Why Elves Get Banned

Santa has millions of elves. They live at the North Pole, and they live in different places all over the world. There are many kinds of elves. There are many jobs and purposes that elves have.

Here at SantaTrackers.net, we are tracker elves.

That’s it. That’s what we do.

Sometimes, a tracker elf might get a new job and do something else as an elf. Where that is and what that is isn’t our business. But here, in this community, we are all tracker elves.

That’s it.

You likely have a purpose here. Maybe you want to be an elf for life and do many things for Santa. Maybe you’re just here to help Santa get around the world.

For us, the elves who run this website, we have a purpose, too.

We are here to build elves. We are here to track Santa for Santa. We are here to help people realize their dream of being elves for life.

To do that, we have to stay focused on what we do.

Unfortunately, many “new” elves do not understand all this. They come here and they act like there aren’t other elves around. They don’t know there are people here serious about this.

They do stuff that is fun for themselves, but no fun for anyone else.

That is why, every year in November and December, we see a lot of elves come and go.

I personally dismiss them. I kick them out. I end their elf careers.

I snuff out any further chance they might have of ever working for Santa, of living at the North Pole, and of ever being an elf ever again.

I do it for one simple reason: they fail to read and follow the most basic instructions.

They fail to know what it is we do and how we do it.

They come here, whether they mean to or not, to distract others from doing what is right as an elf.

One huge distraction are people who come here to talk about their “Elf on the Shelf”.

No matter how many times we have explained it they do it anyway. They post pictures of that goofy doll and expect everyone else to endure endless talk about their personal elf.

A real elf knows this is nonsense. They know that a personal elf is not valid. The North Pole has nothing to do with this stuff. Read about it.

We have stated the rules plainly and talk about Elf on the Shelf in any way is not acceptable here because they have nothing to do with Santa, the North Pole or Christmas.

Whether you believe in them or not is not the issue.

Believe what you want. But our rules are plain. You don’t talk about that stuff here or you’re gone.

This is also no place to call out Santa.

There are places provided to send Santa a wish list. We even offer a way here for you personally to message Santa for whatever reason.

But you’re to do it privately.

Do not post it to the Elf Wall or you’re gone.

Why? Because it’s a distraction to others who are trying to do their job as tracker elves.

It’s very simple.

If you come to the Elf Community, learn and keep the rules.

Part of the rules of the Elf Community is to have a valid email address. It is needed to make the script running our website to work. We don’t send you email that is inappropriate, we send you email to make your account here work.

When you don’t have a valid email your account goes away automatically. I never see it. It gets deleted because it is necessary for us to remain legal about having accounts in the first place. It’s a simple instruction.

So too is the instruction to put “Elf” before your name. When you are here you are an “Elf”. That is an honored title. You should embrace that. Those elves who don’t take the time to do this get dismissed. It’s disrespectful to the rest of the community who has kept the rule. We give you time to do it. You can be helped. But if after a certain time you don’t get it together you’ll just disappear.

Good elves take instruction and follow it. Santa runs a tight ship. We do things his way, or we don’t call ourselves elves.

I’m banning dozens of new elves every day now. Sometimes hundreds, sometimes thousands. All because they do not care enough to learn, read and comply with what we’re all about.

A good elf is one who thinks of others first. It’s in the Elf Code.

There is no better way to demonstrate you don’t get that than to come on here to do personal stuff like Elf on the Shelf or trying to strong-arm Santa in public.

It’s rude.

I won’t stand for it.

If you’re going to be an elf, do it right.

Live the code. Keep the community standards.

It’s my job to keep this straight in the community. I will continue to do so.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

What All Elves Should Be Doing Right Now

Hi Elves!

Crash here – if you are new and you don’t know me, my name is Elf Crash Murphy and I’m the International Director of Santa Trackers. We makes me, more or less, the Head Elf, YOUR Head Elf, your boss’ boss. In my humble way, I’m here to tell ya what to do.

Now, if you follow along at SantaUpdate.com – and you should – then you likely know me from my North Pole Radio News reports as that guy who follows Santa every Christmas Eve and gives out news reports. That’s my Christmas Eve job, and it makes me, well, some people like to call me, the Ultimate Santa Tracker.

Anyway, if you’re new and don’t know what to do, relax. We’ll get you trained. There are lots of elves here to help you.

Right now and for the next five weeks or so we will be getting lots of new elves. There’s always mass confusion because a new elf wants to do everything. They want to tell other elves what to do, they want every elf job out there and they want to ride with Santa on his sleigh.

Well, again, relax. Ain’t none of that is going to happen because you are a new elf. And you have to learn to be the tracker elf you are before you get to do any of that stuff.

