Santa’s elves have many responsibilities, as we know from countless books, movies and holiday TV specials. They make toys in Santa’s workshop, help him deliver gifts and look out for which children have been naughty or nice. Elves have been a part of Christmas in the U.S. since the early 19th century, when the story of Belsnickle was brought to these shores by the German Protestant immigrants who became known as Pennsylvania Dutch. Belsnickle visited homes before Christmas to check on children’s behavior and was responsible for disciplining the naughty ones. In “The Christmas Elves,” an 1871 story from Harper’s Bazaar,...

Source: Wall Street Journal December 21, 2018 15:00 UTC