Twinkle Bear

One Christmas season, a long time ago when our kids were very small, Twinkle Bear came to live with us.  He told me that he was Santa's special helper, and he lived at the North Pole.  He was sent to live with us in December, because Santa needed his help to see if our son and daughter were being naughty or nice.  Each night in December, Twinkle Bear would magically go home to the North Pole to give Santa a recap of the day's events.  Then he would arrive back at our house before morning, always landing in a different spot.  There he would sit all the next day, watching the kids play, and then he would go home again that night to give another recap of the day.

Our kids with Twinkle Bear, about 12 years ago

This was back before the Elf began sitting on the Shelf in other people's homes.  In fact, Twinkle Bear and The Elf are great friends, and often they share the same travel arrangements to and from the North Pole each evening.  But the Elf always visits other homes, and that's just fine with us because Twinkle Bear has been our friend for a very long time.

Here are some of the places that we have found Twinkle Bear after his long journey back to us from the North Pole.  We used to find him in bed with our kids a lot, but now he seems to enjoy settling in to more comfortable places, or more mischievous ones!

In a comfy arm chair

Or a different comfy arm chair

Resting above the TV

On the front stairs

Playing on the stair bannister

Chatting with the deer

Waiting for someone to make him some microwave popcorn

Eating all of the candy out of my centerpiece!

Under the tree

Even IN the tree!

He likes to sit here by Santa

Uh oh, he's hanging from the chandelier again!

Twinkle Bear is certainly a valued member of our Christmas time family.   Do you have a tradition like this in your family?