The annual elf evaluation process has started.

My part in this process begins today by purging our membership ranks of inactive elves. Those elves without a recorded log in during the past 90 days will be “retired”.

Other elves will be retired for other reasons, most associated with behavior unbecoming an elf. There are very few of those and most have already been retired.

Elf Supervisors are in the middle of evaluations for active elves. Their reviews will be posted soon for individual elf review.

If you have any questions or want to appeal any review or evaluation decisions being made please use the support link below.

As we enter a new year in tracking Santa for Santa we once again announce refinements to the tracker elf program that will help improve our efforts.

This is our constant process as elves. Each Christmas we are evaluated in our performance. The purpose is not to get a grade or undue praise. The purpose is to continually improve.

Last year, Santa set out changes to the tracker elf program to better focus on the quality of our work. Those many changes took months to implement. They were evident in the way our website worked, in the training we each received, and in the things we did day to day once we started tracking Santa for Santa.

The results last year showed vast improvement over previous years. Santa enjoyed his most trouble-free flight in history and finished his world tour in record time.

The plans for this year will include more refinement and change. Perhaps the most important is the one we announce here now:

All elf jobs related to tracking Santa for Santa will be re-structured.

This will affect elves working in North Pole Flight Command, at Research and Development in the Sleigh Design Department, all elves working the North Pole Weather Tracking Department, and all elves known as Tracker Elves worldwide.

What does this mean?

It means, effective immediately, all elf jobs, titles, and responsibilities beyond tracking Santa for Santa, have been suspended.

Going forward, a new yearly routine for applying for, training for, and performing in function will be established. All new elf responsibilities will need to be applied for as a new job.

That new job will only be temporary in nature – valid only through next December 26th.

For example, if an elf wants to apply to become a North Pole News Reporter, they can apply for that job during a set application period. If they get the job they will work that job only until December, 26th – at which point they will be relieved of those duties and can apply for other elf positions.

In discussing this strategy with Santa he feels this will help elves to develop strong skills in a number of disciplines. It will make for stronger elves.

Santa remains challenged by elves who start strong but finish weak – those who want jobs, but then don’t do them. He is also frustrated by elves who assume some sort of authority over other elves just because they have a different job.

By making jobs more temporary in nature Santa feels it will better developer stronger elves and nicer elves.

So, as of right now, all of us – me included – are relieved of all elf duties except that as a tracker elf.

In the coming days the new process for securing elf jobs will be announced and the Department of Elf Resources will begin placement for the 2023 tracking season.

Please pay attention to new job postings. There will be more than ever. But they will have new application requirements.

That is all at this time.

SantaTrackers.net will be remodeled in the new year. I had my first meeting with Santa today in his office and this was an item at the top of the list.

The changes will be made with what Santa calls “organizational adjustments” to the Tracker Elf effort. Santa said he expects the look and feel of the website will not dramatically change, only a new few features will be added or fixed.

The likely biggest changes will occur to elf jobs, elf certification, elf training and to elf groups. These will be announced one by one as Santa gets a chance to explore his ideas with the Executive Committee.

Santa’s Council will also be changing in the new year. Santa did not elaborate on that topic today, but told me we would discuss it in our next meeting.

In the meantime, I’ll be meeting with Elves Max and Moe to begin the process. After Max has some time to do some research, I’m sure there will be further announcements.

Also, just a reminder, your Elf Supervisors are busily engaged in elf reviews. Their ranking and reports are anticipated in a few weeks. We will make an announcement at that the time they are ready.

Fellow Elves,

It is my honor, duty and privilege to announce our Elf of the Year. This distinction comes to just one in the Tracker Elf Community for a reason – and that reason IS community.

Out of all the elves who contribute to the efforts of Operation Merry Christmas none need community more than Tracker Elves. That’s because you all work remotely and largely alone. You do not get to attend the meetings, the rallies, the events, the celebrations and all the things that go on at the North Pole.

Your role is a special one. And a hard one. That is why we want to recognize an elf who best exemplifies the community we’re trying to build here among our tracker elves. You all are different, special and unique but you are all connected by your mission and your duties. It is important that you participate here, make your voice heard, get your questions answered and have a place where your Christmas light can shine and your Christmas spirit can be shared.

This past year was a big year for tracking Santa for Santa. We made great strides. We showed incredible improvement. We accomplished a great deal.

But none of those strides, improvements or accomplishments are more important than what one elf brought to us all over the course of this past year. She was present. She was hopeful. She was bright. She was inquisitive. She was helpful. She was merry, kind and always trying her best.

Our Elf of the Year is one we can all agree upon: she is Elf Ulan, of Japan.

It gives me particular satisfaction to recognize an elf from Sector 1 and particularly from the country of Japan. There are not a lot of elves from Japan. Japan is a country still fairly young in their knowledge of Christmas and their support of me.

Elf Ulan is thus a pioneer. She brought Japan to our Christmas table this year and fed us continually with the generous giving spirit of that great country and culture.

And to that country she will continue to bring a knowledge of Christmas and what we do as elves from the North Pole.

I know this recognition of Elf Ulan as Elf of the Year is one you will all find agreeable. Everyone knows Ulan. Everyone here, at least from what I can see, has had interactions with her and likewise enjoy her friendship and love.

Elf Ulan has been present at most chats this year, both on SantaTrackers.net and SantaUpdate.com. She has asked great questions of nearly every elf who has visited. She has immersed herself in elf life, making her joys of discovery available to us all. She has been fun, gracious and so very kind.

I see for her a great future as an elf. I am grateful for her many contributions.

There were, as there usually are, a number of deserving elves on our lists of finalists. In fact, we have spent the better part of two weeks debating it all. Even Mrs. Claus and myself have talked long hours over your many contributions. Certainly others are worthy of this distinction. In fact, all of you are.

You may not recognize yourselves as ground-breakers, but you ARE. Every. One. Of. You.

You see, 2022 was really our FIRST year of the tracker elf program. Yes, we “tested” it for five years previous and in that time we’ve seen a lot of elves come and go. We even lost a few good elves in 2022.

But you are the ones who overcame. The ones who stayed. The ones that stayed true to the Oath, to the Elf Code, and to the Elf Community. The ones who are serious about giving to others by helping me do what I do.

Those that continue to stay, that continue to grow this community and contribute to it, will be those who become elves of different kinds in the years ahead.

I get asked all the time what it takes to become one of those important elves at the North Pole. It takes time. It takes persistence. And it takes good role models. Elf Ulan is a good one to model yourself after. That is part of the reason why Elf Ulan is Elf of the Year.

Thank you all for your efforts.

In the New Year there will, once again, come many changes. We always work hard to improve. All of us can improve, especially me.

I thank all elves who work on my behalf, who try so hard to help Operation Merry Christmas succeed. Next week, we begin that effort anew. There will be a new countdown, new goals, new targets and new challenges. But the big goal, the one we all aspire to, is to be all the elf we can be by focusing on the love of others.

Thank you, Elf Ulan, for showing us that way.