The North Pole Schedule was the topic of a chat with Elf Ernest, Senior Vice President of Public Relations at the North Pole. The chat was held with Elf Ernest and Elf Max on Saturday, October 9 in Elf Chat.
The purpose of the chat was to answer some questions that had come in about planned events at the North Pole and to review the general information about the event themselves.
This is a very busy time of year at the North Pole. Not only are all preparations being made for Santa’s flight but production is ramped up in Santa’s workshop, the reindeer are in training, and elves everywhere are getting ready for Operation Merry Christmas.
Here is that discussion, rich with details about the North Pole Halloween Party especially:
| Elf Max | Hi Ernest, thanks for being here today |
| Elf Max | Our chat will discuss the schedule at the North Pole in the coming weeks |
| Elf Max | Just so everyone knows, I will briefly discuss this with Elf Ernest |
| Elf Max | Then we will open the chat up for whatever questions folks might have |
| Elf Ernest | Thanks, Max |
| Elf Max | Ernest, we have a calendar, so why is this discussion happening today? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, we do publish what is coming up but I think they sometimes generate a lot of questions |
| Elf Max | So today we’re going to work on answers to those questions? |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah. It’s the little stuff you can’t put on the calendar. I think the North Pole Halloween Party and the Elf Parade are the ones generating most of the questions |
| Elf Max | Ah, I get it now. |
| Elf Max | So where do we begin? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, there are a number of chats – some already on the calendar, and several yet to be added |
| Elf Max | Yes, I think Elf Sandy Claus is the headliner at North Pole Chat this month |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, that’s right. That has been on the calendar for a long time. She will be chatting about elf jobs |
| Elf Max | Right – a lot of people have questions! |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, as we expected. Sandy is super busy so this will be a great time to catch her |
| Elf Max | Ok, so the chats are going to increase in frequency. Good to know. What else is coming up? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, the big Halloween Party is happening at the North Pole again. |
| Elf Max | Yes, that’s a big news item and popular event. Why would tracker elves want to know about it? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, it’s impossible for them to join the party, cause it’s at the North Pole, but you wouldn’t believe the questions we get |
| Elf Max | Oh, like what? |
| Elf Ernest | Just the fun stuff, you know, like the costumes certain elves are making or wearing |
| Elf Max | Maybe we should do a chat with some of those elves to talk about it? |
| Elf Ernest | We might. We also are kicking around the idea of maybe a special Halloween episode of the North Pole Podcast |
| Elf Max | Ok. What else besides costumes do they want to know about? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, the party itself. They know about the annual food fight but they want more details about other stuff |
| Elf Max | Like what? |
| Elf Ernest | The games and the activities |
| Elf Max | Ok…can you give me an example of one of those? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, we bob for snowballs. |
| Elf Max | You…wait, WHAT? |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah, it’s different but it’s a scream |
| Elf Max | It sounds cold. How does it work? |
| Elf Ernest | Well it starts with a big tub of hot chocolate… |
| Elf Max | Huh? |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah, we put snowballs in it and elves have to fish them out before they melt. You get an elf on either side and the one who fishes out the most snowballs wins. |
| Elf Max | But…sticking their faces in HOT chocolate? Won’t that burn? |
| Elf Ernest | It’s not that hot….it’s merely warm. And a little sticky |
| Elf Max | Ok, now that’s a very different Halloween game. I like it! |
| Elf Ernest | It’s very popular. Almost as popular as the limbo contest |
| Elf Max | I have heard about that. |
| Elf Ernest | The limbo contest is very traditional. It’s how low you can go and elves just love to compete in it |
| Elf Max | The Halloween Party at the North Pole is always big. But Halloween this year is on a Sunday, I think |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, good point. The party is on Saturday. And the elves working Santa’s sleigh will take a break and come home for that weekend. |
| Elf Max | Ok, we look forward to the news coverage of the Halloween party. What happens next? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, that period between Halloween and Thanksgiving is really the big time for decorating homes at the North Pole |
