Try Out the All New Elf Chat

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Santa Trackers is pleased to announce the new feature we call Elf Chat. This is a simple, live chat room where members of the Elf Community can talk in real time, either in a public facing room or in a private chat.

Try it out by clicking here.

Our Santa Tracker Elf Chat is a little different than the North Pole Chat at SantaUpdate.com. Our chat is open 24-hours-a-day, 365 days a year. This has been a long requested feature and one we feel safe in offering behind the closed walls of our Elf Community.

Santa does warn that our primary tenet in our terms of service is to BE NICE. Chat has the potential if elves don’t behave themselves. That’s why everything done in our chat rooms is recorded and reviewed. Those found in violation of Santa’s terms of service will see their elf career end instantly. Violators will be banned without notice or explanation.

Please review our privacy policy. We also ask that parents monitor their children when using chat or any other features of our site.

Chat will expand in use as the community adapts to it. It will be a very useful feature for Elf community groups and tracker groups out there who want a place to discuss their elf business.

We welcome your feedback on this feature and look forward to developing it further with your input.

First Altair Elf Named

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As the Elf Community grows we would like to celebrate those who contribute the most. The first level of recognition for an outstanding contribution to the community and overall elf excellence is what we call the Altair Award.

What does Altair mean? It’s a name for one of the brightest stars in the sky. We think it is an appropriate designation for those who bring so much to the elf community.

The level we set for this achievement is 5000 points. The first to reach this level is Elf Lil Cream. If you are active at all in the Elf Community you, of course, know who Elf Lil Cream is. She is an outstanding elf who participates regularly, has served as a City Captain, she hosts her own tracker podcast, and she is a friend to all she encounters online. She was recently hired as a Certified Podcaster and is working with Elf Frank Myrrh on the all-new Santa Trackers Podcast. She is also under consideration for other elf positions.

As our first Altair elf, she receives a heart 1000-point bonus. As with all ranks, she will be able to grow within the Altair tier in gaining up to five additional red stars. Those levels are not disclosed publicly and they are pretty steep. We have no doubt she will continue to soar to new heights.

And an Altair Elf you will see, if you visit her profile, a special designation under her profile picture as well as a new badge in her badge library that looks like this:

Elf Excellence - Altair

We are excited for this badge and look forward to awarding more of them soon. We have several other elves on the leader board who are knocking on the door of this achievement.

News About the News

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Yesterday’s post from Elf Harold Star about the new news portal known as the Santa Trackers Herald Star has brought a number of questions. My post today is to introduce this new feature to you even though it will not be visible to you for at least a couple of months.

The Santa Trackers Herald Star is a newspaper-like publication for members of our Elf Community. It is NOT for freelance elves or the eyes of the general public. It will be headed up by Elf Harold Star, who will be editor-in-chief. He will have several copy editors and we hope a full staff of at least 25 reporters.

In fact, the Department of Elf Resources today posted for the open positions of Santa Tracker News Reporters.

These jobs will be filled by a mix of veteran and rookie news reporters. Elf Harold wants to make sure the news of Santa Trackers – YOU – comes first. He wants everyone to know that the elf community will be a prominent fixture in this new publication.

It is anticipated that the Herald Star will be available online sometime in May.

Why so long?

Because none of the reporters have actually been hired yet. In order to print news, they need news stories. To get news stories, they need reporters. That’s why the Department of Elf Resources has put out the urgent hiring notice today.

In the next few days the first hires of the news staff will be announced. There will also be formation of a private group in the Elf Community just for news reporters, where ideas and suggestions can be shared among those charged with finding and reporting the news.

We’re very excited about this development and look forward to getting new news published via the Herald Star very soon.

 

Update on New Elf Jobs

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I think it is time we update you on the new elf jobs that are coming. Many of you are very anxious to apply and start in those jobs.

First of all, we have time. We have talked about them a little bit on the jobs page and on the Department of Elf Resources Job Board. But many of them are not quite yet ready to fill.

You see, we’re adding some new staff to Santa Trackers. Gosh, remember when there was just me here to keep things going? Now we have a whole team of elves. Check it out at this link.

Now, I know you’re asking, who are these elves? After all, some of these guys haven’t even logged on here yet.

You’ll get a chance to meet them all.

But they haven’t logged on because these are new jobs for them. They are getting some training right now. New desks. New computers. Lectures from all the elf hot shots. You know how it goes.

In any event, they will be introduced in time. Once they are trained, introduced to the community and have spent a little time here THEN you’ll start to see some of these new positions posted. (Especially for the News Department elves).

