Up until about an hour ago, the date Dec. 18 held zero significance for me. Now that I know exactly how much fun I'm allowed to have on that very day, I think everyone should participate in Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day, and here's why.
"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?" is probably the jolliest way anyone could possibly answer a phone, and that's exactly why Will Ferrell's character in the iconic Christmas movie Elf does it. He is the jolliest of jolly and fills the day of everyone around him with more Christmas cheer than they can possibly stand.
According to National Day Calendar, the official "Answer the telephone like Buddy the Elf day" date is Dec. 18. The site recommends that participants answer the telephone on Dec. 18 using their own name in the phrase "(Insert your name) the Elf, what's your favorite color?" and use #AnswerThePhoneLikeBuddyTheElfDay to post about your festive phone answering skills on social media.
Even the Grinch-iest folks of all could use a little bit of holiday cheer, so no matter who calls your phone on Dec. 18, I challenge you to spread joy far and wide by answering the phone just like Buddy the Elf. Oh how I wish I still worked in an office and could answer the phones like this to all of the customers that call in that day. If your job involves answering phones on Dec. 18, please allow me to live vicariously through you and beg your boss to let you answer the phone like Buddy the Elf.
If your employer could use a bit of encouragement that it is in fact fine to answer the phone in this manner on Dec. 18, you can show them the outpouring of support for answering the phone like Buddy the Elf on social media. In 2018, even the Colorado Rockies got in on the fun via Twitter. The Major League Baseball team posted a photoshopped gif of their manager Bud Black answering the team's dugout phone as Buddy the Elf.
Even if you (like me) don't work somewhere where you have to answer the phone throughout the day, you can still surprise the ever living Christmas lights out of whoever happens to call you on Dec. 18. I get at least two or three calls from telemarketers a day and I cannot wait to hit them with this festive phrasing. They likely deal with lots of bah humbug this time of year, so I'll be ready and waiting to make their day merry and bright by answering the phone like Buddy the Elf.
I might even text my friends and ask them to call me (because we're millennials, so that's how we do it anyway) just so that I can surprise them by answering the phone like this. You could do the same with your friends, your parents, or basically anyone you want to make smile on Dec. 18 — because you like smiling, smiling is your favorite.
Imagine how you'll make the day of the school nurse when she calls to let you know that your son threw up all over the place after eating too many cupcakes at his class holiday party. She just had to deal with your puking child, but now she gets to talk to his mom who is as cheerful as Buddy the Elf. Her day just got infinitely better. (The sarcasm is as thick as syrup around here.)
Answering the phone with Buddy's signature line about his favorite color may be the standard recommendation for this fun calendar day event, but you can always take your phone answering skills to the next level in order to spread as much Christmas cheer as possible. As Buddy says, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear," so do that.
When your phone rings, answer it with "(Insert your name) the Elf, what's your favorite color?" and then follow up your question with a rousing rendition of "Jingle Bells" in your most robust singing voice. You could even try singing a few bars of "Baby It's Cold Outside" to see if the person on the other end of the line will join in like Buddy and Jovie did in the movie. (Just don't try to recreate the movie scene in a public shower at your gym — it creeps people out.)