| Elf Max | Oh yeah, I forgot about that |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah, it’s a quiet time, a little bit, because elves are in their homes, stringing lights and putting up trees but trying to hide what they are doing from everyone else |
| Elf Max | Why are they hiding? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, on Thanksgiving evening there’s a contest |
| Elf Ernest | Santa goes on walkabout and the entire village goes with him to see all the homes and the lights |
| Elf Ernest | There’s a prize for the best decorated |
| Elf Max | Oh I see |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah, if there’s a competition elves are all over it. |
| Elf Max | Yeah. I’d be the same way |
| Elf Ernest | But that’s really the end of a very long and fun day at the North Pole |
| Elf Max | Yes, I’m learning that people want to know more |
| Elf Ernest | Thanksgiving Day begins with the Elf Parade. Which is a HUGE deal |
| Elf Max | Yes, lots of questions about that, Ernest. Many elves around the world want to participate |
| Elf Ernest | They will get their chance. We are going to hold a little contest for elves out there who want to dress up, decorate their trikes or bikes, and upload their pictures or videos to SantaUpdate.com |
| Elf Max | Oh, that sounds fun! |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, we’d love to see how creative our remote elves can be with this |
| Elf Ernest | You know, Santa started this parade many, many years ago as a way for the elves to have some fun during a pretty stressful time |
| Elf Ernest | And they do that, it’s very much an event with a lot of creativity, lots of smiles and good laughs |
| Elf Max | It sounds like a ton of fun. Will there be radio coverage from the parade this year? |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, and we’re looking at ways to make it more detailed – maybe a radio show instead of just a news report this year |
| Elf Max | Oh wow, that would be cool |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah, we’re talking to the news guys about it. Nothing official to announce yet but maybe we’ll have something soon |
| Elf Max | Very exciting! |
| Elf Max | What happens between the Elf Parade and the walkabout with Santa? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, there’s the big North Pole Thanksgiving luncheon, you know, turkey with all the trimmings. |
| Elf Max | Of course! Duh…. |
| Elf Max | What about the next day? |
| Elf Ernest | The next day is what is sometimes referred to as the launch of Operation Merry Christmas |
| Elf Ernest | Early, early in the morning in Santa’s workshop there’s a little ceremony |
| Elf Ernest | High at the top of the ceiling in the atrium is a giant clock |
| Elf Ernest | On day #1 of Operation Merry Christmas, the day after Thanksgiving, that clock begins a long descent…dropping a little each day until Santa launches |
| Elf Ernest | By the time launch day arrives the clock is just about at eye level for most workshop workers |
| Elf Max | Why in the workshop? Why doesn’t this happen, say, out in the village? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, this is a very very old tradition at the workshop. Back in the day the workshop is where EVERYTHING happened. The mailroom was in there, the wrapping was done in there, and the sleigh was built in there |
| Elf Max | Oh wow. I had no idea |
| Elf Ernest | Yeah, so when it was all together the clock kind of was the center of focus for everyone |
| Elf Ernest | But of course each of these departments have grown and have moved out of the workshop as the population of the world has changed things for us |
| Elf Max | Do other departments have clocks too? Even if they are separate? |
| Elf Ernest | Actually, in a nod to modern technology, they have web cams |
| Elf Max | Seriously? |
| Elf Ernest | Yes, the clock is continually shown on big screens in every department. Even North Pole Flight Command works from that little web cam image |
| Elf Max | That’s really amazing |
| Elf Ernest | Again, just one of those little details |
| Elf Max | After that weekend…is that pretty much it for events at the North Pole? |
| Elf Ernest | Well, no – there are lots of little events that happen in the run up to Christmas. Traditional stuff like concerts |
| Elf Ernest | There is a production of A Christmas Carol that runs on the Village Stage |
| Elf Max | What’s the Village Stage? |
| Elf Ernest | It’s our local theater |
| Elf Max | Oh |
| Elf Ernest | There is a devotional at the North Pole Chapel on the Sunday before Christmas which is also really traditional |
| Elf Ernest | But honestly, once that clock starts dropping we’re all focused on one thing and that’s getting Santa’s sleigh off the ground |
| Elf Max | Ok…Ernest, thank you for all this great detail today. |
| Elf Ernest | My pleasure. We will try to share as much as we can as we go along with the Santa updates |
| Elf Max | We all watch for them religiously! |
| Elf Ernest | Thank you, I appreciate it |
Great! I was disappointed i couldnt make it to the chat, by now its nice to know what happened! Ty!
Awesome thanks