Big Dumb Eyes: Stories from a Simpler Mind

Bargatze has a close relationship with his daughter, Harper. One of their traditions is the Christmas Elf (also known as Elf on the Shelf), which is a toy elf that Bargatze hides somewhere in the house every night of December for Harper to find the next morning. Harper believed the elf—who she named Alfie—was real, and she wrote letters to him. Bargatze wrote letters back to Harper from Alfie’s perspective, using his left hand to conceal the handwriting. He believed Harper would believe in Alfie forever, even when she’s an adult.

One day, Harper came across a YouTube video that gave away the secret of the Christmas Elf. Harper was devastated, screaming and crying about how Alfie wasn’t real. Laura and Bargatze were distraught, but Bargatze gently explained that Alfie can still be a fun part of Christmas. The two of them can hide Alfie together for Harper’s younger cousins to find. This placated Harper, and that is what she and Bargatze do now every December.

Bargatze has a barber named Eric, whom he gets along with very well. He enjoys the simplicity and ease of their relationship, which he compares to “an ancient, sacred connection” (196).