Questions from new tracker elves was the topic of today’s chat with Elf Crash Murphy, considered by many to be the foremost Santa tracker in all the world. Elf Crash trails Santa on a chaser sleigh every Christmas in his role as the eye in the sky reporter for North Pole Radio News. He is also an acclaimed trainer in the Santa Tracker Elf Program.
Here is the transcript from today’s chat:
| Elf Max | Hi all – our chat with Elf Crash Murphy will being at the top of the hour |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Hiya Max! |
| Elf Max | Hi Crash, thanks for being with us |
| Elf Max | Today we’re going to take questions from new tracker elves |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Ok |
| Elf Max | I have a lot that have come in via message, as we have some elves who cannot be here today |
| Elf Crash Murphy | That’s ok |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I will try to help as best I can |
| Elf Max | Elf Sugar Cookie has several questions |
| Elf Max | This is the first: On Christmas Eve, will Santa’s position on the map be moving on its own, or will we need to refresh the page? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | That question might be better for you Max, it’s a website question |
| Elf Max | Yes, the page refreshes I believe every 30 seconds |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yes, but it depends on which browser you’re using. |
| Elf Max | Oh really? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yes, not all browsers are alike, especially on a phone |
| Elf Max | True, and that’s driven by javascript and that could be disabled in a lot of browsers with pop-up control |
| Elf Crash Murphy | So if folks allow popups on this site it would work? |
| Elf Max | Yes, it should |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Really good question! |
| Elf Max | Very good question. |
| Elf Max | Here’s another: |
| Elf Max | Would I be able to access the same North Pole Radio News reports on santaupdate.com that would be broadcast on the radio, or would I need to be tuned into the Santa Tracker Channel for the best results? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | They will be available individually when news is posted at SantaUpdate.com |
| Elf Max | Yes, but only at SantaUpdate – all other sites will have the stream |
| Elf Max | Sugar Cookie also asked this: |
| Elf Max | Would supervisor check-ins be affected if I am at work on the 22nd or 23rd? (Given the nature of my job, I’d be able to check in, but things like chimney and roof inspections would be impossible until I get home.) |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Wow, Sugar Cookie is really asking GREAT questions |
| Elf Max | Sugar Cookie is the best! |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I did some training with all the elf supervisors a couple of weeks ago |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And Sugar Cookie describes a very common situation. Christmastime is very busy |
| Elf Crash Murphy | So we talked about that with the Supes |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I think we’ll see some report requests go out early |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Things like roof reports and chimney inspections can really be done even as far as a week before Christmas |
| Elf Crash Murphy | In fact, there was a lot of talk about getting them done and out of the way |
| Elf Crash Murphy | It’s just that we get so many new elves in those last few days before Christmas |
| Elf Crash Murphy | So everyone needs to be a little flexible |
| Elf Crash Murphy | We also know many of our trackers take all this information very seriously |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And they want to work work work in those last few days |
| Elf Crash Murphy | They’ll stay up late to watch the news when Santa launches |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And then to miss getting some important sleep |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Worse, some might even skip family events |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And we don’t want elves to do that. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | You check in when you can, elves. And you do what you can. But not at the expense of your family and the time you spend doing things together |
| Elf Max | Here’s another from Sugar Cookie – As a tracker elf, I plan on staying away from any Santa tracker map that isn’t the official one. With that being said, one notorious tracker has some fun Christmas games on their website. Would I still be able to play those if I stay away from the tracker portion? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Well, yes, of course that’s okay. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | We want everyone to have fun |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I don’t see a problem with that. |
| Elf Max | Crash, what are we going to do when people come here and see our map doesn’t match the maps of the other guys? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | What do you mean what are we going to do? |
| Elf Max | I’m sure elves will come here in chat and try to compare |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Well, let them, Max. Those aren’t serious elves. I don’t know how anyone has time on flight day to be checking and comparing maps |
| Elf Crash Murphy | What we have here comes from the North Pole |
| Elf Crash Murphy | From Santa’s elves… |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Not from some yahoos in army uniforms. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | No disrespect to those guys of course |
| Elf Crash Murphy | But there’s no way they can know where Santa really is, because their technology is flawed. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Santa’s going to have 200 million elves out there and 400 years of advanced technology those clowns have never heard about |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Any elf checking those maps is wasting their time, and that makes them less than an elf. |
| Elf Max | Gee, Crash. You’re pretty passionate about that. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yeah, sorry. I just don’t understand some people I guess |
| Elf Max | They say we all become tracker elves on Christmas Eve |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yes, that is true. By the time Santa takes off most of our other work is all done. I think it is only natural to look after Santa |
| Elf Max | I have a question here from a workshop elf, Crash |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Really? Like, you mean, Santa’s Workshop? |
