SALEM, Ore. — A Salem man is taking the Elf on the Shelf to a whole new level this holiday season as he battles a diagnosis no one ever wants to get.
The Elf on the Shelf started as a book and is now part of a holiday tradition for many families. It is a small figurine that is supposed to help Santa keep track of who is on the naughty and nice lists.
For Terry Paulson of Salem, the tradition started a couple of years ago.
“For whatever reason, I picked up an elf in the store and I carried it around with me wherever I went,” Paulson explained.
When inspiration struck, Paulson and his elf would take funny photos. It became something his friends and family looked forward to seeing online. However, it ended abruptly when the elf had a run in with Paulson’s dog Magnus and got chewed up. So, a year passed with no photos.
“I got so much flack last year that I'm like, well, I got to bring it back somehow, some way and I decided well, I'll be an elf,” Paulson said.
Paulson ordered the costume off Amazon and became a human Elf on the Shelf. As a human version of the elf, Paulson’s goal is to make the holidays a little brighter for everyone. Spreading joy is especially important to him this year because in September he found out he has leukemia.
“Yeah, it's a very new thing,” Paulson said. “It's a very new thing”
As he undergoes treatment, Paulson said this is a way to make the best of a bad situation. If he can make one person smile, it is worth it.
He has posed for several funny photos, including one at his oncologist's office where he showed up for blood tests wearing the costume. He also delivered candy canes to Dutch Bros and has a few more photo shoots planned before Christmas. Proof, he is not letting his diagnosis slow him down.
“I try to put it off to the side, but sometimes it creeps on me and reminds me, hey you have cancer,” Paulson explained. “But, like I said, compared to some people, I'm blessed. So, I can live a normal life and that's what I plan to do and just have a little fun while I'm doing it.”
Paulson posts the photos on social media and said he has received a lot of positive feedback.