It’s been over 20 years since Elf hit our screens, and Will Ferrell is still out here spreading holiday cheer like Buddy the Elf hopped up on maple syrup spaghetti. The 57-year-old comedy icon recently took a moment to bask in the candy-cane glow of his Elf legacy, and honestly, it sounds like the guy is just as enchanted by the movie as we are.
“It’s really quite special,” Ferrell told People, probably while wearing a jaunty green and yellow elf hat (okay, maybe not, but let’s imagine). “I mean, it continues to grow by leaps and bounds.” Did you catch that? Leaps and bounds! The man is basically describing Elf like it’s a toddler discovering gravity.
And he’s not wrong—Buddy’s unshakable holiday spirit has taken root deep in our collective holiday hearts. “It’s kind of entrenched itself as a holiday classic,” Ferrell said, which feels like an understatement. Entrenched? Buddy the Elf didn’t just “entrench”; he grabbed the holidays by the snowballs and screamed, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!”
But the real kicker? People are watching Elf year-round. Yep, you heard that right. Will explained, “I have people come up to me saying, ‘We watch Elf on July 4th. We just love it.’” Fireworks, BBQ, and a grown man in tights chugging Coke? Sounds like peak Americana to me.
Reflecting on this unseasonal love, Ferrell mused, “You never really have an idea of what’s going to land with people.” Translation: Sometimes, you think you’re making a weird little Christmas movie, and two decades later, folks are chanting “Santa! I know him!” in August.
Ferrell summed it up perfectly: “This movie continues to resonate in a way that’s pretty incredible.” And honestly, who can argue with that? Whether it’s December or the dead of summer, Elf isn’t just a movie—it’s a lifestyle. Pass the syrup.