Leon Day, held every June 24th, marks the halfway point to Christmas. We marked the day here with a special chat featuring three elves – Elf Frank Myrrh of North Pole Radio news, Elf Dr. Grant Smedley of Southern North Pole University, and Elf Crash Murphy, International Director of Santa Trackers.

They covered a wide range of topics including a bit of the history of Leon Day, who the first reindeer was, updates to Kringle Radio, and answers to questions submitted by visitors to North Pole Chat.

Here is what happened:

Elf Frank Myrrh	Hello
Elf Ernest	Ah, hello Frank. You’re a bit early!
Weathertrackingelf	Hi Elf Frank, how are you doing today?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yeah, it’s a working Saturday for me. This is a break!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Hello Weathertrackingelf!
Elf Ernest	What kind of elf works on Leon Day?
Weathertrackingelf	How are you doing today?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Doing well. We’re working on Kringle Radio today. The streams were supposed to be back up four days ago and we’ve had problems.
Elf Ernest	I knew something was up. How is that going?
Weathertrackingelf	I was wondering what was going on. Hopefully it gets fixed soon
Elf Frank Myrrh	Good. We have the main stream up now and we should have the Santa tracker channel up in a few more hours.
Elf Ernest	Well….what happened?
Elf Frank Myrrh	A server move. We thought it was the time to do it, just before Christmas in July. Ran in to some problems. But I think we’re on the road back.
Elf Ernest	Glad to hear that. I’ve got the stream, whatever one it is, running now on my speakers. It sounds really good to me!
Weathertrackingelf	At least it’s getting up and going again
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, Elf DJ has worked really hard on it. It’s going to be better than ever
Elf Ernest	So it’s working here…but not on SantaTrackers.net?
Elf Frank Myrrh	We’re testing the main stream here for now because we know there will be people here today. It’s working, I just checked it myself. Later, after the chat, they will be likely switching on the tracker channel stream and it’ll go live at SantaTrackers.net
Elf Ernest	Will it be different than it was before?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, very different. A lot more Christmas music.
Elf Ernest	Wow…news before the chat!
Elf Ernest	Where’s Elf Crash and Dr. Smedley?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Crash is still in bed. I called him to wake him up like he asked me to do.
Elf Frank Myrrh	I’m not sure where Dr. Smedley is but I know he’ll be here.
Weathertrackingelf	I have been missing listening to Christmas music, I do have another way of listening to Christmas music, but I prefer to listen to Christmas music on Santatrackers.net
Elf Ernest	Ok, thanks!
Elf Ernest	If you go to https://santaupdate.com/kringle-radio/ you can hear an older version of Sinatra singing Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, I have it on. Fabulous!
Weathertrackingelf	Thank you Elf Ernest
Elf Frank Myrrh	Gotta love anyone named Frank
Elf Ernest	Hahaha! Good point!
Elf Ernest	Speaking of hearing, I not heard a North Pole Radio News report from you for a few weeks
Elf Frank Myrrh	We have some breaking news that I think will come out today if we get the story straight
Elf Ernest	Oh? There’s something going on?
Elf Frank Myrrh	A possible update on the search for Santa
Elf Ernest	Oh…I didn’t hear that!
Elf Frank Myrrh	We’re still working on it….trying to confirm
Elf Frank Myrrh	I’ve got Agent X on the other line. They are trying to sort it out.
Elf Ernest	Great….does that mean they’ve found Santa?
Weathertrackingelf	Elf Frank, is it about the report o sent in the other day?
Elf Frank Myrrh	No…but I think this could be a good lead
Elf Frank Myrrh	I’m not up on all the reports. We are getting so many
Elf Frank Myrrh	Did you send it in Weathertrackingelf?
Weathertrackingelf	I did, I couldn’t get a picture, my phone was dead, , we had lost power and it was dark outside
Elf Frank Myrrh	Hmmm…you’re in Sector 5, right?
Weathertrackingelf	Yes I am
Elf Frank Myrrh	Ok. I’m not sure yet where this lead came from. We have a lot from Sector 5. A bunch from Sector 3 and a few from Sector 1
Weathertrackingelf	Oh wow
Elf Frank Myrrh	I got the first call from Agent X about five hours ago. That’s why I’ve been working today so far
Elf Ernest	This sounds pretty fresh, Frank
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, it is…and it’s good to hear because since the Canada thing info about Santa has been scarce
Elf Ernest	Perry Como now….I love this song….
