The Beginning

Long before Santa Claus moved to the North Pole and became world known, the North Pole began, and was run, by the elves. They had come to the top of the world after being treated poorly by bigger people. It was not so much that they were beaten or kicked, though occasionally that would happen, but because largely they were just ignored or dismissed. People didn’t take them seriously, if they paid attention to them at all. Tallfolk thought that since they were small, they couldn’t be very smart. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

So they had come from many lands, each hearing the promise of a better world. Elves came from every continent, and like the tallfolk they lived among, these elves were every shape, color, with pointed ears and round, some short and others taller. Unlike tallfolk, most of them were around four feet give or take a few inches. They spoke different languages, they had different stories and legends, and they brought various hopes and ambitions with each one. When things had become unbearable in the country where they lived, those elves would pack up their belongings, and hoping the stories they heard were all true, and the inner voices were not false, they would make the arduous trek to the frozen north.

Sincere speech needs to be spoken here, these elves were, and remain far smarter than the people they had lived amongst. And once they banded together, they discovered that together they exceeded genius levels. As anyone knows, two people are smarter than one, and four are smarter than two, and so on. But with the elves, as they increased their numbers, their collective smarts geometrically progressed and became nothing shy of brilliance.

In addition to being much brighter than tallfolk, they have a very peaceable nature to themselves. Rarely do they ever have a disagreeable day. Each one finds great joy in working with each other. They have a strong sense of accomplishment in everything they do together. On the rare occasion elves disagree on something, they work it through with compromises, or when in doubt, they bring in a couple more opinions from other elves, until an agreement on a particular course is resolved.

Because the North Pole was inhospitable to others, they were not only left in peace, but were able to build quite a large settlement. Elves advanced their discoveries much faster than the outside world, and they began constructing marvelous inventions and ways to accomplish things to tame their new land. The developments they came up with would have given any other country pause. Soon they were centuries ahead of any other civilization.

Being friendly and forgiving by nature, the elves not only did not hold a grudge against bigger people, but found tallfolk children wonderful in their overall innocence and curious nature. This was something that always had been particularly endearing to every elf. They enjoyed the fact that through play, many tallfolk children learned how to get along, and received good lessons from others. All of the elves wanted to encourage that playtime for children everywhere.

It was Carrow Chekitwice who first suggested that perhaps the elves might build some things for the children to play with and enjoy. Again, while the elves were genuinely not against tallfolk they still avoided them as much as possible. Of course even with their collective smarts, they had to deal with the tallfolk from time to time. They needed many goods and occasionally services from them, because even with all their advances, the North Pole could not provide all the raw materials that were sought after. But the elves had plenty to trade in order to get what was needed.

Not the least of these items were their wonderful toys that would often touch a heartstring of the tallfolk and cause them to remember, even if just for a moment, what it was like to be a child. And the tallfolk wanted to give these toys to their own children, which of course was what the elves wanted, too.

Because of their advances in tools, tallfolk often would be happy to trade for what the elves produced. Much of it had never been seen before, and often they were decades ahead of their own inventions and tools. Soon their products became in high demand. But problems developed as some of the inventions that were traded became used in ways that the elves had not intended.

Many products were constructed and used against other people and changed from their initial designs. Wars came about because of their advances to the tallfolk and their misuse. So the Council of Elves decided that they needed to carefully trade only the tools and advances that the tallfolk could handle during a particular time in their development. Many products and innovations would have to wait until the Council thought the tallfolk would not use them for destructive, rather than constructive purposes.

Meanwhile in the Arctic, their innovations kept being developed at a breakneck pace. They had not only learned how to tame their harsh landscape, but had developed a dome to help handle the often frigid blizzard conditions, and make the Pole not only livable, but enjoyable. They had become partial to cold weather, and liked the snow, although they preferred it in less amounts and more gently falling. Once under the dome, they were able to keep the inside around the freezing mark, and opted not to make it too much warmer. Elves would become sluggish and less inclined to get things done when it was too warm.