| Elf Max | Yeah, it’s verified |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Ok, fire away |
| Elf Max | I won’t give her name |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Alright |
| Elf Max | She asks: After Santa leaves I worry about maybe a mistake I might have made on something done earlier in the year. I can’t escape it. I worry like you wouldn’t believe that Santa will see a mistake on something I made |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Oh no |
| Elf Max | Yes, that’s kind of a sad question, isn’t it? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yeah, it is very sad. |
| Elf Max | What do you say to that? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Well, look. I travel behind Santa doing the news |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Santa has a full sleigh and it’s a busy kind of vehicle |
| Elf Crash Murphy | But do you know what I carry in my sleigh – well, besides me and my pilot? |
| Elf Max | No what? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Tools. Supplies. Stuff Santa can use to fix problems or mistakes |
| Elf Max | Really? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yes, I mean, heck. Even Santa makes mistakes |
| Elf Max | He does? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yes, he drops things like crazy. It’s not easy flying in a sleigh with those mittens on he uses and it is even worse when handling things |
| Elf Max | So things break or need fixing? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | All the time. |
| Elf Max | Wow, Crash. That’s really interesting. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Santa has a lot to think about up there. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | You want to know what one of his biggest challenges is? |
| Elf Max | What would that be? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Batteries. Santa misses the batteries all the time. It happens. |
| Elf Max | Oh sure. I guess that makes some sense |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Listen, Santa also always says something to me before we take off – every year. |
| Elf Max | What does he say? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | He says – it’s not a race and if we mess up we can always go back. |
| Elf Max | Santa says that? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | He does. |
| Elf Max | Why? That seems a little weird to me. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Not to me, Max. Santa doesn’t want to mess up either. He worries. He doesn’t want anyone to feel left out. And with a whole world to serve it’s easy to make a few mistakes. |
| Elf Max | Golly. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I know, right? |
| Elf Max | Yeah, that’s some pressure! |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yes, it is. So I know where that workshop elf is coming from. Great question. |
| Elf Max | Well, we have another question from a North Pole elf about tracking Santa |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Really? Wow, this is not what I expected today. |
| Elf Max | This is from an elf in the medical center. Works for Dr. Lionel |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Ok. |
| Elf Max | He asks, “With it being cold and flu season I usually work right up until Christmas Eve. But to be honest, I don’t know how to track Santa. Is it too late for me to learn?” |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Oh goodness, what an awesome question |
| Elf Max | I think that’s a pretty good question too |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I would say this, Max |
| Elf Crash Murphy | I would say that this is what Elf supervisors are for. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Elves coming in late like that don’t have time to read all the training stuff |
| Elf Crash Murphy | They need simple, direct tasks where they can help |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Without having to worry about a bunch of training |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And all they really need to know is that they can look at the map to see where Santa is and then check their sector page for direction from their elf supervisor |
| Elf Max | Well, but Crash — and this question is from me. What sector are North Pole Elves in? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | They’re in every sector |
| Elf Max | Huh – wat? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Yeah, they help everywhere. That’s part of being a North Pole elf. |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And when it comes to tracking Santa, it’s really helpful |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Elves at the North Pole work round the clock so when they get off it can be at any time |
| Elf Crash Murphy | All they need to do at the North Pole is login, the website will recognize them by the timestamp on their login |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And they will be auto-assigned to a supervisor based on the area with the biggest need |
| Elf Max | But how does an elf at the North Pole help with issues in, say, Italy? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | They don’t. The website and the supes know where the elves are from. So, knowing an elf is from the North Pole, they might get a different kind of task instead of a traffic report or weather report or any other thing specific to a location |
| Elf Max | Well, like what? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Well they might be asked to communicate something to an elf in a remote location |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Or they might need to help forward pictures that come in |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Or maybe to help re-direct a sleigh |
| Elf Crash Murphy | There are a million and one things that come up on a flight. There’s more than enough work for everyone |
| Elf Max | Wow, Crash, that’s really interesting |
| Elf Max | Our time is up. Any final advice? |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Well, I’d just remind everyone that it is October still |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And we have lots of time left to learn and to train |
| Elf Crash Murphy | And most of our elves will not even be coming on board until December |
| Elf Crash Murphy | So there are a lot more chats to come. |
| Elf Max | Ok Crash. Great talk. Thanks for being here today |
| Elf Crash Murphy | Thanks for having me. Bye y’all |
Thank you guys so much for your answers and your kind words! Both have helped a lot. You guys are the best too 🙂
Well I just learned some new things thank you