So, relax! We’ve all been there. Once upon a time we were all new elves.

So what should you be doing? Glad you asked!

I got together with all the Elf Supervisors and made this list. I’m banning the posting of news until at least the first part of next week (Monday, November 25th), so that you can catch up with the following things:

  1. If you are a freelance elf, READ EVERYTHING. Then send in your first freelance elf reportIn that first report I want you to just give us a status on yourself and your availability to track Santa for Santa up until Christmas Eve.
  2. If you are a North Pole elf and a member here of the Elf Community here at SantaTrackers.net, I want you to first get your profile set. You should put the word “Elf” in front of your name on your profile. You should have an avatar that represents YOU. And you should have a cover photo, which is placed behind your avatar on your profile. There are lots of elves and tutorials on the site to help you get this done.
  3. Then, no matter what kind of elf you are, I want you to go read everything at Elf University. Learn your Sector. Figure out who your Elf Supervisor is. You are tracking Santa for Santa – that means you will be communicating with the North Pole through your tracker reports. Take all this really seriously and learn how to do it FAST.
  4. Find the page to Santa Tracker Radio – and listen to it. It’s great. On December 23rd you’re all going to be listening to it because that’s when North Pole Radio News broadcasts the Tracking Santa around the World radio show. It’s very famous and you’ll hear me on there now and then.
  5. Then go listen to a few past episodes of the Santa Tracker Podcast. New episodes will be coming out soon and you will need to know where to find them. The older episodes all have great information about how to be a tracker elf.

Now let me give you some stuff NOT to do:

  1. Don’t tell others what to do. Elf Moe is just itching to ban elves who don’t belong here because they get a big head because they’re an elf. We don’t do that. BE NICE.
  2. If you’re new, don’t even think of trying to get an additional elf job unless Elf Sandy Claus in Elf Resources says you can apply for something. Most jobs require a lot of points and at least one year of service. So if you’re new, you won’t get any of the jobs being posted.
  3. Don’t give up. Being an elf is not easy. Lots of other elves here will help you. You will get it and Santa needs you.

Ok, now let me just ask our veteran elves who have been here more than a year to do a few things:

  1. If there are new jobs posted by Elf Sandy Claus, please consider applying for them.
  2. Please help the new elves in everyway you can.
  3. Please help new elves you know to sign up at SantaTrackers.net. We need more GOOD elves.
  4. Participate in the Elf Parade next week by submitting pictures of your costume and how you dress up your bike, trike, scooter, etc.
  5. Make sure you are up to date on your reports.
  6. Watch the skies for flying sleighs. There are LOTS of them out there right now (watch the News at NorthPoleFlightCommand.com and SantaUpdate.com for more on that)
  7. Elf Supes are going to ask for pictures of your Christmas trees soon. Just a heads up.

Ok, you got questions? Ask them in the comments below.

Thank you, Elves.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Getting Verified

As Elf Max has mentioned, we have been taking a look at Elf verification, what it means and how to get verified as an elf.

Most new elves want to become verified right away. We understand that.

But for verification to mean something for elves new and old, we need to explain it. This information is so vital that we’re placing it in Elf University. We want it to be part of your elf training.

That is because most new elves in their first year will NOT get verified.

Why? Millions of people come here wanting to be elves. But they come and don’t participate in anyway and never come back after their first year as an elf.

In other words, they really aren’t serious about being an elf.

So why waste time verifying them?

Please read this page if you want to become verified.

Verification is not something you ask for or apply for any more. It is a designation your Elf Supervisor gives you. It means you are legit. You are trusted, as an elf. And only elves who do their part will ever get verified.

Questions? Ask in the comments below or on the Elf Wall.

Thanks.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Elf Activity Explodes in Numbers

New recruits, the completion of Halloween activities and the elevation of the Christmas Spirit have all combined in a result of an explosion in elf activity, both on SantaTrackers.net and all the other Official North Pole websites.

Over the course of the past 30 days each sector has seen huge increases in new elf recruits:

Sector 1 – +435,627
Sector 2- +81,336
Sector 3- +218,992
Sector 4- +104,881
Sector 5- +774,012

These are mostly new freelance elf registrations.

Elf Max reports an 89% increase in activity on the Elf Wall at SantaTrackers.net, as well as a huge boost to elves taking the elf test.

These are not unusual improvements. We project this growth to continue right up until Christmas Eve.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

How is Home and Family?

There is a report you can send in which very few tracker elves actually use. It’s called the Home and Family Report.

I’d like all of you to send one in at the first opportunity.