I know it seems like a long time in coming. But some of these new jobs are paired with new features we will have on the site. And we’re still working on those. We have a newspaper to publish, a teacher’s portal to build and a couple of other big surprises in the works.

So all these pieces need to come together. And they will.

We just need to be patient.

Thanks for the questions. Keep them coming. Just please understand we’re working as fast as we can.

The Elf Knowledge Test

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We are pleased to announce the Elf Knowledge Test.

The EKT is exactly what it sounds like – it a challenge for you to showcase your elfness.

Do you have to take it?

No, of course not.

But you might want to. The Elf Knowledge Test is a way to help you study all the Official North Pole websites. It is a way to gauge how well you know how to be an elf.

And it could be the difference between you getting a new elf job ahead of someone else.

The test is designed to help you grow as an elf. You don’t need to have a perfect score to get the elf job you want. But there is no doubt the better your test score is the better it looks on your elf resume.

The test is open book. And you can take it as many times as you like.

The test was designed by some of the best elf minds in the business – Elf Ernest, Elf Max and Elf Roger Star – just to name a few. We even had Santa take a look at it and he gave us his suggestions.

This is a first edition of the test. It may expand or change as time goes by.

So check in on this now and then and take it again and again. Make sure you know your elf stuff. Click the button below to go to the test:

Elf Knowledge Test

 

Badges, Points, Elf Types and Ranks

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Members of the Elf Community on SantaTrackers.net achieve points for their activities in the community. The intent of the system is to encourage participation. The more you participate, the stronger your standing as an elf becomes.

~ About Badges ~

Badges are special designations given to elves for their various roles as an elf. For example, if you apply for the job of City Captain you will be given a badge that shows on your “about” section of your profile. The “About” section also shows your basic profile information, you points balance and your elf rank.

Badges are not limited to just jobs. Sometimes you can be awarded a badge (and points to go with it) for accomplishing something or for completing a special task. For example, becoming a verified elf will earn you a special badge.

To see the badges you have, just click on the Badges page in your profile.

~ About Points ~

Points are a way of tracking your activity in the elf community. There are several kinds of points:

  • Membership Points
    • Registration as an elf gets you 50 points
    • Every year you are an elf gets you 500 points
  • Participation Points
    • Site Visit – 5 points
    • Viewing Posts – 1 point
    • Logging in – 10 points (per day)
    • Comments on posts – 5 points
    • Elf Wall Posts – 5 points
    • Making Profile Verified – 250 points
  • Promotion Points – Every time you receive an elf promotion for a new job points will be added by the Department of Elf Resources. These are never revealed in advance and are solely up to the discretion of the ER Department.
  • Merit Points – Any member of the staff can award up to 250 merit points based upon your contributions to the Elf Community

These are just some of the points available to you. There are lots of other point opportunities. To see how points are being credited to you, please visit the “Elf’s History” page in your profile.

~ About Elf Types ~

Elf “types” are different than elf rank. An elf type just designates your standing based upon time or assigned position. Here are the elf types:

  • 2nd Class Elf or Tracker Elf – All elves begin at this level.
  • 1st Class Elf – More experienced elves are given this level after at least 1 year of service or when obtaining certain elf jobs
  • Elf Trainer – Elves who train other elves are given this designation
  • Elf Supervisor – Elves who moderate members, events and activities in the elf community
  • Senior Elf Management – Elves who plan or headline events or represent Santa in select elf community activities.

Elf types are generally assigned and not “earned” positions. Points have no bearing on the type of elf you are.

~ About Elf Ranks ~

Elf ranks are all about points. The more points you gain the higher in the ranks you go. Here are the ranks:

  • Newbie Elf: 0-999 points
  • Tracker Elf: 1000-1999 points
  • Veteran Elf: 2000-2999 points
  • Pro Elf: 3000-3999 points
  • Elite Elf: 4000-4999 points
  • Altair Elf: 5000+ points

You can only go up in rank, never back. In the future, it might be possible to exchange gathered points for special elf prizes or products. If you expend points for these purposes you will NOT lose your rank.

Your current rank is listed in the “About” page of your profile.

An Update on Changes to SantaTrackers.net

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Over the weekend we introduced a new interactive elf community here on SantaTrackers.net. It is the basis for a lot of new additions and capabilities Santa wants elves and fans alike to enjoy this year.

