Buddy The Elf is the best Christmas movie..... FACT! 

We also feel that Buddy is quite frankly the king of Christmas (apart from Santa of course)! We can pretty much guarantee that you'll gain some Christmas cheer and Christmas lessons if you watch this movie. 

1. Spread some Christmas Cheer! 

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear."

Spreading cheer sounds like an easy enough thing to do, however its pretty impossible when the people around you aren't feeling it. That's one of the great things about Buddy the Elf, he doesn't care if other people are cheerful or not. Buddy continues to look for the positives around him and show them to others. And, he strives to encourage others to be cheerful as well. It's not always easy to be cheerful, but Buddy serves as an motivating inspiration for the benefits of having a cheerful attitude, especially during the most cheerful season ... Christmas! 


2: Make smiling your favourite.

"I just like to smile! Smiling's my favourite."

Smiling's a small thing that's actually a HUGE thing. The simple act of smiling can change not only someone else's day, but your own as well. Try it, go on we dare you!

Next time you see someone you know, or even a stranger, remember Buddy's saying above and make smiling your favourite! Greet someone with a smile and it will transform an interaction, whilst setting a pleasant tone for that person. Don't think you'll be running into anyone today? Try looking in the mirror and smiling at yourself. 

3: Be yourself, even when it's hard to know who you are.

"Actually, I'm a human, but I was raised by elves."

Buddy struggles with his identity, in the movie. Having been raised by elfs, rather than humans, he finds it difficult to work out where he fits in. Buddy may look like a human but he acts like an elf. Buddy strives to be himself, throughout the movie, even when it makes him stick out in the human world. It would be much easier for him to learn and conform to the standards around him, but Buddy chooses to stay true to himself; this is a trait we should all take on board - why fit in when your born to stand out! 

4: Give out compliments regularly.

"Deb, you have such a pretty face. You should be on a Christmas card!"

Buddy is especially good at giving out compliments. Throughout the movie, the number of positive things Buddy says about other people is unreal. The quote above references one of the times he compliments his father's assistant and, from her reaction, you know these words have made her day. Making the effort not only to see the positive in others, but to tell them about it as well, can have a very powerful impact on your social interactions.

5: Take risks.

"Papa says my real father lives in a magical place far away... but the thing is, I've never left the North Pole."

Want good things to happen to you? Well take note from Buddy, AND take risks. At the start of the film, Buddy finds out that he's not actually an elf and, though he's never before left the North Pole, he decides to venture to NYC to meet his real daddy. This is the kind of risk a lot of people would never take, but it's just the kind of risk that can have the best rewards. Doing something different, breaking out of your comfort zone, is an amazing way to find some new and exciting in your life. Life is an adventure. Live it! 

6: Never give up.

"I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane forest, through the sea of swirly twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel."

This quote is another example of Buddy's perseverance. On more than one occasion, Buddy is faced with challenges, but instead of complaining about them, as many of us would do, Buddy faces these challenges head on and does what he needs to do to achieve whatever goal he's working towards. With the amount of times Buddy is put down in the film, it would have been much easier for him to give up and return the life he'd been living. But, as the positively inspiring elf that he is, Buddy doesn't give up but instead keeps working harder and harder, all while maintaining a positive attitude!

7: Speak your mind.

"If you can sing alone, you can sing in front of other people. There's no difference."

In a conversation with his love interest, Jovie, Buddy explains to her that there's no difference between singing in front of others and singing alone (a fact he then goes on to demonstrate). Though she strongly disagrees with his point, Buddy doesn't seem to mind and continues to do what he can to convince her. This is only one example of how, in the film, Buddy is never afraid to say what's on his mind. He'll tell someone he loves him. He'll tell a fake Santa he's a fraud. He'll speak the truth and his mind, without a hesitation, something most are afraid to do. We could all learn from Buddy's ability to be open and honest with those around him.

8: Let life excite you.

"Good news! I saw a dog today!"

One of the best things about Buddy the Elf is his ability to be truly excited by life. In the scene from which the quote above was taken, Buddy greets his new half-brother after school and exclaims with utter joy how he's spent his day. The most mundane things excite Buddy and there's not a bit of him that holds back his excitement for life. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone was as happy to be alive as Buddy is? If everyone looked at the world around him/her with utter excitement? 

9: Show affection.

"Does somebody need a hug?"

How often do you show affection to the ones you love? Buddy is always giving hugs and spouting words of love. Now, I wouldn't recommend hugging everyone (as Buddy demonstrates in the quote above, said right before he attempts to hug an angry-looking raccoon), but I do think there's a lesson to be learned from Buddy's ability to openly and consistently show affection. Showing affection is a great way to connect with others and make their lives and ultimately yours, HAPPIER! 

10: Do what you love.

"First we'll make snow angels for a two hours, then we'll go ice skating, then we'll eat a whole roll of Tollhouse cookie dough as fast as we can, and then we'll snuggle."

If there's one lesson to be taken away from the film, it's this: do what you love. Buddy, being the positive elf that he is, loves doing a lot of things and they aren't the "normal" things most adult men love to do, but you know what? He does them anyway. He doesn't let the human culture constrain him, forcing him to do what he "should" do. No, Buddy makes his own path and finds ways to spend time doing the things he loves to do. We should all follow Buddy's lead and be honest with ourselves about what we truly love to do. Once we've identified our favorite things, it's time to put that love into action because doing what you love to do is one of the best ways to be positive and present.

So there you have it - take note on Buddy, watch ELF and have a very Merry Christmas. xxxx