I think it is important that you know the we care about you, that Santa sees you as more than just a tracker elf and that you DO have an alternative way to communicate with Santa.

Messages sent in via this form bypass the usual process. Messages coming in this way are tagged and Santa knows it is from an elf.

So let’s make use of this form, okay? I think it is important that Santa knows what’s going on with you and your family.

Thanks.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

A Message for All Elves from Elf Crash

We held a chat today at SantaUpdate.com with me and Elf Roger Star that was supposed to talk about tracking Santa.

I feel we really failed. My intent was to engage some of our new trackers on how to track Santa. We have a lot of new elves.

We had some great experienced elves join the chat, we got to talking about stuff, and I don’t think we ever got around to giving out information for new elves to absorb.

So I want to spell some things out.

Earlier this week, Elf Rolf, the Elf Supervisor of Sector 3, put out a post about setting up your home tracking center. That came on the heels of another post by Elf Pinky in Sector 5, titled “If You’re a New Elf”.

Both of those posts contain excellent information. I want ALL elves, new and experienced, as well as freelance elves, to go read those posts. They steer you in the right direction if you’re new to tracking Santa for Santa.

I just want to add this to what those great Elf supervisors are saying:

1. Our goal is to help Santa get around the world safely and completely. We’re not trying to set records and we don’t want credit for what we do. Santa serves a vital function and we’re trying to help him.

2. Our oath is to be honest and to help Santa by focusing on others. So let’s be nice in all that we do, whether people know we are elves or not.

3. While we work as elves we get inside information about Santa, the North Pole and how it all works. We need to be discreet with how we share that information. You are seeing all these new pictures from the North Pole of offices and reindeer and stuff – that’s privileged stuff. It’s not meant for the whole world. Be careful with sharing it. Don’t post it everywhere and think about the people who see it. Being a believer matters.

4. Ask lots of questions. Use the Elf Wall. Raise your hand, send up a flare, do whatever you have to do to make it clear what your job is. If you wait until Christmas Eve to start being an elf, you’re doing it wrong.

5. Be a leader. Reach out. Help your fellow elves.

That’s it. Now ask me questions. Especially if you are a new elf. We want to help you understand.

Thanks.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

City Captains Report!

I asked Elf Sandy Claus of the Department of Elf Resources to post the City Captain position. Just about every Sector needs them and all the other Elf Supervisors will want more of them as well.

As City Captain you will be the local resource for all things pertaining to tracking Santa. People can ask you questions and you can recruit new elves to the cause there locally. If you are effective in this role you can easily become a Tracker Commander.

If you have served as a City Captain before you can do it again. You likewise can hold this job while holding other positions.

These jobs are claimed – meaning you just fill out the form and you automatically get the job. No interview, no waiting for answers. I believe once you accept the job there is a badge for it and Elf Max or Elf Sandy can help you with that.

Buckle up, Elves. It’s about to get exciting.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Home Tracking Center Set Up

Friends,

We have many new elves in Sector 3, some of them joining in just the last week. We see a pattern in new elves. They read a lot of information but they don’t ask a bunch of questions. Many just start sending in tracker reports without really knowing what they are doing. That’s one way to learn, but it is inefficient and it makes our job a little more difficult here and at North Pole Flight Command.

So let’s start at the very beginning.

All elves need to prepare themselves before they begin tracking Santa for Santa. That first step, beyond going to Elf University, talking to other elves, and learning the craft of being a tracker, is to set the right tone.

An elf needs to be working in the right environment.

That means setting up a home tracking center that is appropriate. I just want to share some thoughts with you about that.

Of course, you’ve got your computer. That’s a given. But in some cases you only have a tablet and a phone. Whatever you are using does not matter but let’s be honest: a computer is best.

We work, as tracker elves, in a world of words, maps and these websites. This website should tell you all you need to know about being a tracker elf. I will send instructions from time to time about what they want us to do. Other times, like right now, I’m just trying to help you in your job as an elf.

For news about Santa and what’s going on at the North Pole, with the reindeer and the sleigh and stuff, well, that’s handled by the News Department at SantaUpdate.com.

Then there’s NorthPoleFlightCommand.com, which you will see if you’ve never been a tracker elf a couple of days before Christmas, really controls just about everything that goes on.

Getting a handle on those three websites – santatrackers.net, santaupdate.com and northpoleflightcommand.com – is why you need a computer and why you need a good space to work at home.

So make it comfy.

Have a good chair, a decent desk, and good lighting. It’s okay to have a Christmas tree, lights and other decorations. A source of eggnog, candy canes, and maybe a place to hang your stocking is also advised but not required. Playing Kringle Radio while you do your elf work is also advised.