Of course they also developed a more seasonal climate including spring, summer and fall. Like the rest of the globe, they enjoy beautiful days and can control the sunlight artificially. Especially since the sun does not appear for six months in winter. But even more important than the climate, in developing the dome which is many miles across, they had constructed a barrier that became impervious to both outsiders and natural disasters, up to and including meteorites.

During their development they had also discovered an interesting side affect to living at the North Pole. They began living much longer than their tallfolk counterparts. And not just by a few years, but decades, and later, centuries. Each new generation lived longer and longer. It was believed that because of the strong magnetic properties of the North Pole, it resulted in elves eventually living hundreds of years instead as a normal lifetime elsewhere.

Since they were now so long-lived, they became master craftsman in nearly any activity they pursued, often spending several decades working and perfecting their craft before being considered journeymen or women. They eventually abandoned the traditional way of being named outside of the North Pole. Many forsook their old last name and took on new ones, often adopting something pointing to the craft they were particularly good at.

Before long, only first names were given to newborn elves, and they were allowed to pick their own surname when they felt the time was right. Few ever changed it once chosen, but some waited nearly a century or more before making their decision.

Occasionally some elves would want to make a change for a time and move back south for a while. Some wished for their old geography, and were allowed to work on behalf of the North Pole in other areas. These elves could return whenever they wished. The only requirement was that they could not disclose the elves culture, or location, to the tallfolk. They were especially not allowed to bring any of the tallfok to the North Pole, and had to keep many of the advancements of the elves secret.

This continued for a great many years, and while elves kept abreast of what was happening in the other lands, they often just shook their heads and enjoyed their quiet peace in their secret habitat. Many of the elves that worked in other lands would load up a bag of toys after they visited and took them to the children of the area they returned to. Also, some elves would take a handful of toys and sweets to children of the tallfolk they traded with, and leave them quietly in various places where they would eventually be discovered.

As a matter of course, the elves would say nothing about the gifts and would just leave them secretly. Occasionally, a bag of toys would just appear in an area where children were known to gather and play.

Unknown to any elves at first, was one particular tallfolk doing the same thing. He had come from a lineage that began with a former bishop of early Christianity, originally from Turkey in Middle Asia. That bishop had been anointed to sainthood for his deeds and love of children. This good man, and then his ancestors, had already begun to have many tales told about them as they traveled throughout Asia and Europe.

The bishop of Turkey's sons spread into other European lands as did their influence. His ancestors had moved through Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Each had begun many traditions in the lands they traveled, all culminating in events geared around the birth of the Christ child, just as their Bishop forefather had done. They had begun to be known by many names from each land they traveled like Papa Noel, Pere Noel, La Befana, Babbo Natalie, Sinterklaas and others.

Many of the toys the elves had left for children had been credited to this tallfolk. This never bothered them as it had taken the attention off the elves, and left them to distribute their gifts in peace. A couple times the elves were actually pointed to as the gift-givers. They just said nothing and walked away. The elves did not want the attention of the tallfolk for the gifts left behind.

Toward the close of the eighteenth century, one of the elves came up with the idea to approach the tallfolk gift giver and ask if he would help distribute the elves' toys to the children, as he seemed to be doing it anyway. Denny Sweetooth, one of the members of the Council of Elves, asked about enlisting the stranger for help. Immediately a great debate ensued over whether or not to break elven law and allow the stranger to visit the North Pole, and to witness the wonders of the elves and their land.

After all, he was a member of the tallfolk. Many argued that it was wrong to say that none of the tallfolk could ever be trusted. Others argued that dire consequences would take place if this was allowed to happen. In the end, and by a single vote, it was agreed that the elves would send a delegation to meet with the man. During this meeting, if the delegation agreed, they would invite him to the North Pole.