The new platform is designed to get elves talking and sharing. But it will also serve many useful purposes for the North Pole. We will be rolling out those features in the weeks ahead. Our goal is to have them all in place by Christmas in July. Santa wants to make sure we are ready for what he calls “an explosion” in Santa tracker activity in 2021.

We (the intrepid staff of SantaTrackers.net) are not sure exactly what Santa means by that. But we do know what he wants us and you to be able to do here.

So, in answer to your many questions, here is an overview of what is coming and, frankly, a summary of what I know that I can share with you at this time. I am writing this to answer some of the more anxious questions we have been receiving (which are mostly about new elf jobs that might open — and believe me, there are a TON of them:

  • Two kinds of elves – Over the years we have struggled with two kinds of elves: those who come here wanting to work for Santa in a private kind of way and those who want to work as part of the overall elf community. We have found a way to meet the needs of both. Going forward, we will have elves who we will call Free Agent Elves and others who will be North Pole Contracted Elves. Free Agent Elves will have access to tracker news and reporting capabilities, so they can help Santa get around the world from wherever they are. These are elves who work alone and report to no one. They are free to contribute as much or as little as they want – they are their own elf boss. North Pole Contracted Elves will work within the Elf Community here at SantaTrackers.net. They will have an elf supervisor, access to the Elf Activity Wall, and the ability to take on special positions within Santa’s Department of Elves. These are elves who are serious about having an elf career, perhaps even working at the North Pole someday as an elf. These are the elves who will take advantage of all the features listed below (and a lot of others). There are millions of Free Agent Elves…and relatively few North Pole Contracted Elves. As always, there is no charge here at SantaTrackers.net for participating in any way.
  • Activity Points – Elves in the community will be awarded points based on their activity. This system is still under development. It will be a means of recognizing those elves who do good work by being active in elf affairs online. We may even use it now and then to award special elf prizes.
  • Badges – As elves participate in the work of being elves they will be able grow skills and be awarded badges for their accomplishments and the jobs they hold. The badges are shown in profiles and in “About Me” sections of the community.
  • Ranks – The more points you acquire, the longer you participate in the elf community, and the more you do to help Santa recruit more elves, the higher you will rank as an elf.
  • Groups – Groups of Elves of all types will be added to the community over time. These can range from geographical tracker groups to groups dedicated to something in elf culture. You can be in a group and participate in their activities or even run your own group.
  • Podcasts – A number of tracker elves have expressed the desire to host their own podcast. We will make this happen by certifying elves for podcasts served right here on SantaTrackers.net. That’s right: we’ll host your podcast, help you get it published and share it with the elf community. All you have to do is create the podcast it, record it and upload it.
  • News Reports – We welcome the written reporting efforts of Santa Trackers all over the world. In fact, we want to share what tracking news you have out there where you are from. We will provide a process for becoming an elf reporter and sharing your news — all right here on SantaTrackers.net.
  • City Captains – We have several city captains now. And we’re looking for more.
  • State Representatives – We likewise have open positions for State Elf Representatives to fill this year. Many of them!
  • Country Ambassadors – We have almost 200 country ambassador positions to fill this year. In a change, you don’t have to live in a country to represent that country (though we would prefer it). Our goal is to get every one of the countries on the globe represented.
  • Editorial Positions – We have other needs for editorial positions as part of the News Department at the North Pole. As an official writer for the North Pole Public Relations Department your work might be featured here, or at SantaUpdate.com or at NorthPoleFlightCommand.com. We need elves who can share their talents on everything from Christmas movie reviews to recipe sharing.
  • Media Jobs – Other media jobs include North Pole Radio News reporters, social media managers, and digital media specialists. If you have creative talents in these areas and you’d like to do them as an elf, we’ll make use of your abilities.
  • Group Managers – We have some groups of our own creation that will need managers.
  • Community Moderators – We will need moderators to help keep the elf boards moving and safe. We need help meeting the needs of elves who come here from all over.
  • Social Media Elves – If you are an expert on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter, Tik Tok, Snap Chat or other social media platforms we have elf work that needs to be done!

This is just the beginning.

Please do no respond to this post by asking ME for a new job. These things will be rolled out over several months. Please watch the appropriate places in the groups set aside for jobs. Elf Sandy Claus of the Department of Elf Resources will be handling the posting of these jobs and the application process. I’m just your friendly neighborhood web geek with NO IDEA what goes into getting new jobs for anxious elves. Our new community is all about keeping things organized. So please be patient, learn the new platform, and be ready to address your questions to the right elf.