The work of elves is the working of helping others. When I ask for a report, I’m asking you to help others. You help others by helping Santa.

So you need a good place to think through that.

That’s your home tracking center.

I’m asking elves in our sector and any sector to please post photos of your home tracking center. Give your fellow elves an idea of what it looks like for you. Share ideas. Talk about how to make it as elf like as you can.

This is where we begin. It is an important detail.

Do the best you can.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Defending Elf Trixie

My friends in the news business who do not live and work at the North Pole often tell me I am lucky.

And they are probably right about that.

What they are talking about is the fact that sometimes being a newsperson of any kind can be hard. People get mad at us a lot.

Since we get to report mostly good news here at the North Pole the assumption is that people hardly ever get upset with us.

Well, that’s not true. It happens all the time.

In fact, in the last month we have received some nasty-grams aplenty. Especially Elf Frank Myrrh. And a few for Elf Crash. And just this week, a bunch for Elf Trixie.

People write in and blame the newspeople for the news. Often, as is the recent case with Elf Frank, a flippant or humorous response gets taken way too seriously. But in the case this week of Elf Trixie, people have said she is lying, or was fooled by someone, or otherwise posting stuff that just can’t be true.

I feel a need to defend Elf Trixie a little bit. Not because I don’t think she can’t take it. No, that is not it at all. She’s a pro and she knows this comes with the territory. In fact, I’m not even sure if she is aware of the storm her story this week has stirred up.

No, Elf Trixie doesn’t need defending. But I’m going to defend her anyway.

She did her job right. She heard something, she asked questions, and she submitted a story. I read it and I called her to talk about it. I’m her editor. That’s my job. She answered all my questions just fine. I had no problem with her story being put out there.

Well, since Tuesday it has received a lot of attention. Elf Hugo at the North Pole Post Office said the mail started coming in within a few minutes of it being posted at SantaUpdate.com.

People are in disbelief. Some are really worried. Others are completely besides themselves. Many do not believe what Trixie wrote.

To all of this hubbub I only have one thing to say to those who are triggered by Trixie’s reporting in any way: can’t you read?

Trixie said there’s a problem with Santa’s sleigh but that she didn’t know exactly what it was. But then she explained that what she learned was based on a report submitted by a very capable test pilot and his report was so troubling the high command of test flights had a big old meeting.

That’s what she said in a nutshell. Now, why that would “trigger” anything is beyond me. Trixie said she didn’t know exactly what was wrong but she observed that something was wrong enough to get the elves she met in North Pole Flight Command talking. In other words, she broke the story that something is wrong with the sleigh and that she was on it – trying to figure out what it is and report on it again.

That’s coming. You can expect to hear from her in the next few days. She is keeping me updated and I’m telling you – as both an elf and her editor – she’s on to something here. It’s a thing. Believe her.

Now, I have some word of advice for you as a friend and as a fellow believer in Santa Claus:

Relax.

We’ve seen stories like this before that have come and gone. Sometimes they are a big deal and something they are nothing.

In a way, the response to this most recent scoop from Elf Trixie reminds me in a small way of the story about the Big Building of No Name, which was something that happened a few years back.

It was a huge story that resulted in a lot of mail. Most of it was just mail of concern and worry because all the news about that building seemed to break in the weeks before Christmas.

Elf Ernest was the reporter on that story and I can remember talking to him about it at the time. He was getting letters and notes from parents, teachers, doctors and others who were concerned that Elf Ernest was stressing kids out to the point that they didn’t think Santa was going to come that year.

Of course, he was doing nothing of the sort. He was just doing his job, which was reporting the news. He felt guilty about it. I had to tell him to pull up his big boy panties and continue to do his job. It was not his job to control the news, just to report it. Sometimes that makes you unpopular.

This story from Elf Trixie is a lot like that. And I’m asking you to please just let Elf Trixie do her job. If she gets something wrong, she’ll admit it. If some elf in North Pole Flight Command is leading her astray, she’ll admit it. If any detail that she reports gets proven wrong, she’ll say so.

In the meantime, just roll with it, okay? Let her work.

I would also remind you that it’s the first week of October. We’ve seen problems with Santa’s sleigh in the past a lot later than right now. Things always work out. Santa’s sitting on a museum full of sleighs and a whole sleigh barn full of different models of sleighs that he could select from to go around the world. There’s no way Santa is NOT coming this year.

Don’t think the worst when you read the news. Just let our reporters tell the story as it unfolds. Then you can decide if you choose to believe it.

