? |
| Elf Radar | Hello Elf Ulan |
| Star5556 | How has the reindeer been |
| Elf Ulan | I do! |
| Elf Ernest | The reindeer are not here at the North Pole right now. They left in January and won’t be back until September or October. That’s normal |
| Elf Max | Go ahead, Elf Ulan |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Ernest | There are some reindeer working the test flights of Santa’s sleigh, however. But we don’t see much of them |
| Elf Max | Elf Ernest do you get questions like that everywhere you go? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, I don’t go much away from the North Pole. But yes, I’ve been answering questions like that for years and years now |
| Elf Max | “public relations” is kind of a broad title for you….how did you end up doing this? |
| Star5556 | I wish you can come here right now |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you, about the naming of “Christmasâ€, I thought it was Jesus’s birthday, but is it different? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, many years ago Santa had me working at the North Pole Post Office and I started answering letters that had questions like that. |
| Star5556 | Can you come here elf ernest |
| Elf Ernest | “Christmas” is a word with many meanings, Elf Ulan. Yes, it is the celebration of the birth of Christ. Christ, by the way, is a title, not a name. The word “Christmas” is thought to be a mash up of the words “Christ” and “mass”, mass meaning a celebration. |
| Star5556 | Elf ernest |
| Elf Ernest | Christmas, as we use it today, is both a sacred word and a secular word. It means many things to many people. |
| Elf Ernest | Star5556, I’m probably the one elf at the North Pole who never travels. My work is here 365 days a year. |
| Elf Max | Wow, Elf Ernest – you sure know a lot! |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Star5556 | Elf max |
| Elf Max | So what would you say is your main job, Elf Ernest? |
| Star5556 | Elf max I wish you can come here |
| Star5556 | Too |
| Elf Ernest | The public is my job. It’s my job to answer questions about Santa, the North Pole and Elf life. I work with many people here at the North Pole to make that happen. |
| Elf Max | Star5556, I’m an elf stationed in Vancover, British Columbia – Canada. I’m a tracker elf and I help run SantaTrackers.net |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf NotJack | I need to go help my mom, but at some point could you talk about Christmas in July like the history, meaning, how to celebrate, etc? I’d love to know more about it! See you guys around! |
| Elf Max | Ernest, are there elves who do home visits? |
| Elf Ernest | Ok, Elf NotJack, we’ll try to cover that. |
| Elf Ernest | An elf never visits a home without Santa’s express direction, Elf Max. It’s kind of rare |
| Elf Max | Have you ever done that? Visited a home? |
| Elf Radar | Are all of the departments up and running on schedule for this time of the year. For some reason I always worry about the wrapping department? |
| Elf Ernest | No, never. Have you? |
| Elf Ulan | Oh, thank you! I didn’t know, it’s the title! I heard Europian celebrate the end of the harvest and winter solstice too. Did Santa already go around the world too then? |
| Elf Max | Oh heck no. I’m still waiting for my first sleigh ride. |
| Star5556 | Hey elf ernest do you have a security elf at the north pole |
| Elf Ernest | Elf Radar – the Wrapping Department has a new director this year and she’s one sharp elf! Elf Harriet is her name. So far, it’s going good in Wrapping this year. |
| Star5556 | Is she a security elf |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, Star5556, the head of North Pole Security is Elf Agent X. |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Ernest | Elf Harriet is over Wrapping. She was on the radio for the first time just this week. |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Ernest | If you go back and look at the news this week you can hear her interview on the radio |
| Elf Ulan | I think she’s unique ^^ |
| Elf Max | How big is Christmas in July at the North Pole? |
| Elf Ernest | She IS unique, Elf Ulan. She cracks me up. |
| Elf Radar | Thank you. I missed that. |
| Elf Ernest | Christmas in July is a big deal. It’s halfway to Christmas and most here get a little time off to re-charge the batteries during July. |
| Star5556 | Elf ernest are you the only north pole elf on this chay |
| Star5556 | Chat |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, I think so, Star5556 |
| Elf Ulan | Cracks? How? Lol |
| Elf Max | How did Christmas in July start? |
| Elf Ernest | She is just very, very funny, Elf Ulan. She makes me laugh. Very spontaneous and very fiesty |
| Star5556 | Elf ernest you are being my favorite elf |
| Elf Ernest | You would have to ask Elf Dr. Smedley exactly how it started at the North Pole. Long ago, I know that Santa and Mrs. Claus used to go away on vacation in July. While they were away the elves would….play. |
| Elf Ernest | Awwwww…thank you, Star5556! That means a lot to me. |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Max | Can you tell us some of the big plans you can share with us about Christmas in July. I know we have a lot of elves coming to chat that have never done it before. Are all the chats scheduled now? |
| Elf Ulan | I understand it! She talked to Elf Frank like that, lol |
| Elf Ernest | No, there are unannounced things we’re working on. We are trying to get a chat scheduled with Mrs. Claus and, maybe, even with Santa |
| Elf Max | Santa? I thought he wouldn’t be available? |
| Elf Ernest | I’m working on it. He’s got a packed schedule, he tells me, but he has not yet ruled it out. |
| Elf Max | You talked to him? |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, he called me. |
| Star5556 | Elf ernest can you try to come to my house |
| Elf Max | He CALLED you? Did they trace his call? |
