A high school teacher in a little Alberta town is embracing the Christmas spirit by dressing up as an elf and surprising students from a new location each day.
“I always do silly things for students,” Stephen Womack, who teaches at R.F. Staples School in Westlock, Alberta, told CTV Edmonton.
His festive alter ego was inspired by the seasonal phenomenon known as the Elf on the Shelf – a 10-centimetre doll that spies on children and reports back to Santa on who has been naughty or nice.
The Elf on the Shelf has quickly become a holiday favourite, even inspiring its own movie, clothes and knockoff versions.
Womack got the idea after his wife bought him an elf costume.
Fellow teacher Colleen Toews worked with Womack to bring their version of Elf on the Shelf to life.
“One day he said, ‘Toews, I’ve got this crazy idea,’” she said, laughing.
His idea became reality on Dec. 1, when Womack dangled from the school gymnasium’s rafters on a makeshift shelf, peering down at unsuspecting students below. He’s since surprised students at the “Frosty Formal,” made snow angels in a dusting of icing sugar in the halls, and stood atop a gift-wrapped car outside the school.
He calls his character Yukon Cornelius, a name borrowed from a character from the 1964 “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” Christmas special.
“I love it. It’s awesome,” said student Cody Chapman.
“I think it’s really cool that he does it because it spreads a lot of Christmas cheer,” added student Shaelynn Jones.
For Womack, pulling off the daily stunt isn’t just about ringing in the holidays – it’s about encouraging learning.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire,” he said, quoting Irish poet W.B. Yeats. “So if we can get kids excited to come to school in the morning, then that’s what we want.”
School is still in session for several weeks before the holiday break, and Womack says he’s beginning to run out of hiding spots.
“This is only day four. I don’t know what I’ve got myself into,” he said.
With files from CTV Edmonton