Trust me, too. We are constantly working on how to report things correctly. I’m an old school news guy. I drill these elves on this stuff and we talk about the position we are put in by having to report the news. We find ourselves “stuck” a lot – having to report things we know will get a response.

Do we hold back?

Do we water down the news?

Do we buffer the truth? Do we embellish it?

No. Here at the North Pole we operate from standards. Who, what, when, where and why. That’s it.

Those answers, depending upon the story, will always vary. Sometime the answers will be uncomfortable or unwelcome.

That’s just the business of news.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Test Flights Coming Our Way

Greetings, Elves!

I have been officially notified from North Pole Flight Command that the test flights of Santa’s sleigh are heading to Sector 4.

Given their last known position near Iceland it is difficult to know it that means they will head north and west towards Greenland or south and west towards South America.

I asked. They wouldn’t tell me.

So I guess we will need to be ready for anything.

We STILL do not have an elf on record this year who has spotted any of the test flights of Santa’s sleigh. I find that to be unbelievable. Wouldn’t it be cool if a Sector 4 elf scored the first sleigh in the skies?

If you see something, say something!

I don’t know how long we’ll have the test flights here. So let’s make the best of it.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Pipeline to Santa

Deep at high command at North Pole Flight Command is where a special desk is located. Elves there call it the “hot seat”.

The elf sitting in that chair has one job and one job only: to talk to Santa when he flies.

North Pole Flight Command has a very difficult job. It has to take in all the information around the world that might affect Santa’s flight – and then they have to communicate what is most important and most timely for Santa to know.

One person has that job and it is the elf occupying the hot seat.

That is why what I’m about to share with you is so important for you to understand. If you use this new report you MUST understand how it works and use it responsibly. If you do not you could be immediately banned.

We have long had elves request an ability to reach out to Santa individually and privately. We now have a way to do it. We call this the “pipeline to Santa” because it bypasses all other messaging protocols and it goes right through the elf in the hot seat at North Pole Flight Command. When you use this tracker report you need to weight whether this is so urgent and worthwhile and important that the elf in the hot seat will see it the same way that you do.

If that elf, who bears a great responsibility, looks at your message as false, frivolous or a waste of time he’s just going to instantly ban you. He’s got that kind of power.

So THINK before you use this report.

This report is ONLY for North Pole tracker elves tracking Santa for Santa. Yes, it can be used for personal messages. And, of course, it is absolutely appropriate for elves to use it for timely, emergency situations that Santa will be flying into locally.

We have been testing this capability for two years. The next step in our test is now here. We open it up to you. We will see how this goes between now and the end of January 2025. If it tests well, we might keep it as a permanent feature. We’ll just have to see how it goes.

With this report you can tell Santa anything. And you can upload a file like a photo. What you send it goes straight to the elf in the hot seat. He will see it, he will read it, and he will review it. Then he will decide if it goes to Santa. If he (or she) so decides, it goes through immediately to wherever Santa is.

Click here to go to the Pipeline for Santa. It is listed under emergency reports on the tracker reports page.

Like all reports, this is a one-way communication. Your message gets to Santa but Santa cannot reply to it. This is by design. Please remember that.

Hopefully we can all follow the rules on this one.

Santa and I have spent a lot of time discussing this and he has concerns. Especially when he flies. But he trusts your judgment. He knows you all want to be good elves and will take these directions to heart.

Thanks and good luck.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online

Sector 5 Elf Activity Jumps

Elf activity in Sector 5 has jumped 20 percent in just a week.

Elf Crash Murphy asked me to submit a report to the elf supervisors summarizing new elf sign-ups and other data for each sector. I completed that assignment a day or two ago.

By far, the most striking number from that report is what’s going on in Sector 5. Not only are new elves signing up – and Sector 5 usually leads in this category – but they are getting down to work. “Elf Activity” is a metric that measures not only sign-ups but also reports.

The Regional Tracking Center in St. Nicholas, Minnesota in the USA has to be very, very busy at this time.

I did reach out to Elf Pinky to get her side of this story. She has not yet had time to respond. However, I hear through the grapevine that she plans to update her sector this weekend some time to specifically address new elves and what they can be doing right now.

While Sector 5 clearly led the way it should be noted that EVERY sector is showing large gains in elf activity. Elf Crash tells me this is to be expected for each week going forward.

Are each of the sectors fully staffed with enough elves tracking Santa for Santa this year?

That is the question I have been asked to answer. I am meeting with Elves Roger Star, Crash Murphy and each each supervisor weekly to discuss that very question.

As if right now, the answer is “no”. We simply need more elves. I believe Elf Crash Murphy is going to speak to that sometime very soon.

SantaUpdate.com - Tracking Santa Online