An Elf No More, Sedaris Recalls Days In Santaland
Hear NPR Holiday Favorites
Crumpet the Elf is back for another Morning Edition Christmas. Crumpet is the not-so-secret identity of humorist David Sedaris, who was once a department store elf at Macy's. He wrote about the experience in his memoir The Santaland Diaries.
The story begins like this: "I wear green velvet knickers, a forest green velvet smock and a perky little hat, decorated with spangles. This is my work uniform."
Sedaris and Crumpet the Elf: A Holiday Tradition
David Sedaris at the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world's largest, in 2004.
The life of David Sedaris took an unexpected, and not entirely unwelcome, turn when his "Santaland Diaries" were first broadcast on Morning Edition in 1992.
Sedaris recounted his experiences playing Crumpet the elf at Macy's in New York during the holidays. Almost overnight, he went from obscurity to sought-after talent.
Now, 13 years later, he is a best-selling author who still appears on public radio from time-to-time.
And in those intervening years, the popularity of his original NPR appearance has only grown. So, here, once again, is Sedaris reading in 1992 from his "Santaland Diaries."
Comments
You must be signed in to leave a comment. Sign In / Register
Please keep your community civil. All comments must follow the NPR.org Community rules and terms of use, and will be moderated prior to posting. NPR reserves the right to use the comments we receive, in whole or in part, and to use the commenter's name and location, in any medium. See also the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Community FAQ.