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, I’m listening….it’s awesome
Elf Ernest	Hello, Dr. Smedley
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Hi Elf Ernest.
Weathertrackingelf	Hi Dr. Smedley
Elf Ernest	So glad you could make it today!
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Always a pleasure.
Elf Ernest	Our chat will begin at the top of the hour.
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Good. I just didn’t want to be late
Elf cinnamon sticks	Hi
Elf Ernest	No worries about that. I know how hard it is to get you scheduled. This should be fun
Weathertrackingelf	Hopefully Crash makes it
Elf Ernest	Folks, our chat will officially begin at the top of the hour. Elf Frank and Elf Dr. Grant Smedley are here. We are waiting on Elf Crash Murphy
Elf Ernest	Just a reminder, this could be a busy chat today. So please be sure to pay attention and wait for instructions so we can get everyone’s questions answered.
Weathertrackingelf	Will do Elf Ernest
Elf Ernest	Feel free to chat for the next few minutes while we get ready
Elf Frank Myrrh	Dr. Smedley, a quick question for you
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	okay
Weathertrackingelf	Hi NotJack
NotJack	Hi!
Elf Frank Myrrh	How does your schedule look for July? Crash and I want to have you on the Santa Tracker Podcast
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	It might have to be the 2nd or 3rd week of July. My NP lecture series begins the 3rd of July
Elf Frank Myrrh	Ok, I’ll have our producer book with your secretary
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	I look forward to it. What will our topic be?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Not sure yet. Crash and I are debating it. But I’ll let you know plenty in advance
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	I always enjoy our discussions.
Elf Ernest	About five more minutes folks until our chat begins. Please get your questions for Elf Dr. Grant Smedley ready.
Weathertrackingelf	Hi Crash
Crash Murphy	Good morning
Crash Murphy	Have we started?
Elf Ernest	No, not yet. You’re just in time
Crash Murphy	Thought I was going to be late.
Crash Murphy	Why do we do these things so early on a Saturday?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Haha – it’s not early, Crash
NotJack	Yes why so early?
Weathertrackingelf	Crash, it’s almost 10:00 am where I live in Sector 5
Elf Ernest	It’s difficult to find times that work for everyone. We have people joining from all over the world
Elf Ulan	Happy Leon Day!
Crash Murphy	I don’t even know what time it is here
Elf Frank Myrrh	It doesn’t matter. The eye of the news camera never sleeps, Crash
Weathertrackingelf	Can someone please get crash a big cup of hot cocoa
Elf Ernest	Thank you for joining us today for North Pole Chat. We have three guests today – Elf Dr. Grant Smedley, Elf Frank Myrrh and Elf Crash Murphy
Elf Ernest	Our main guest and a man we can usually only get here once a year is Elf Dr. Grant Smedley, profession of Santaclausology and North Pole History at Southern North Pole University
Elf Ernest	You all likely know Elf Frank and Elf Crash, from their radio reports, podcasts and frequent chats
Elf Ernest	All of these elves are here to answer any questions you might have
Elf Ernest	There are quite a few people here today, including a GOOD crowd from the North Pole that you cannot see
Maxy	Hello!
Elf Ernest	That usually happens when we have Dr. Smedley here. His lectures are very popular.
Elf Ernest	To do this chat, please post your questions one at a time. I’ll try to direct them to the right elf and they will answer as they come up.
Elf Ernest	Elf Dr. Smedley, let’s take that question from Elf Cinnamon Sticks first
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Thank you for having me. I enjoy this. Christmas in July is not actually a North Pole invention.
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	It started well over a hundred years ago in major cities in what we now call Sector 5. It was started by merchants in large American cities.
Maxy The Elf	Happy Leon Day!
Elf Ernest	Why did they start it, Dr. Smedley?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	It began simply as a way for merchants to have something to sell in July. Traditionally it is the worst time of the year for stores.
Weathertrackingelf	What is the true meaning of Leon day?
Elf Ernest	WeatherTrackingElf asks a great question for today!
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Leon Day is a North Pole invention!
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	We have for centuries utilized countdowns in our work as elves
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	It is a halfway marker to Christmas
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	So an important date on any countdown calendar
Elf Ernest	Who decided to call it Leon Day?
Maxy The Elf	Yea who decided to call it Leon Day?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Well, an elf named….Leon Day. Elf Leon was a woodworker in Santa’s workshop
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	And he was something of a prankster
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	It was Leon who said that his name, Leon, was Noel spelled backwards and his birthday, by the way, was also on June 24th. This was all his idea, so it got named after him
Elf Frank Myrrh	That’s a fantastic story!
