Rep. Nutmeg first Elf on a Shelf to introduce congressional resolution

Rep. Nutmeg. Image via X.

Mark this down in holiday history. Congress has seen its first resolution co-introduced by an Elf on the Shelf.

U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna this year kicked off what could be a new Christmas tradition by designating an office elf, but granting the pixie some legislative prestige. Thus emerged Rep. Nutmeg, the first Representative for the North Pole.

The diminutive official since has toured the Capitol district and posted photos on X and Instagram. While Luna is a conservative Republican, Nutmeg’s posts have a nonpartisan tone, despite the solidly red wardrobe.

So far, the tiny tourist has posted photos of the Capitol, Washington Monument, and a gingerbread model of the Capitol building. A to-scale office has even been set up (or digitally rendered?) with a tiny district map of the North Pole and an elven-sized desk.

On Tuesday, Nutmeg achieved an important milestone for a lawmaker, co-introducing a first piece of legislation. Submitted with Luna, the resolution would establish Dec. 24, Christmas Eve, as “Christmas Cookie Day” and encourage all kids to leave cookies for Santa.

Luna’s staff, on a serious note, say the Elf aims to educate children about the workings of Washington, and to allow children of all means to participate in the Elf on the Shelf tradition from anywhere in the country.

For the uninitiated, the Elf on a Shelf tradition, drawn from a 2005 book by Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell, involves a toy elf who occupies children’s homes through the holiday season, and which each evening reports back on observed behavior to Claus or his helpers in the North Pole.

It’s unclear why Congress hasn’t invited such observation into the Capitol before.

Luna is a freshman and one of the youngest members of the House. She’s also a new first-time mother; she and husband Andy Gamberzky welcomed a son in August.