Santa's Advance Man

Shh! What's that? Is it up on the roof? A little rustling? A faint scurrying? No, it's not the roof. Maybe by the fireplace, a flash of red, a wink of green... CRASH! That came from the kitchen!

Yes, there he is at the counter with a mouthful of bocconotti (those sweet Calabresi tartlets) and powdered sugar on his dark top: THE ITALIAN ELF He's back!

The Italian Elf -- that voice in the tundra, that precursor with the thick Bronx accent, heralding the approach of Santa Nicola!

Only instead of giving gifts, like Babbo Natale, he pops into your cubicle looking for treats for himself (preferably Jordan almonds or Almonda Rocha). So have a bowl at hand, kids and coworkers -- the Italian Elf is here!

Merry Christmas, all you OaKers (that's Once-a-Kid-ers)!