Maxy The Elf	Will Santa Join the Chat this Evening?
J126	Hello
Maxy The Elf	Hello J126!
Elf Ulan	Very interesting!
Elf Ernest	From our mail, Dr. Smedley, we have a question about reindeer. Are you equipped to take that question?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	I’ll do my best
Elf Ernest	Elf Denny wants to know who was the first reindeer?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Oh, I love that question.
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	The first reindeer is a hotly debated thing between Donner and Blitzen
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Donner says he is the first reindeer, and Blitzen says Santa found him first
Elf Ernest	So which is it?
Maxy The Elf	Where Exactly did santa find his reindeer?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	It’s both of them. Donner and Blitzen have been friends since they were born. Both are exactly the same age, come from the same area. Santa found them on an expedition to Northern Canada many, many years ago. He got caught in a blizzard and took shelter and found them there. He found he could communicate with them
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	They got to know each other. Soon they began working together
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	And as you know they anchor Santa’s team today
Elf Ernest	So really there is no “first reindeer”?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Yes, they are both the first reindeer.
Maxy The Elf	Where is the north pole? like the village or is that to much info?
Crash Murphy	Amazing story. How did you learn it?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Santa himself told me that story
Elf Ernest	Dr. Smedley, do you want to answer Maxy’s question?
Weathertrackingelf	How come Rudolph is a very popular Reindeer?
Elf Ulan	Awesome!
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Yes, my pleasuire. The North Pole is roughly located in a very northern Artic region. Many people think of a village – and there is a village – but Santa has many parts to his operation and they are actually located all over the world. The North Pole is where his residence is and where the headquarters of his operations remain
Elf Ernest	Dr. Smedley, can you answer Weathertrackingelf’s question about Rudolph?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Rudolph is so popular because his story is so well known through the song and the book and the TV movie
Maxy The Elf	Oh! Thank you for asking my question!
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	And that story is mostly true
Maya	In which year was the first Leon day?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Rudolph is actually a very shy reindeer who doesn’t like to talk a lot about himself
Elf Ulan	Is that the true story?
Crash Murphy	Well, are you sure about that doc? I know Rudolph to be kinda out there
Weathertrackingelf	I do like Rudolph, buty favorite Reindeer in Vixen
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	I’ve talked with Rudolph, with Santa’s help. But you fly with him, Crash. I’m sure you know him better
Crash Murphy	Yes, Vixen is a fiesty one!
Elf Ernest	No, we have no indication Santa will be here today
Crash Murphy	Yes, I think we were lucky last month when Santa crashed the chat party
Maxy The Elf	Oh Alright!
Weathertrackingelf	That’s why I like her
Elf Ernest	Dr. Smedley, we have some questions here about Santa and walkabout. Can you speak to that?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	I’ll try the best I can. But let me tell you straight up I don’t know where he is
Crash Murphy	hahaha
Elf Ernest	This walkabout thing has a few people confused. Where does Santa go on this thing?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Santa and I have talked about this some over the years.
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	His goal on walkabout is to talk to people without them knowing he is Santa.
Maya	In which year was the first Leon day?
Elf Ulan	I read an elf saw him out of his house!
Elf Ernest	Why does he NOT want them to know who he is?
NotJack	What does he talk to people about? And why?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Walkabout is all about Santa learning things about the world and about people. It’s a training mission for Santa. If he goes out there as himself, he fears he won’t get the true picture of how things really are.
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	He talks to people about how their life is, what is important to them, what they are worried about. He also asks them about Christmas and how they celebrate it.
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Great question NotJack!
Maya	Can you respond?
NotJack	As a stranger?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Santa uses this time on walkabout to help shape his own views about Christmas. It’s a very advanced process.
Weathertrackingelf	I’m glad he does his Walkabouts
NotJack	Don’t people find it odd that a random person wants to know how they celebrate Christmas?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Santa’s fame is something of a problem for him. He’s very popular. Everywhere he goes he gets mobbed by people. So he goes on walkabout incognito every few years because it is important to him to get the education he seeks without distraction
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	Not really, NotJack. Many people love to talk about Christmas.
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	But imagine it: would your answers about Christmas be different if you knew you were talking to Santa?
