With a Little Help From Some Friends

Yesterday the Hulk helped explain the tradition of hanging stockings on the fireplace, Today his cousin, She-Hulk, will explain how elves came to work for Santa.

These diminutive helpers began as a hearty and beefy lot of Germanic and Norwegian heritage. Later they were wed with European sprites or gnomes who offered help to farmers.

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas introduced elves into Victorian folklore by describing Santa as one. Later, Harper’s Ferry featured a poem, The Wonders of Santa, that mentioned elves helping the fat one that continued to build on the myth.

Not Spock ears

In 1873 Santa was portrayed surrounded by elves on the Christmas cover of Godey’s Lady’s Book which offered an early visualization.

By the 20th century, the concept was cemented enough main stream artists like Norman Rockwell and others put brush and oil to canvas to further the legend. Today the belief is almost fact