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The streets of Walford buzzed with the spirit of Christmas. The air was crisp, and the market square twinkled with fairy lights like tiny stars. Eve felt a twinge of excitement as she walked through the town. This year would be special, not just because of the holidays, but because she and Suki were beginning the journey of adopting a child. It was a new chapter, and Eve was determined to make it memorable.
As she passed the toy shop, a bright display of red, green, and white caught her eye. On the shelf sat a whole collection of Elf on the Shelf figures, their tiny eyes sparkling playfully. Eve couldn't help but smile. She had seen this before.
Having spent time with Stacey’s children — Lily, Hope, Arthur, and now Lily's daughter, Charli — Eve was familiar with the magic of the Elf on the Shelf. Even though Lily was too old to be a typical “believer” when she first met her, Eve had seen the joy the elf brought to family life. Now, with Christmas approaching, Eve thought it might be the perfect way to create new memories with her own family. It still made her smile to think about them as that.
Without hesitation, she walked into the shop and picked one up. She could already imagine Avani's reaction. Sure, at sixteen, she might act too cool, but Eve was confident she would still enjoy it. Nugget, her twin, would probably roll his eyes, and Priya, their mum, might shake her head with a smile. But that was all part of the fun.
Back at home, Eve slipped through the front door with her shopping bag. The smell of Suki’s cooking filled the house. Priya was tidying up the kitchen while Avani and Nugget lounged on the sofa.
Suki looked up from the stove as Eve entered, raising an eyebrow.
“What’s this? You’ve been out for half an hour and come back with a bag full of… what? More ‘fun’ for the kids?”
Eve grinned and placed the bag on the table.
“You could say that. I thought we could bring a little Christmas magic into the house.”
Suki crossed her arms, clearly intrigued.
“What kind of magic?”
Eve opened the bag and pulled out the Elf on the Shelf.
“I thought we could start something new. A tradition. Something fun for Avani, Nugget… and you two,” she said, nodding at Priya and Suki.
Priya tilted her head and smiled faintly.
“Oh… so we’re all getting involved?”
Suki smirked, shaking her head slightly.
“Right. And you think they’ll fall for it?”
“I mean, they might pretend to be too cool,” Eve replied with a wink, “but I know they’ll enjoy it. It’s just a bit of fun and you’ve seen it over at Stacey’s, haven’t you?”
Priya laughed quietly. “I suppose we can try it. Could be fun!”
Later that evening, Avani found the elf first.
She was rummaging through the shopping bag on the table, half-bored, half-curious, when she pulled it out and stared.
“…Is this a joke?”
Nugget, still slouched on the sofa, mumbled, “Please tell me that’s not for us.”
Eve leaned against the doorway with a smile.
“It’s an Elf on the Shelf. The idea is that it moves around when no one’s looking. It’s about having fun.”
Priya crouched down beside Avani, gently nudging the elf.
“Well, looks like it wants to join the family.”
Avani’s lips curled into a small grin.
“So it’s a little elf prankster?”
“Exactly,” Eve replied. “And trust me, I know how much you love a good prank.”
Nugget rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at his lips.
A few days later, the elf created its first big scene. Eve wandered into the kitchen in the morning and stopped in her tracks. The elf had been carefully placed behind a small barricade of folded napkins. Tiny vegetarian marshmallows were scattered across the countertop and floor like snowballs, with one balanced perfectly on the edge of a mug.
Avani burst out laughing.
“Oh my God, this is brilliant!”
Nugget noticed the bag of marshmallows and frowned. “Why are they veggie?”
Suki sipped her tea, a small smirk tugging at her lips.
“Even elves should respect my values.”
Priya crouched beside Avani to inspect the scene.
“And somehow it’s already a full-on war. I love it.”
Suki pointed at a figure of a frog placed behind the fruit bowl. “Remind you of anyone?”
Eve immediately burst into laughter. “It's Ian.”
Priya chuckled. “Oh, no wonder it’s a full-on war!”