| Elf Ernest | Sorry Star5556, I can’t travel. It’s against the rules for me. |
| Star5556 | Why |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, he called me on some business. Not out of the ordinary, even though he is out on walkabout. |
| Elf Ulan | Awesome! |
| Elf Ernest | Star5556, I’m what they call an anchor elf. When Santa is away from the North Pole someone needs to be here to be in charge. Right now, that’s Mrs. Claus. But if she isn’t here, then I’m next in line. As such, I need to stay here in case something happens. |
| Star5556 | Elf ernest who is the boss of the elves |
| Elf Max | How often do you speak to Santa when he’s away like that? |
| Elf Ulan | I have another question |
| Elf Ernest | Santa is the Head Elf, Star5556 |
| Elf Ernest | Go ahead Elf Ulan. |
| Star5556 | Who is the chief elf or something amtaht is the boss of the elves |
| Elf Ernest | Santa’s messages to me are admittedly a lot less when he is gone like this. But he did call me this week and we talked some business. I asked if he would come do a chat and we’re working on it. |
| Elf Max | That’s fantastic news, Ernest! Do we have an idea of the date yet? |
| Elf Ernest | Not yet, no. It will definitely be towards the end of the month of July though. |
| Elf Max | Did you get any idea where he is and what he is doing right now? |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you, I was surprised that Coca-Cola ad showed Santa as human size in 1931, tight? Did some elf work at the company? XD |
| Elf Ernest | Oh goodness no. I didn’t even dare ask! |
| Star5556 | Who is the chief elf of the elves |
| Elf Ernest | Santa is the Chief Elf, Star5556 |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Ernest | That Coke thing was many years ago, Elf Ulan. But Santa is a normal size man. They didn’t create anything by that ad |
| Elf Ernest | Santa’s image has been used by many people like that over the years. Santa really doesn’t like that but there isn’t anything he can do about it. |
| Elf Max | Did Santa get paid for that? |
| Elf Ulan | Awesome! |
| Star5556 | How many elves is they’re at the north pole |
| Elf Ernest | NO! In fact, a lot of people think that Santa does get paid when he is depicted in ads and stories and movies and stuff. And the answer is no, he does not. Most of the time they show him in a false light and he cannot stand that. It upsets him. |
| Elf Ernest | That’s part of the reason we have this website and all the stuff we do in public relations. Our job is to tell the right story of Santa and to help people understand him. |
| Elf Max | Is that why Santa won’t watch Christmas movies that has Santa in them? |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, that’s exactly right, Max |
| Elf Max | I like some of those movies, though. |
| Elf Ernest | I understand Max. And if you see them as just entertainment, that’s fine. Just don’t think they represent the real Santa, that’s all. |
| Elf Max | Does Santa have a favorite Christmas movie? |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, Santa loves just about any version of A Christmas Carol. |
| Star5556 | How many elves does santas have |
| Elf Max | Ah, but there’s no Santa in that story. |
| Elf Ernest | Star5556, there are millions of elves who work for Santa all over the world. |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Ernest | Some of them are here in the chat today. Not all elves are at the North Pole. |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you, Elf Ernest. I’m happy to work for it together too! |
| Elf Max | Is Christmas in July different at the North Pole this year because Santa is not there? |
| Elf Ernest | Yes. We are having a hard time finding volunteers for the dunking booth this year. |
| Elf Max | Hahaha. The dunking booth? Why? Because Santa won’t be there? |
| Elf Ernest | Exactly. Santa always volunteers and he draws a big line because who wouldn’t want to dunk Santa in the tank? |
| Star5556 | Does he have elf on the shelfs at the north pole |
| Elf Max | But with Santa not being there….people don’t want to do it? |
| Elf Ernest | No, he does not have Elf on the Shelf at the North Pole. |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah, without Santa there people don’t want to do it! I have a feeling something else will be the big event this year. |
| Elf Max | Ok folks, we’re about out of time. Any last minute questions for Elf Ernest? |
| Elf Ernest | Don’t forget, we have another chat in a half hour at SantaTrackers.net. With Elf Trixie! |
| Star5556 | Yeah |
| Elf Max | Thanks for that reminder, Elf Ernest! |
| Star5556 | Hey |
| Star5556 | How is Mrs claus |
| Elf Ernest | Go ahead, Star5556 |
| Elf Ernest | Mrs. Claus is good! She too will chat this month. Just working on a date for that. |
| Star5556 | Ok |
| Elf Max | That sounds awesome! Can’t wait for that. |
| Elf Max | Thank you everyone for being here. Good information Elf Ernest, thank you! |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you, Elf Ernest! I’m happy being here. I need the recap please! |
| Elf Ernest | Thanks Max. I see a big future for you as a chat host! |
| Elf Ernest | Elf Winslow will put up the recap likely tomorrow. |
| Star5556 | What ms Santa’s sleigh |
| Elf Ulan | Thank you, Elf Max! |
| Elf Max | Awww…I’m just a fill in! |
| Elf Ernest | Bye everyone! |
Thank you, Elf Winslow! Thank you, Elves Ernest and Max. It was a lot of fun! I’m sorry, and I noticed my questions were not about Christmas in July, even though Elf Max tried to talk back to it repeatedly. (T-T) Thank you, Elf Ernest, for telling us a lot, and I learned how much both are more gentle too. I’m pleased to be an elf to work for Santa with you all. And thank you in advance for the chats with the North Pole elves this month. Amazing, one of my dreams came true! I’m looking forward to seeing other elves and Santa and Mrs. Claus soon too! XD