They had placed on this delegation some of their best and brightest including Carrow Chekitwice - who was known for his leadership and careful ingenuity; Denny Sweetooth – whose suggestion it was in the first place. Also, though Denny was a baker and chef by trade, he was known for his big heart and wise council; Forrest Hedemup – who was in charge of all the animals and training in the North Pole and a lover of all creatures; Whitey Slippenfall – who was not only one of the principle elves that made the North Pole habitable, but was in charge of the defenses of the Pole, including its protective dome, and finally, Ella Communacado – who was the chief information elf in charge of communicating with the elves outside of the North Pole.

Carrow was an ancient elf who had helped design and build the village in the beginning. He was slightly taller and thinner than many of the elves with a beard that ran all the way down to his knees. His face carried a lot of wrinkles and the elves weren’t sure if it was due more to his age, or his stern nature. Carrow always seemed to be frowning and studying things, whether village plans or simple toys, with the same unending scrutiny.

At the opposite end of Carrow, Denny Sweetooth was always smiling and jovial. He was as round as he was tall, and looked like a dwarf even to other elves. Denny’s passion was food. Cooking it or eating it didn’t matter. He just loved being in a kitchen or near it. He also was known to have the biggest heart in the North Pole and was always offering counsel and help to others with their many concerns.

Forrest Hedemup was chosen for his stamina and strength. While no bigger than an average elf, he looked like a ranch hand and was stronger than nearly any elf. He carried large bundles with no effort, and could handle himself with tallfolk if the need arose. He was chosen to help keep a protective eye on the delegation, and to assist with the animals they would need and their load. A good looking young man by elf standards, he was one of the few blond elves with deep blue eyes.

Whitey was aptly named, as he sported a full head of white hair that looked as white and big as a snow bank. He had piercing green eyes, and like Carrow, was taller than most of his village. Whitey was the protector of the North Pole. He handled the defenses and also the security within the Pole. Very rarely did anything untoward happen in the village, but if it did, Whitey was called to the scene. His keen senses were known throughout the village, and he had a great capacity for sensing what was right from wrong. It was for this reason, as much as any, that he was chosen for this important mission.

If Whitey was known for his intuition, Ella was known for being able to put thought into “sincere speech” as elves called complete truth. A pleasant looking woman with dark hair and dark mysterious hazel eyes to match, she was one of the more desirable ladies of the North Pole, and was often sought after by the single men of the village.

What made Ella important (and feared by less sincere men) was her ability to see through to the truth, or make sense of any garbled discussion, and put it into words that everyone could grasp. There are some that just have a difficult time talking with others. Ella could understand what they meant and spoke their thoughts in a concise manner. Just in case this tallfolk began saying things insincerely, or without clear meaning, Ella would be there to interpret.

When these intrepid five left the North Pole on their quest, it was an unusual time in history. As they headed for the Netherlands, Ella explained to the others that this was a time of turmoil in England. As they all knew, the English had colonies throughout the world, on every known continental land mass, but one of these colonies was rebelling against their home country and England was embroiled in a war with their own people.

Apparently 'Americans', as they were calling themselves, had decided they no longer wished to be ruled by England and wanted to be free and independent. The other elves felt an instant kinship to these people, as they had traveled to the North Pole for similar reasons, though elves would rather leave for places unknown than to create war on others for something as unimportant as land.

The troupe had spent most of the fall, and part of the winter, searching for their quarry through the Netherlands. He was known to be in Amsterdam for a time, but they were not sure he was still around. It seemed the man was anxious to avoid recognition and attention, just as the elves had done. Many times they were told that yes, someone had been by and left some food stuffs and toys, but he was gone before they could even thank him. They had been given a vague description of the man, but other then sporting a full white beard and mustache, and being of large and strong build, there was little else to distinguish him.

They finally caught up with the man they sought outside of Eindhoven in the south eastern part of the Netherlands around mid-December. They found him on the road heading out of town. He looked like a peddler and was carrying a large pack on his back. He had a long beard, hair and mustache.

