Hello Elves of Sector 3! I send you greetings from Christmas Island in Zimbabwe.

I’m watching with great interest the situation with the test flights in Sector 5. I want to see how they handle it because I think in a month or two those flight could be coming our way. If that happens – and I hope we are lucky enough to be chosen – it could impact what we work on during the months of September or October. So I want to be ready.

So…let’s get to work, shall we?

First, I know this could be a month of change for some of you. The seasons are changing in all areas. So, when you get a chance, please check in via an Elf Status report and give me a good idea of how available you might or might not be at this time. I want to give you enough to do but not too much so that you do not feel overwhelmed.

Second, while the weather remains good in most areas, I say we get to work sending in roof reports and chimney inspections.

As always, be very careful doing these reports. Do not get on rooftops to do these reports. Stay safe!

I usually get questions about how many houses you need to do roof and chimney reports for. The hope is that you will do your house, and if close enough, the homes on either side of you. If you can do more houses in your neighborhood, that’s even better.

What if you live in an area where the homes do not have chimneys? You don’t worry about it. You do not need to send in a report stating there are no chimneys. If there are no chimneys don’t say anything. Flight Command will assume – and pass along to Santa – the info of “no known chimney”.

Some Elf Supervisors think it is too early for these roof and chimney reports. I don’t. In fact, I think it is the best time to do them.

Finally, please try to send in a local weather report every Wednesday. Why Wednesday? I don’t know. Frankly, I love doing weather reports. I even do them myself right here in Christmas Island. I just love reporting on the weather. I think it is fun. I want us to get used to doing them every week so that when the test flights are here we’re strong with weather reporting. It’s pretty critical.

Ok, that’s it for now. Thank you for Elfing.

North Pole Flight Command has just informed me of a special operation to be conducted over Sector 5 called Hot August Nights.

The test flights of Santa’s sleigh will be over Sector 5 during the month of August specifically to be seen. That’s right – you read that correctly – they want you to SEE Santa’s sleigh in flight. And they want us to report on it.

The flights will be going day and night. I have been told that I will be updated on flight plans at least once a week, starting tomorrow August 1st.

Flight Command believes that visibility of Santa’s sleigh will be better at night than it will during the day. Commercial air traffic is heavier during the day and given the altitudes that the sleighs will be flying at it is just more difficult to see the sleigh from the ground during the day even with special equipment.

In addition, I’m told that the test flights will be aided by “extra illumination” – they want to be seen! So night time observation during Hot August Nights is strongly encouraged.

They are hoping not only to receive reports – in the form of the sleigh sighting report – but they are hoping trackers will also take photos and videos and send them to Flight Command.

Please be advised that these are all planned flights. There are no plans for landings or on-the-ground sighting opportunities.

This, of course, means a lot more communication with trackers than is normal. Mostly everyday, I’m guessing. So please check in frequently and I will do the best I can to inform you of possible flight plans in your area.

Stand by for further updates.

Greetings, Elves of Sector 5!

Elf Max has put these “ask a question” boxes all over the website and between those boxes and the new Junior Tracker Elf thing set up by Elf Moe I have been getting bombarded with questions.

Even though our Regional Tracking Center in Canada doesn’t open for a few more days I thought I would try to get ahead of this question because I have a feeling it is going to be asked again and again between now and December. The question is:

How do I get promoted?

This question is coming from every class of elf. I will answer for all three.

Some, such as returning elves or freelance elves, as asking in advance of our hiring of a new sector lead for Sector 5. We have received plenty of applications, from both North Pole Elves who have been around a while and from freelance elves.

Would I hire a freelance elf to be Sector Lead?

Maybe.

Convince me. Start a conversation with me. I can be convinced.

Should North Pole elves already active on the Elf Wall be discouraged by that? Not at all. It’s not about who you are or where you are.

It is about what you say, what you think, what you feel. I’m looking for someone strong who can reflect our needs as a Sector and get out there and communicate with all elves — freelance, Junior and Senior elves. To communicate with them you gotta show you can communicate with me.

Now, what about the brand new Junior Tracker Elf who really wants to become a North Pole Elf?

Well, that’s more or less the same thing. Don’t submit the question any more in the “ask a question” boxes. ASK ME. Talk to ME.

Being a brand new elf is one thing. But being a returning elf who just came back for the first time since last Christmas only to find your account gone is quite another. If you were here before and have tracked Santa in the past, I’m here for you. If I remember you and the work you did previously, I’m not going to hold you back. Talk to me and I’ll promote you right away back into the North Pole Elf Community.

I believe in 2nd chances.

But for you newbies: listen up.

You gotta learn how to do this. The Elf Wall can be a big distraction for new elves and we learned the past couple of years that some elves enjoyed just talking with other elves more than doing the actual work of tracking Santa for Santa.

So, am I not going to promote any Junior Tracker elves to better things in the Elf Community?

No, I’m not saying that. I just saying “knock my socks off”. Show me you know your elf stuff. Talk to ME. Tell me what you know.

One thing you must realize, especially if you’re not an elf in my sector. Your Elf Supervisor might handle it different than me. Realize we’re not all the same.

I run the biggest sector in the world. We already have millions more than the other sectors ever will have. I feel the energy out there coming from elves of all types. I have to do this a little differently that my other friends who are Elf Supervisors.

My recommendation to you is to ask them how they are doing it.

I think they may answer you.