Jingle all the way...

Before Elf on the Shelf was a thing, we had Jingle. He first appeared when the bambinos were about six, and he’s visited every December since, slipping into the house with his bundle of games and his habit of hiding in the most unlikely spots. His whole mission has always been delight — a dash of silly, a spark of magic, and a handful of giggles.

Over the years, his activities have evolved with his growing audience, but a few classics remain. Chief among them: the Santa Run.

This year, Jingle arrived with great ceremony, declaring that the Santa Run was officially underway. He left behind a Santa sack of clothes (though he must have snuck into Mrs Claus’s wardrobe, because all we got was a skirt) and set the challenge in motion: start the timer, throw on the outfit, seize the sack, dash to the “toy department” (otherwise known as the music room), gather the presents, and race back to deliver them beneath the tree. We jot down our best time, naturally, and then the race is on to outdo ourselves..

And this is how the whole merry escapade unfolded this year…

Juniper kicked us off, hat flying, all exuberance and long-legged momentum. His strength is sheer speed — those legs eat up the hallway in great sweeping strides, carrying him down and back again before you can blink. Check him out legging it past the tree before we could even click a photo!

Fern was next and her strength is in the quick dressing... she whipped that Santa outfit on in record time before springing off like a gazelle being chased by a lion, albeit giggling all the way... she's so quick that she too is a little blurry from her speed:

Peony followed, all joy and gentle determination. She took the “slow and steady” route, a little turtle in tinsel, and while she wasn’t the fastest, she was unquestionably the sweetest Santa of the day. Check her out issuing a hearty "Ho Ho Ho" as she "dashes" past:

Thistle rounded us out with laser focus and quiet cunning. Strategy is his strength — a wily plan paired with fast legs — and together they earned him a very respectable time. Check this out as he flies around the corner, sack partially open in anticipation of delivery... wily indeed!!

And so the Santa Run came to its merry close — a flurry of laughter, a dash of chaos, and hearts full of joy. Each participant brought their own magic to the race: speed, strategy, sweetness, and sheer delight. Jingle watched approvingly (you can just spot the tip of his shoe in the right-hand corner above the mirror in Thistle’s photo), no doubt already plotting the next days antics. And as we tucked the Santa Sack and its treasures away, we couldn’t help but reminisce on Santa Runs gone by and how the fun, the giggles, and the sparkle of togetherness is what makes this tradition truly special.