Hello elves! Are you ready? This is it, the big week!

I’m happy to report the following:

North Pole Tracker Elves: 12,337
Freelance Tracker Elves: 1,905,441
Total Tracker Elves: 1,917,778

Our number of elves pale in comparison to other sectors overall. And we are very spread out geographically thanks to the Pacific Ocean. But, we are in position to help Santa better than ever. In fact, look at how our reports have piled up so far:

North Pole Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 88,826
Freelance Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 11,432,646
Total Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 11,521,472

Now, things will go differently this week. In fact, this message today is about the only predictable message you will get from me.

Why? Because every Elf Supervisor is now working on the clock put out by North Pole Flight Command. Here is how it works for us – and for all sectors this week – from today forward:

1. You will get a message to declare your working status before flight time.
2. We MAY get one final word from Santa before he heads to our sector.
3. You will get fast, brief messages for report requests from me.

This means you’ll need to check in more frequently this week. It also means you may see a lot more questions from our newest elves. Please help them if you can, we will not have time to spend on training those newer elves who have not been through Elf University.

I do NOT have any new specific instructions for you at this time. We’re at a new level – that means:

1. If you see something, say something. Send in any report you feel is necessary at this time.
2. All I might ask of you from today forward comes directly from Flight Command and it can come at any time. So please check in frequently.

Thank you all for your great work!

Sector 4 is on FIRE! Yes, my friends – we had a good week. Here’s the elf numbers:

North Pole Tracker Elves: 8,767
Freelance Tracker Elves: 2,374,554
Total Tracker Elves: 2,383,321

We topped the word with 131% growth last week in elves. Nobody added more than we did (well, percentage-wise). That gave us a world-leading boost in reports, too:

North Pole Tracker Elf Reports: 57,862
Freelance Tracker Elf Reports: 7,598,573
Total Tracker Elf Reports: 7,656,573

That is a 90% boost over the number of reports for last week – which is HUGE.

So congratulations! Sector 4 is making big contributions for the Santa effort this year. Thank you!

Feedback from Santa:
Another stellar week, Sector 4. You are becoming a force in Operation Merry Christmas. You have no idea what your efforts mean for my ride in your sector this year. I’m so excited to get there because I know so much more this time around. And that’s thanks to you. For this week, please invest a little time in reporting on yourself. I want to know my elves. Elf Tubby will show you what needs to be done! – Santa

Instructions for this week, please send in the following reports:

1. If you haven’t done so, please file a Home and Family Report – click here
2. Please send in an Elfie Selfie – click here
3. Time for Another Local Christmas Report – click here
4. Please update the weather – click here

Hi Elves of Sector 2! We had a decent week. But we’re hoping to really step on the gas this week. It’s about ten days until launch now and we need to get it together. Here are the elf numbers:

North Pole Tracker Elves: 4,274
Freelance Tracker Elves: 551,101
Total Tracker Elves: 555,375

We need an EXPLOSION in new elves, kids. It’s going to take better than a million elves to get all the reports we need. Speaking of reports, here is the reports numbers through last week:

North Pole Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 23,080
Freelance Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 1,487,973
Total Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 1,511,052

Our goal for reports is lower than any other sector. But it is easily five times higher than what we presently show. So….we need to get with it.

Feedback from Santa this week for Sector 2:
Ok, Sector 2. I know what you’re thinking: there’s NO WAY we can meet the lofty goals set for you this year. Why is it so HIGH? It’s so high because Sector 2 has always has the largest land area to cover with billions of people – and yet there are fewer believers in Sector 2 than any other sector in the world. So we depend on those few believers there that we do have. That means all hands on deck. It also means you can BELIEVE there are more believers around you than you suspect. How do I know this? Because I have received, as of today, exactly 275,344,222 wish lists from believers in Sector 2. They are out there! We just need to find them, recruit them as elves, and get them to works as trackers. Can you help? Let’s make that our focus this week. Just get them here, friends. We’ll let your good Elf Supervisor and the website do the rest of the work. Spread the good word! — Santa

Your Instructions this week:

1. How are you doing? Give Santa an update here
2. How is the Christmas Spirit where you are? Report here
3. Please update your local weather – click here
4. We need a ground report from your area – click here

Hello my GREAT Elves of Sector 1 –

We have finally top 1 million elves in our sector. But that’s hardly the exciting news. Here is the official elf count:

North Pole Tracker Elves: 7,781
Freelance Tracker Elves: 1,003,665
Total Tracker Elves: 1,011,446

That is an improvement of 29% in just a week. Very impressive. But here’s the exciting news for us:

North Pole Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 55,245
Freelance Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 4,817,592
Total Tracker Elf Reports YTD: 4,872,837

So, we’re approaching 5 million total reports. That’s just an explosion over the last ten days. North Pole Flight Command is seriously jazzed about the information in Sector 1 they have never had before. And that’s awesome!

Feedback from Santa this week for Sector 1:
Hello all you new elves in Sector 1. Thank you for coming to help me this year. This week’s message is more for you than for the elves already working in your sector. The success of my flight in your area is going to depend on the good information you can provide about your local area. If you don’t know what that means or do not know how to do that please see Elf University and learn. It is important to learn what to do if you really want to be an elf. Now, to all of you already serving as tracker elves in Sector 1. This is a critical week. Keep your eyes on the skies. Give Elf Randi your full attention please. Thanks! — Santa

Your Instructions this week:

1. Please give Santa a home report – click here
2. Tell us about the public this week – click here
3. Update the weather – click here
4. Tell us of public transit – click here

Santa here. I send greetings to my fellow elves! Thank you for your excellent work so far this season. We have a couple of weeks to go and I was asked by the organizers of the Tracker Elf Conference to participate in Questions and Answers. You elves supply the questions and I supply the answers.