And that’s another thing: you’ll see more elves here online than ever before. Some you’ve never had personal contact with. This is one of Santa’s requests: to get more of our more well known elves here on the boards and interfacing with you. Santa isn’t giving them more time to do this. This is work above and beyond what their usual duties are. So be patient with them. They are learning these things right along side you. They need time to get used to it.

As always, we appreciate your ideas and suggestions. The work between now and Christmas in July will be to get all this stuff in place and working. Those of you who are dedicated enough to being here are appreciated for your loyalty and dedication. You will be the first elves we recognize. Please don’t be shy in sharing what you think we should be doing or where we can improve.

Elf Ernest may be making announcements on the new features briefly discussed above as they roll out. Or, he may ask me to do it. Or maybe Roger Star will have a hand in it. In any event, we’re going to roll them out one-by-one and do our best to answer your questions as we go along.

Thanks.

How Many Tracker Elves?

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So…an interesting debate has begun at North Pole Flight Command. Just how many tracker elves are there REALLY that now track Santa for Santa?

Last Christmas Santa set the goal at 40 million tracker elves. That goal was based on the assumption that there were better than 25 million tracker elves from the Christmas before. After working all year last Christmas to build the ranks the numbers show that the goal Santa set was blown away days before Christmas arrived.

A straight count of how many people applied showed that better than 58 million total were enrolled.

But is that how many people actually tracked Santa for Santa?

Well…no. Not really.

In fact, if the truth is told, the number of people who actually helped Santa get around the world last year appears to be significantly less.

Why?

Well, there are many reasons: Some people sign up twice. Some are excited to track Santa and sign up to do it…but then can’t because they are busy with other things when the time actually comes for an elf to check in. Some people who track Santa for Santa one Christmas don’t do it the next Christmas. Some people get sick. Some people lose Internet. Some people just forget. Others sign up late and don’t have time to figure out HOW to do it.

At the end of the day, the number of people who come here, sign up, and DON’T track Santa for Santa is actually a BIG number.

In fact, elves in the Estimating Department at Flight Command estimate the number is so embarrassing that we probably shouldn’t share it with you.

Needless to say, we have some work to do.

We know that Santa is going to give us a new goal to hit with the number of NEW trackers we need to get signed up. But we need to put more work into training the tracker elves we already have and making sure they are on the job when Santa actually needs the help.

What does that mean for you?

Well, we’re still trying to decide that.

Personally, I think this: if you are an active tracker and have years of experience already tracking Santa we need to put you to work. We need to promote you. We need you find those elves who want to be leaders. We need elves to help other elves to be elves. Make sense?

Now, I haven’t heard yet what our plans will be for all this. My job, as usual, is to run the website and to give you guys information about what’s going on. It’s only February.

But, I know there are many of you out there who visit year round. I want to know what you think. I believe we need the power of all elves in on this question. We need to brainstorm. We need to share ideas. We need to throw out suggestions to the elves in charge. This is no time to be shy.

So, as you think about this, don’t be afraid to comment. We are still months away from when the crowds of people start coming back. We have time to put our heads together. We have time to act.

Don’t be shy. Speak up. How do we get better elf participation?

Update on Plans for 2021

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Hi there, Trackers!

I know many of you have been looking forward to news and information about tracking Santa next Christmas. After taking a little time off after Christmas and then meeting with the Big Elves at North Pole Flight Command, the North Pole Tracking Center and the North Pole News Department I can let you in on a few details of our plans over the next six months or so.

These are things we really want to get done before we begin the serious work of recruiting new elves:

  1. A complete website redesign.
  2. Lots of elf promotions. We need MORE elf representatives in each sector.
  3. New elf jobs: we are going to be looking for news reporters in each sector, perhaps some elf podcasters and video producers.
  4. Maybe a specific mobile app just for Santa Trackers. This is a new idea. Don’t expect it this year. But we may ask some of you for ideas and others to participate in testing.

This is just for starters.

As always, we appreciate your comments, ideas and suggestions.

Sector 5, Stand Down Please

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I know it is late, and I apologize. But we wanted to give our trackers way out west in the Pacific a chance to participate. I appreciate you all for your hard work this year!

Last Weather Report Needed in Sector 5

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Santa wants another look at our weather — especially out west of the Rockies:

[caldera_form id=”CF57ea2d6fe16f1″]

Roof Report Needed for Sector 5

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Don’t ask me why, Santa wants this again. We’ll do anything we can to help, right? Just fill out the form below to the best of your ability:

[caldera_form id=”CF57f765ed32566″]