But what the elves also saw was that his green eyes twinkled, and he had the reddest cheeks Ella had ever seen on a tallfolk. He called himself Kris Kringle, and he had a very pleasant demeanor about him. He was surprised when approached by the small band. While being of average height himself, he had not seen such a small group gathered together before. They said they would like to talk with him and invited him to dine with them at the local tavern.

Kris at first thanked the group, but told them he had to get his possessions to Tilburg, as he had children waiting for him. The elves pressed him further and said that what they had to say to him may help him reach a great many more children than just in Tilburg and Eindhoven. They also impressed upon that they had been seeking him for months and throughout the country. Kris finally agreed to have lunch with them and they all went to the tavern.

Once they sat down, it was an awkward beginning, as the elves didn’t quite know where or how to start. They had spent so much time searching for the man, but never truly discussed how they would initiate the conversation once they found him. They were still apprehensive about sharing too much of their life in the North Pole, in case they decided against asking this stranger to join them, so they attempted to speak in generalities. Likewise, Kris wasn’t sure what business they wanted with him, and while he was polite, he was a little impatient to continue on his way.

They found common ground when Ella asked Kris why he traveled around giving gifts to children and then watched as Kris’ eyes lit up immediately. He explained that his ancestor had instructed as far back as 300 A.D., on how God so loved the world that he gave the greatest gift of all to the world. A child, a simple gift that would forever change much of the world and its beliefs. As Kris was the tenth descendant of the great St. Nicholas, he wanted children to know that they were still loved. So like his forefathers before him, he brought gifts to as many as he could, and especially during December to remind them of God’s gift. He explained that between making, securing and delivering the gifts, his efforts filled the entire year. But it was around Christmas when he tried to have the biggest impact.

He said that many children lose their innocent nature too soon, and he wanted to help them keep a little joy even if just during his one visit each year. The elves and Kris got into a very animated and spirited discussion about children, and what made them the most special of all God’s creatures. Forrest talked about how the best of any creature could be found in the eyes of a child. Denny regaled his stories about the joy of a child’s expression in every sweet cake he gave them. Even Carrow who is normally of a stern nature, talked about the wonderment of a child as they handled one of the carefully constructed toys they were given.

The elves saw in Kris the virtues they had hoped; a strong and loving heart, a child’s amazement of the earth and heavens, an innocence untarnished by the hardships of the world, and a vitality and enthusiasm that seemed boundless. With an indiscernible nod to each other, the elves began to talk in hushed tones about a wondrous land that was built almost entirely to serve children. They told Kris of their mission to find him and invite him to the North Pole.

Kris listened enraptured about the amazing things they were saying about their village and mission. Of course he had many misgivings about making such an argent journey to such a faraway place and during such an inhospitable time. Also, if he went he would need to bring his wife, and there were still the children in Tilburg that needed their toys, and what of Christmas coming? This time the elves were ready and met each of Kris’ concerns with a solution.

It was finally agreed that first, they would assist Kris in delivering his toys to the children in Tilburg, then they would meet his wife and discuss the North Pole in more detail with both of them. Finally, if they both agreed, the elves would send another delegation to the Kringle’s after Christmas, and they would all make the journey then. The elves promised that the journey wouldn't be as difficult as Kris envisioned, and they would bring very special clothing that would keep them both safe and warm during the trip.

After spending quite some time on the journey to Tilburg with Kris and then meeting Mrs. Kringle, the delegation was even more certain that they had made the right decision. Ann Marie Kringle was warm and enchanting with an easy smile and laugh, like her husband. Ann Marie was quite an attrative women. She was only about 5 feet tall with dark brown hair and soft hazel eyes.

They both seemed so very…jolly! They were comfortable to be around and they had an easy spirit wrapped in a blanket of endless faith. All had agreed to the plan as laid out by the elves, and set the date to begin right after the Epiphany, on January 7th of the New Year.

This accord would change history around the world for billions of children everywhere.