Elf Ernest	Dr. Smedley, the follow up question about Leon Day – when was the first Leon Day?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	The exact year of the first Leon Day was not recorded but our best estimates is that it began in 1912.
Maya	Thank you!
Elf Ernest	So elves 200 years ago didn’t celebrate Leon Day?
Elf Dr. Grant Smedley	They have always marked the halfway point to Christmas. It’s a big day. But it wasn’t called Leon Day until around 1912.
Elf Ernest	Folks, our time for today is about spent. Are there any questions for Elf Frank or Elf Crash?
Weathertrackingelf	I have a question for Frank
Elf Frank Myrrh	Ok
Weathertrackingelf	How long have you been doing the radio?
Elf Frank Myrrh	I started in radio when I was in high school. I worked at the high school station. I knew then this is what I wanted to do with my life.
Crash Murphy	That’s Frank’s way of saying he’s older than dirt
Elf Frank Myrrh	That’s true. I’m an old guy for sure
Weathertrackingelf	That’s awesome. Crash, how long have you been the Eye in the sky for?
Elf Frank Myrrh	But I love working for Santa. This is the best job in the world for me.
Elf Ulan	Elf Frank, can we request Christmas music onradio
Elf Frank Myrrh	I’m very lucky
Elf Frank Myrrh	Elf Ulan – the radio work is going to be complete this weekend on SantaTrackers. And it will be better than ever. And yes, Elf DJ tells me they are working on a “request” feature, though that won’t be ready for a few dayas
Weathertrackingelf	Crash, how long have you been the Eye in the sky?
Crash Murphy	I’ve been the Eye in the Sky reporter for only about 12 years now
Weathertrackingelf	Oh wow, that’s a long time
Elf Frank Myrrh	The radio for the Santa Trackers channel will be so much bigger than it was. I saw the list – and it’s better than 52 gigs of music. HUGE
Weathertrackingelf	That’s huge Frank
Crash Murphy	Actually, it’s a short time. I’m not a natural radio guy like Frank
Crash Murphy	He’s the man with the golden voice
Elf Ulan	Thank you. Wonderful! How to send a request?
Weathertrackingelf	I love listening to your reports Crash
Elf Frank Myrrh	I’m not sure yet how the request feature will work, Elf Ulan. Some sort of form.
Elf Ernest	Will there still be shows on there, like Crash’s show?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, but I understand the shows are shaking up a bit too. Not sure I’ve been told just how
Elf Ulan	Okay, thank you. I’d like to do it!
Elf Ernest	Ok, thanks everyone for being here. Elf Dr. Grant Smedley, thank you. Any last questions?
Elf Ernest	Just a heads up, Elf Frank shared before the chat that we might have some news reported later today with an update on the search for Santa
Crash Murphy	We….do????
Elf Ulan	What are you doing for Leon Day today there?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Yes, get your elf butt over to the studio, Crash. I’ll fill you in.
Weathertrackingelf	Yes, what’s the news Frank?
Crash Murphy	OKay…wow, it’s Saturday!
NotJack	Any hints on what it is?
Elf Frank Myrrh	Can’t share the news yet, we’re working on the story. Hopefully we’ll report later this afternoon
NotJack	Darn
Crash Murphy	My messages say something about South America
Elf Frank Myrrh	Maybe, maybe not Crash
Weathertrackingelf	I will have to keep checking in later today to get the news then
Elf Frank Myrrh	It’s a quickly developing situation
Elf Ernest	Ok, thanks everyone for being here!
Elf Ulan	Can’t wait!
Crash Murphy	Yes, good chat!
Elf Ulan	Thank you! Happy Leon Day! ^^
Maya	Bye!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Outstanding chat. Thanks Dr. Smedley!
Elf Frank Myrrh	Happy Leon Day!
Weathertrackingelf	Bye Elves
NotJack	Happy Leon Day everyone! See you later!
Elf Ernest	Bye everyone!

Elf Ulan says:

July 1, 2023 at 10:51 pm

Thank you, Elf Winslow. Thank you, Dr. Smedley; I learned a lot about Christmas in July and Leon Day. It was a fascinating and great chat. I wished my brain could work well; it was midnight, and I was so sleepy then, lol. And Elf Winslow, please join a chat; you know last Santa’s walkabout, right? Thank you, Elves Frank and Crash; the renewal radio is awesome, and I listen to it daily. I hope we can soon hear the next podcast with Dr. Smedley and, of course, Elf Crash’s third radio show too! D