LITTLE CURRENT—Putting together a traditional Christmas dinner is a lot of work, especially if it is just you or your partner who will be sitting at the table come Christmas Day. Christmas is also a time for socializing with family and friends but for many folks, weather, distance and a host of other things life throws at us means we will spend Christmas dinner alone.
A few years ago, a hardy group of Santa’s elves decided that, since the heavy lifting of working in the Jolly Old Elf’s toyshop was over for the year, they needed something to do—elves are like that. So one elf, ‘She Who Shall Not Be Named,’ got together with the Anonymous sisters and the Incognito brothers and began planning a special dinner for Christmas where they would invite folks around Little Current to come and share a holiday meal.
The United Church Hall in Little Current happened to be available for use on Christmas Day, so the elves rolled up their sleeves and got to work gathering up the supplies, then set about preparing the meal. The elves had a delightful time and eagerly awaited the arrival of their guests. Since that Christmas, the elves have continued their tradition.
“This is our third year,” said She Who Shall Not Be Named. Asked about the inspiration for the dinner, She Who Shall Not Be Named explained that it was something that was on her bucket list. “You mean something you wanted to do before you kicked the bucket?” inquired The Expositor. “No, no, I keep my best ideas in a bucket I keep at the back of the toy shop,” she said. “Sometimes, when I have time, I pull one out and get to it.” Apparently, it was 30 years ago the idea first went into the bucket.
She Who Shall Not Be Named said that her elven friends are really good cooks. “Not me,” she admitted, “but they can really cook up a storm, or a blizzard, or a gizzard for that matter. Me? I am a better diner than a chef.”
One of the great parts of the meal is the bill at the end—there isn’t one. Since Santa had over-ordered a bunch of fixings, turkeys, potatoes and carrots, he let the elves have whatever they needed. “Nobody should be eating Christmas dinner alone,” Santa told She Who Shall Not Be Named. “This is an especially great opportunity for people to get to know their neighbours, socialize and enjoy each other’s company.”
The elves have arranged in-town rides for folks who need assistance to get to the dinner. They have enlisted Debbie at The Expositor Office to help book seats. “If people can call Debbie and reserve their spot, that would be wonderful—it really helps us to plan what we need for the meal,” the elf explained.
The dinner will take place at 1 pm on December 25 at the Little Current United Church Hall at 5 Robinson Street in Little Current. She Who Shall Not Be Named stressed that it is the elves who are putting on the dinner, not the church.
“We know so many people who should be at the dinner that we don’t see coming out,” said She Who Shall Not Be Named. “It makes us sad.” There is nothing sadder to see on Christmas Day than a sad elf, so do your part to help make an elf happy today, reserve your spot at the table by calling Debbie at 705-368-2744, or by email at services@manitoulin.com, preferably sooner than later. Posters put up by the elves suggest calling before December 19 at 5 pm—but you know how elves are.
