When Santa Claus sent an elf to visit the Knight family during the Christmas season last year, he had no idea that he was sending the elf into a house divided.

There was Mom yelling “War Eagle” and Dad and the kids screaming “Roll, Tide!” When the Iron Bowl was over, Dad and the kids kept screaming, “Roll Tide!” and Mom just sat sadly on the sofa. This year, things were different. Dad was on the sofa real sad like and Mom was screaming “War Eagle!” However, being the good sports they are, the kids were still yelling, “Roll, Tide, Roll.”

Winston the Elf has learned a lot about football … and about good sportsmanship. But that doesn’t keep him from getting into all kinds of crazy predicaments while he’s a visiting elf at the Knight house.

“It’s a highlight of our morning to look to see where Winston is and what he’s been up to while Julianna and Easton were asleep,” said Erikka Knight.

Last year, Winston was a good little elf all the time he was visiting the Knights.

“But, since Winston returned from the North Pole this year, he’s been naughty and Julianna and Easton like to explain to Winston how what he did was wrong and encourage him to be good,” Knight said.

Some of the time, Winston has been a good elf. Like, one morning, he had been having a tea party in Julianna’s room with some of her “pals” while she was asleep.

That was a nice thing for Winston to do but then he turned right around and used Easton’s fire truck to climb into the family’s Christmas tree.

Winston is a rather skilled climber, an indication that his duties at Santa’ workshop at the North Pole probably include painting the tops of dollhouses and hanging the nets on basketball goals.

Displaying his climbing skills, Winston climbed the den wall to get a good look at the kids’ dad’s deer mount.

“Winston said he thought the deer was his friend, Prancer from the North Pole,” Knight said. “A few mornings ago, Winston had a snowball fight with some of the snowmen at our house. Another morning, we found Winston in the bathroom shaving. He’s too young to be shaving.”

Winston flies back to the North Pole every day to report to Santa on Julianna and Easton’s behavior.

Their mom said that Winston is a great tool for reinforcing good behavior, not just this time of year, but all year long.

When Winston returns to the North Pole in a few days, the Knights will think back on his shenanigans with laughter and look forward to all of the crazy, fun things that he will do when he returns at Christmastime next year.