(Missed a Chapter? Click on ‘Elf On The Shelf’ on the top menu to find your place and catch up!)

December 14th

‘ONLY TEN DAYS LEFT UNTIL MY FINAL REPORT.
I THINK THINGS ARE GOING WELL.
WE ARE ALL BEING A LITTLE NICER
AND HAVING MUCH MORE FUN.
BUT, LOLA, WE STILL NEED TO WORK ON BEING QUIETER.
AND, JAMES, WHY SO VERY GRUMPY?
IT’S NOT SO BAD, CHEER UP CHUM.
CHRISTMAS IS COMING,
AND I’M STILL WATCHING.’

“Got bored of rhyming then,” muttered James, passing the note on to Lola to read. Mum had been reading over his shoulder and frowned.

“Seems a little… harsh. Don’t you think, Steve?” She raised her eyebrows at Dad over Lola’s head, and James could tell she didn’t approve.

Dad looked startled and took the note from Lola. He read it twice, frowning. “It is a bit. I don’t think Lola’s been any noisier than usual – though James has looked like a wet weekend for the last few days, admittedly.”

“I’m grounded, what do you expect?” James grumbled into his breakfast.