Shivering out in the cold, Dan hugged himself and peeked into the window of the long blue building next to Mrs. Claus’ cottage. He felt as intrusive as Scrooge eavesdropping on Fezziwig’s Christmas party, though the circumstances were quite different. Mrs. Claus suggested he introduce himself to the elves while she got ready for their trip to Toy Town. Through the window, Dan observed those peculiar small beings boxing up toys while others were running around, tagging and tackling each other in a playful manner. There weren’t many of them, maybe a dozen.
The room was like an open hall, all made of wood, with a large worktable situated in the middle on which all movement revolved. One elf unexpectedly locked eyes with Dan. He quickly took a step back from the window, wanting to be inconspicuous. Dan had a regular anxious feeling about introducing himself to others. Now, to add another layer to concern, these were elves. How do I introduce myself to elves? How do I get their attention? He decided he’d just figure it out as he went, so he uninhibitedly grabbed the door knob and passed over the threshold. All the elves noticed, as he was a giant in comparison to them. Suddenly all the elves stopped working and playing, and they looked over at him surprised. A dead silence reached the room. After a brief pause, the elves broke out into a cheer, loud and exuberant. One elf jumped up on the table and began to speak. Others locked arms.
“Of you, expecting, we have been. Joy and greeting we shall give. You we welcome to the North Pole.”
Was that just me or did that kind of sound strange? Dan thought.
The elves began to present him a cheer:
Snick-snack snow and jingle-jing!
Welcome, Dan, to the Arctic ring!
By cocoa streams and tinsel cheer,
A human hero, you appear!
Stomp your boots and rig the sleigh
Let’s save Christmas—hip, hip, hooray!
After their cheer, the elves immediately returned to work. What’s a cocoa stream? Dan thought. “Of work, a lot, done there need be. Excuse us,” said one of the elves nodding his head in an act of humility. Dan could already conclude the elves were very polite and diligent. He wasn’t sure what to do now. Should I offer to help out or just stay out of the way?
Looking around, he noticed all the eyes were busy, if not in work, they were very focused on play. The room was rather plain, only the elves added life to it. To compensate for the lack of decor a large array of lanterns of all shapes and sizes hung by hooks from the wooden beams overhead, bringing brightness to the room. Dan eyed a simple wooden straight-back chair next to the door to take a seat. While he was sitting there waiting, he noticed he was not the only one unoccupied. In the corner, sitting down and slouching against the wall, was a small teenage elf-boy. He did not look cheery like the others, but discontent. Despite otherwise looking like the other elves in stature and size, he wasn’t dressed like them at all. A green hat with a jingle bell did not sit upon his head. He had no large golden belt buckle or dainty red slipper-like boots. Instead he was dressed like a human teenager. He wore grungy leather boots worn from use, ripped jeans patched up with other pieces of fabric, and an oversized black sweatshirt, with the hood pulled far over his head, hiding his forehead and eyes.
Maybe I’m not the only one who feels a bit out of place.
Dan approached the lone elf. “Hi, my name is Dan.” There was an awkward silence with no acknowledgement. “I just wanted to introduce myself.
“You probably don’t want to talk to me. I’m ‘problematic’. I’m the ‘rebel elf’…”
He seemed to throw the words from his mouth as if they had a bitter taste. “…and I’m not even an elf!” His voice was not high pitched and cheery like the other elves, but rather mid-pitched, and at times uneven like it hadn’t quite decided where it wanted to land yet. Nevertheless, it was unmistakably human.
Dan had grown tired of students at Hodge High labeling themselves as “rebels”. They often wore anarchy symbols sown onto their black attire, and he wasn’t sure why. He had thought about this on many school bus rides. He noticed these peers wanted to act edgy and label themselves as ‘rebels’ but could never explain exactly what they were rebelling against. Dan realized he couldn’t get caught up in those thoughts again. He had to stay in the moment. He recapped what he heard in his mind: He said he’s a“rebel elf,” but that he’s not an elf. How can this make sense, and why is he so angry?
“Well…” The boy pulled the hood off his head, exposing his black ruffled hair. He looked up at Dan with his icy-blue eyes that were intense and piercing. “I am half-elf and half-human. I shouldn’t be at the North Pole. I deserve to live like a human, not mess around with an elf’s work. Elves wield magic like breathing air. They are like dragons with fire, but I can’t. I am not like them. Magic is hard labor, but I am just supposed to be cheery and happy and perfect all the time. I just can’t!”
This interested Dan. Half-elf-half-human? He quickly realized it was his turn to say something, but what? “I’m sorry…” Dan had nothing else to say, but felt he had to fill the void, “So half-elf, half-human, huh?” he dangled an open-ended inquiry.
“Yeah, my mom, who was an elf, was pretty scandalous. Her name was the Tinsel Temptress, if that tells you anything. She escaped off Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve, met a human. One thing led to another, and then there was me. She was banished to the Frostbit Fringe, but here I am, stuck, neither elf nor a human. I don’t fit in anywhere. Have you noticed how I speak? My voice is human and my words and thoughts are in order. I want to live as a boy, not an elf! I don’t want to build anything. I don’t want to paint anything. I don’t want to package anything. I don’t want to say Merry Christmas one more time, or I’m gonna lose it!” The boy clenched his fist in anger then gradually loosened up. “Can you show me how to be a normal human? You look human! I want to be like you.” This was all unexpected to Dan. The passion in the boy’s speech escalated quickly. He heard someone telling him that he wanted to be like him, but he just met this boy.
Dan tried to temper the situation by deflecting.“I have some questions. If elves are building toys here. What are the elves doing in Toy Town?”
“Here they are learning. These are elves in training. Once they master their skills, they are sent to Toy Town. I’ve been ‘in training’ for three years!” he emphasized. “I’m never going to make it to Toy Town. I will never be good enough.”
Dan didn’t know how to respond to what was said, but deferred back to his own thoughts.“Do you know what I am here for?”
“Magic,” he stated matter of factly. “A human is rarely found here, but when he is, it’s because of magic. Yes, the elves wield magic, but there is also a greater, deeper magic that keeps all things in check. The magic summoned you for something.” Dan got goosebumps. Am I really here for a purpose? Am I really summoned by some greater power? What will I do? He was filled with excitement and anticipation.
The rebel elf didn’t hesitate in stifling the mounting joy. “…I’ll never be summoned.”
Read more about Wild Christmas on my website: www.joshhodge.com/wild-christmas
Read Chapter 7: https://joshthehodge.com/2026/01/26/joshua-hodges-wild-christmas-chapter-7/
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