Here we go with the rumor mill

This can’t be good. There’s been another data-dump onto the world from WikiLeaks. I just did a quick search for “Scuttlebutt” and luckily the government doesn’t mention me, this time. I’m on pretty thin ice as more secrets are revealed, at least when it comes to Christmas.

With the price of copper trying to catch up with gold, this might be the year for non-traditional Christmas lighting. Less wire means less copper. What we thought was high priced in the past might look pretty cheap this year.

I’m starting to see color changing tape light hit the shelves. It looks like itty-bitty LEDs glued on a really long, flexible ruler and can easily handle 90 degree bends. Kinda reminds me of ropelight that’s been stepped on by an elephant. Didn’t Light-O-Rama roll this out years ago and call it the Cosmic Color Ribbon? Maybe the rest of the world recognizes it’s a really easy way to decorate. I’m now thinking about making leaping arches with this tape light stuff. Super-fast to build and I won’t have to mortgage the elf dorm to buy Christmas light strings full of copper.

I heard the most interesting phrase last week while talking to the elves that have secretly visited the dark side: Family Friendly Halloween. I thought PlanetChristmas was the family friendly place to be! Halloween’s getting into it, too? Idunno. Now that I think about it, that one time I was allowed to go south and see uncle Aldo in Montana, it was Halloween, a lot of little kids were dressed up as super heroes while walking around knocking on doors and asking for candy. Seeing a three foot tall Incredible Hulk wasn’t exactly scary but instead, pretty darn cute, just like me. Interesting. Maybe I’m starting to see the potential of a family friendly Halloween.

Years ago we got in a new batch of elves that were computer literate. They started talking in ones and zeroes so much it really irritated the rest of us and apparently it showed. Soon the computer elves had written a video game where they had a slingshot and launched old elves at cages full of other elves. The more cages you hit, the more elves escaped. It was actually a fun game to play and we soon named it Irate Elves. The computer elves got bored, learned to talk like the rest of us and soon the game faded away. Mrs. Claus walked into the shop yesterday showing off her new iPhone. Soon we were all playing a familiar looking game called Angry Birds. As usual, the elves missed their chance to cash in and become filthy rich.

Rumors are rampant Santa will be taking some of us on a field trip at the end of June. Christmas Expo here we come! Santa will be teaching a class or two and will probably make a grand appearance Saturday to listen to the folks that want to get their Christmas requests in extra early. The big man in red tends to get all the attention, but be sure and talk to us little elves since we’re the ones actually doing the work up here at the North Pole.
So much more to say but no more room. Don’t worry. I’ll be back! Know something I can share with the everyone? Think of this nosey elf as the WikiLeaks of the Christmas world. From safe and secure Santa’s Workshop: Merry Christmas!

This article was included in the April 2011 issue of PlanetChristmas Magazine.

By Master Elf N. B. Scuttlebutt