49 Weeks Until Christmas

There are just 49 weeks until Christmas and I have news!

In fact, I think a lot of news will be coming out in the weeks ahead, which is unusual for January.

As you know, I’ve been wondering about my fate here at the North Pole. I have been working in a “temporary” job since this time last year as Chief of Staff to Mrs. Claus. Previous to that I was a reporter for North Pole News and doing that while working on my degree at Southern North Pole University.

I’ve just been waiting here to learn what is next for me.

Today I can say we finally have some answers. I get to do all I’ve been doing – and something new.

Mrs. Claus called me into her office on Monday and offered me the permanent job of being her Chief of Staff. I’m staying on. She never had a Chief of Staff before last year and Santa only insisted that she get one because her work on Operation Merry Christmas last year was so extensive. Santa figured she needed the help.

Well, Mrs. Claus tells me, she likes having me around and she talked to Santa about making it a permanent arrangement.

When I took the temporary assignment last year it was on the condition that I could continue to at least work for the News Department by writing these weekly countdown updates. I am, after all, a Journalism major. Writing the news is what I like to do and what I want to do forever. So they accommodated me.

Well, I get to keep this gig, too. In fact, I may actually now and then get to do hard news like I was before. I could be writing stuff for North Pole Radio News or even filling in for Elf Harold Star now and then.

So it may seem to you that things really are not changing for me much at all. It’s just now that none of it will be temporary.

But, there’s more!

Added to my responsibilities, as part of my duties in Mrs. Claus’ office, is the new function of “art director” for North Pole News.

This is the coolest thing ever.

One of the things Mrs. Claus has been discussing with Santa is making better use of all the art that people from around the world – mostly children – send in to the North Pole. In the past Santa shared that much of it ends up at the North Pole Senior Center, where it cheers up the residents year round.

Well, they will still get to see all that art work. But before it gets sent over there it will come to my office. I will organize it and then share it via the News Department on North Pole websites.

You see, last year, when Lorelei, a fan of 11 years of age, submitted her artwork of Santa’s reindeer we have had a lot of other people ask if their art could be featured as well. That simple request really touched Mrs. Claus’ heart and she feels it is something we need to make happen.

Santa needed some convincing. He thinks this could be a big project that gets out of control in a hurry and one that could take a lot of time. He doesn’t want this work to get in the way of other essential elf work here at the North Pole.

But when Mrs. Claus insisted that I could head up this project, well, Santa gave in and here I am to take it on.

So…we set up a new page last week called Send in Your Art. It’s pretty simple – draw something you envision at the North Pole, scan it, and send it in. In fact, the picture below is a good example. It was recently sent in from Elf Westover, a tracker over at SantaTrackers.net, who did this great drawing of himself with Santa. Isn’t it awesome?

Art submitted by 10-year old Damon, of Utah. It’s titled “Santa and Me”

So, do you have North Pole art you have created that you want to share? It’s simple, just submit it to the page above or via this form here:

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Your first name *

The email address you and your parent uses

The Country You Live In *

Tell us about your art:

File Upload *

Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 3 files.

Upload a .png, .jpg, .gif, or .pdf

Send it to the North Pole

How are we going to use all the art we receive?

I honestly don’t know yet. They have given me complete control over this and I have about a billion ideas. The most obvious thing is to share some of what we receive here via my weekly countdown posts. I mean…why not?

I love this stuff. It’s Christmas. Christmas is about sharing and nothing is worth sharing more than happy Christmas art!

Another idea I have is to suggest art that we need. For example, I would LOVE for someone out there with the artistic talent to make a drawing of MY reindeer, Trixie. I want it not only for this page but as a gift for her. Do any of you want to take this on?

See how fun this can be?

So send me your art, guys! I love it.

Til next week,