Even Elves Wear Masks In La Grange Area

LA GRANGE PARK, IL — In the fall, Heather Vitell's children had an idea that was perfectly 2020: They would sell masks for Christmas elves and use the money to get each other presents.

In an interview with La Grange Patch, Vitell said her kids asked whether elves should have the protection of masks.

"I said, 'Doesn't Santa have something magical, so he can keep the elves safe?' They said, 'If Santa could do that, wouldn't he do that for everyone?'"

They had a point.

So the three La Grange Park children — eighth-grader Sharla and sixth grade twins Jed and Jax — got to work. They expected a few customers. With the help of their craft-making mother, they started manufacturing elf masks using felt, holiday ribbon hair ties and hot glue.

"There are mask mandates. We are mask supporters," Vitell said. "You want elves to mimic good behaviors."

Thanks to social media, the family got the word out about their project. Orders rolled in. They ended up attracting nearly 200 customers. Their customers were from La Grange Park, La Grange and Brookfield, among other suburbs.

The children spent half the money on getting gifts for each other and the rest on donations to charities that are giving gifts to disadvantaged children during the holidays.

Vitell called the project a "nice proud parent moment."

"This got to be a lot bigger than we expected," she said. "This is part of the crazy 2020 saga."