We have been at this a couple of weeks. These are all questions that came in from the Tracker Elf Conference survey. We have filtered out the usual “What am I getting for Christmas?” and “What time will you be to my house?” kind of questions. We want to focus on tracking, getting around the world, and fulfilling our goals for Operation Merry Christmas.

Here we go:

Q: How does your sleigh fit so many presents?
A: It holds a lot but not the whole world’s worth of presents. Long before I launch from the North Pole there is an effort called Operation Airlift which is run by North Pole Flight Command. They launch thousands and thousands of sleighs before, during and after my launch. These sleighs are mostly freighters that move things around. Part of that operation is a complicated process that sees my sleigh constantly re-supplied. As I stop and make visits in homes those sleighs and the elves and reindeer assigned to them re-supply my sleigh. All night long this happens, all over the world. It is a massive operation largely unseen by the world. Part of the magic of Christmas Eve is that it is the one night of the year when seeing a flying sleigh is really possible because there are thousands of sleighs out there – not just me. Great question. 

Q: What’s the hardest problem while taking the big trip, and is their anything we can do to help you out?
A: The biggest challenge is not knowing what I’m going to run into. That is why what you are doing now, in the weeks before I launch, is so helpful. The more I know about a home, a neighborhood, the weather, trees, fences, dogs, traffic, new construction, etc. the better I am able to do my job. The best thing you can do is to be thorough in your reports and think like I have to think when I fly. Be eyes up. When you see something that would concern anyone coming into your neighborhood with a huge sleigh and flying reindeer, say something. 

Q: How many tracker elves would you like to see do their job this year? Why do you love the tracker elf program?
A: We used to worry about how many elves. We thought the more elves we have the more reports we get. We learned that’s not true. We made changes this year to weed out the people who wanted to be elves but wouldn’t do the work of elves. We have fewer elves this year than last year. That does not matter because we are getting more reports and better reports this year. I am expecting MUCH better results in my flight this year because I simply have better information. I love the fact that we have whittled things down to elves who really care, really work and really celebrate Christmas. This is fun. 

Q: Can you magically just fly?
A: No. No magic about it. It takes training, talented reindeer, talented elves, expertly designed sleighs and lots of speed to fly. 

Q: Does Santa give gifts to grown-ups too who believe, or just to kids?
A: This isn’t a tracking question but I feel it is an important one. There are no grown ups to me. Just children. So the answer is yes. Understand? 

Q: How is the sleigh situation going?
A: Pretty rough. Not too worried about it though. 

Q: Dear Santa, Thank you for everything. If you could answer one question, have I been being useful to you as an elf so far? I would appreciate it if you could tell me specifically what more I need to do to be a better elf for you as a tracker elf, an elf educator, or a reindeer therapist?
A: Hi, Elf Ulan. You are an exceptional elf precisely because you ask questions like this. You are extremely helpful to me, especially as you share information about your country and customs. Your voice, as is the voice of every elf, is very important. So keep talking. Keep participating. Keep sharing. Keep asking questions. Your elf supervisor keeps track of your performance. If there are problems you will hear from them. As for me, I’m very happy to have you as an elf, doing all that you do. 

Q: Do you remember me?
A: Of course. I remember every believer and every elf, even those who live in California. I think this question comes from a different thing than just one particular person living in one particular place. It comes from being a little older and experiencing Santa different as an adult. Am I right about this? Yes, it changes as you change. But I always remember you. Remember that. 

Q: Who is the most amazing elf?
A: Hahaha – trick question! Mrs. Claus is the most amazing elf. 

Q: Why do you say “hohoho”?
A: I don’t, actually.

Q: Do you go to all the houses of your believers? Even if they are grown up?
A: I go where I am welcomed and invited. Some don’t want my inside their house and I understand and respect that. 

Q: Are you upset when people don’t believe in you or say mean things about you?
A: No, we don’t have time for that. 

Q: How much water could we leave out for the Reindeer team?
A: I appreciate this question. Figure on about a cup per reindeer. I want them to stay hydrated but too much water is a problem too. So keep it simple. A cup, no ice. Just water. Thank you! 

Q: How do you deliver to boats?
A: Boats are easy. Moving trains, planes and busses are a much bigger challenge. I’m just glad for very athletic reindeer and advanced sleigh technology. 

Q: Does Santa still come even while your tracking? Has Santa ever missed homes before and why?
A: I send out bed time advisories from the sleigh. Usually around 8pm to 10pm local time. I expect everyone living in the area of the advisory to do it. Even trackers. That being said, sometimes family traditions and events keep some people up later than that. That’s okay. I try to remember those things and not get there too early. And yes, I’ve missed homes before and had to go back. It happens because I’m not perfect and the information I have is not always up to do. That’s another reason why the work of trackers is so important. 

Q: I know you been doing this for years but is it any chance for you to retire and probably have someone else take it over?
A: No. Don’t believe the stuff of silly movies and television shows. 

Q: What is the very first thing he does after he gets back to Santa head quarters on Christmas day?
A: Celebrate Christmas with Mrs. Claus. 

Q: What if you get hurt on your flight?
A: Good question. We have a number of plans in place to deal with emergencies. We have elves everywhere on Christmas Eve. And I do mean everywhere. 

Thank you elves for your questions. If you have more, post them in the comments below.