A few days later, the elf was found sitting on the arm of the sofa, wrapped in a piece of fabric like a blanket, facing the TV. A small bowl of popcorn sat beside it, with a few kernels "spilled" as if someone had already started snacking.
Nugget squinted at it. “Why does it look like it’s having a better night than me?”
Avani smirked. “Mood, honestly.”
Suki leaned against the doorway. “Even elves need rest. Life isn’t just about productivity.”
Priya plopped down next to Avani, adjusting her own blanket. “I think I might join it. It looks very peaceful. Eve… you’ve officially been upstaged by a tiny elf.”
Eve laughed. “Alright, alright, I get it!”
Another morning brought the rich smell of chocolate cake wafting through the house. Eve followed the scent into the kitchen, where the elf was propped next to a mixing bowl, dusted with cocoa powder. A tiny wooden spoon rested against it, as if it had been hard at work.
Avani laughed. “Oi, is the elf stealing Dādī's recipes now?”
Suki replied calmly, “Supervision is important. Especially for chocolate cake.”
Priya nudged the elf with her finger. “Better than I could do!”
Nugget peeked at the cake cooling on the counter. “So… the elf helped, yeah?”
Eve just smiled. The family was already feeling the magic.
One morning, the elf was tucked neatly in the bookshelf, surrounded by stacked books like walls, with a tiny ladder made from a folded bookmark leaning against the stack. A scrap of paper rested beside it, written in neat Suki handwriting:
Do Not Disturb.
Avani grinned. “It’s like it has its own little room!”
Suki nodded. “Everyone deserves their own safe space.”
Priya leaned against the shelf. “Even elves need privacy. I respect it.”
The next evening, Nugget discovered the elf at a miniature Ludo board on the table. The counters were carefully placed, with one color clearly winning.
“…Is that Ludo?” he asked, astonished.
Suki met his gaze. “I remembered it’s your favourite.”
Priya chuckled softly. “Clearly the elf is strategic.”
Nugget reset the counters, Avani laughed, and Eve watched, her heart warmed by the quiet chaos.
By Christmas Eve, the elf had truly become part of the household.
Under the tree sat four neatly wrapped parcels, one for Avani, Nugget, Suki, and Priya. Next to them were four wrapped books, tied with ribbon and festive paper. A small card rested against the elf’s leg:
In Iceland, on Christmas Eve, families celebrate Jólabókaflóðið — the Christmas Book Flood.
Books are given on Christmas Eve, and the evening is spent reading together.
I thought you all might like that. I know how important family is for you all.
Think of these as my parting gifts. I look forward to seeing you again next year. Perhaps with a new face in the family. x
Avani crouched down first. “Nugget. Dādī. Mum! Come here.”
Nugget skidded in. “Wait… are those books?”
Priya appeared in the doorway, smiling warmly. “What’s going on here?”
They each opened their presents from the elf—pyjamas first, then their wrapped book. Avani and Nugget laughed in delight. Priya hugged her gift to her chest while settling beside Suki, who quietly appreciated the thoughtful gesture of matching pyjamas and a novel she had mentioned wanting months ago.
Priya glanced at the time and then leaned toward Eve with a playful grin. “Well, Eve… looks like it’s officially Eve-ning time!”
Eve laughed and rolled her eyes, clearly amused. “Alright, that was impressive.”
Suki smiled, watching the scene unfold. “The Icelandic do this every year,” she said softly. “No distractions. Just cozy pyjamas, new books, gingerbread, and hot chocolate. All of us together.”
Priya leaned against Suki. “Best Christmas Eve ever.”
The five of them — Eve, Suki, Priya, Avani, and Nugget — sat in the living room, dressed in their pyjamas, books open, with the quiet rustle of pages filling the air. The elf had returned to its shelf, mission accomplished.
Eve leaned her head against Suki’s shoulder. “You’ve made something really special.”
Suki looked around at the lights, the family, and the joy on their faces, smiling.
“Perhaps,” she said, “this is how traditions begin.”
As Christmas Eve settled softly over Walford, the house experienced its own little book flood, the quietest and happiest magic of all.