Over the past few years, along with “A Christmas Story,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” an annual tradition during the Advent season for me has been to watch the 2003 movie, “Elf,” starring Will Ferrell. This contemporary classic has the right mix of holiday spirit and chuckles to appeal to both children and adults.
At the start of “Elf,” we see a baby boy in a crib being cared for by religious sisters at an orphanage in New York City on Christmas Eve. When Santa Claus pays a visit, the boy stows away inside Santa’s bag, unbeknownst to the big guy, and ends up at the North Pole, where he is taken in by Santa and his elves, named “Buddy,” and helps out in the Christmas workshop.
Fast-forward 30 years and Buddy realizes that, as a human, he has outgrown the elves and the North Pole, and must return to New York to find his father, Walter (James Caan), and live a normal life as a human.
In New York, Buddy’s child-like innocence and belief in Santa Claus (“I know him!”) contrasts with the cynical city-goers, who look in disbelief at the man who congratulates the “World’s Best Cup of Coffee” restaurant for their achievement, and gets into a fight with another Santa Claus, because he’s not the real deal.
In Matthew 18:3, Jesus tells us that “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Buddy’s childlike behavior comes from the fact that, growing up in the North Pole, he witnessed firsthand the magic of Santa Claus and Christmas. Unfortunately, as Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) tells him, the citizens of New York don’t believe in Santa Claus and their Christmas spirit is waning. Worse yet, Buddy’s father is on Santa’s naughty list.
Because they have not been to the North Pole, the city does not believe Buddy or understand him.
In the face of criticism, however, Buddy continues to be joyous and upbeat, with unwavering spirit, always standing up for Santa Claus and Christmas. He has knowledge of the goodness of Santa and the hope and truth he represents.
In regard to the kingdom of heaven, we should be more like Buddy, and less like the New Yorkers: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
In the beginning of our lives, having faith “like little children,” we believe in the goodness of life, and believe that we will never be let down by anything or anyone on this earth.
However, as time goes by and we mature, we suffer heartache and loss, and a bit of our innocence, and a bit of our joy, can disappear.
In this Advent season, it is important to remember the savior who is coming, and maintain that wonder and awe of the great works he has done throughout our lives, in the midst of our struggles, and his ultimate promise to us. It is better to be like Buddy the Elf than Walter, and recall him “whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8).
Peter G. Sánchez is a staff writer for the Catholic Star Herald.
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