The Strange History of Santa’s Little Helpers

For more than a thousand years, elves have been evolving from mysterious nature spirits to Santa’s little helpers. 

It’s a strange place to end up for these Christmas-y little creatures, who once stood side by side with Norse gods and took the blame for inexplicable illnesses in medieval Europe. But elves stand the test of time, playing modern-day roles in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” series as well as acting as Santa’s spy agents.

Here’s how these little people have evolved.

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