Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day - National Today

Home » Where Does Buddy Get His Name From » Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day - National Today

Maybe your like

Skip to content

National Today

Menu National Today Log in Sign up Search Search Cancel Search National Today Submit On December 18, wear something green, pick up the phone, and celebrate Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day! There have been dozens of excellent Christmas movies released through the years, but perhaps none as lovable as Will Ferrell’s Elf. So, this December 18th repeat after us: “Buddy the Elf, what’s your favorite color?” 

Editor recommended resources

Prop Money Inc.

Prop Money Inc.

Art & Photography

Hollywood-level realism for your next production

This prop money is so "money"—delivering realism that gives bills authentic wear-and-tear from pocket-carrying. Perfect for Hollywood-level authenticity.

Learn more Bytedance

Bytedance

Apps

Get entertained with endless videos

We love that TikTok's smart algorithm learns your interests to serve up an endless stream of videos that feel tailor-made just for you. From viral dances to cooking hacks, you'll discover content that matches your vibe perfectly every time you scroll.

Learn more CapCut

CapCut

Apps

Create studio-quality videos today

We love that CapCut transforms raw footage into polished content with AI-powered tools and trending effects that make every video look professionally crafted. Perfect for creators who want maximum impact with minimal effort.

Learn more

History of Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day

We’re not exaggerating when we say that Elf is the best Christmas movie of the 21st century. In fact, it was recognized as such by Fandango users in 2017. But did you know that Elf as we know it could have been a completely different movie? Will Ferrell wasn’t even the original choice to play Buddy! Gasp! 

Screenwriter David Berenbaum had initially wrote the script for Elf in 1993 with Jim Carrey in mind to star as Buddy. The screenplay went through years of rewrites and edits with his later writing team consisting of Adam McKay and (second gasp) Will Ferrell. The script at this stage was very dark, and Jon Favreau initially didn’t have much interest in it, despite wanting to be apart of Ferrell’s first post Saturday Night Live film project. So instead of declining the opportunity, Favreau rewrote the script and turned Buddy’s world into an homage to the Rankin Bass Christmas specials.

Changing the movie from a raunchy dark comedy to a genuine Christmas movie allowed them to rate it as PG instead of the PG-13 rating the original script would have had. Will Ferrell took a huge risk and played Buddy in what he described as a role that could either make or break his future career. Terry Zwigoff was approached to direct the film, but declined due to a prior commitment to another Christmas comedy, Bad Santa. After searching for multiple directors, Jon Favreau eventually decided to direct it himself. With Favreau’s willingness to give Ferrell the flexibility to make Buddy his own (many of our favorite classic lines were improvised by Ferrell, including “You sit on a throne of lies”) Buddy was allowed to become the funny, charming, and charismatic character we all fell in love with in 2003!

Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day timeline

1993 "Reminds me of Santa’s Workshop."

David Berenbaum wrote the original Elf script, which was a dark comedy and meant for an older audience.

2002 “Bye Buddy!”

Will Ferrell left SNL and embarked on his own film career.

2003 “So, good news…”

Elf the movie debuted in theaters, opening at number 2 in the box office, right under The Matrix Revolutions

2010 “The best way to spread Christmas cheer” 

Elf the musical debuted on broadway for the Christmas season

Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day Statistics

$173.40 million at the Box Office Elf is the fifth highest grossing Christmas movie of all time. The 2003 film’s opening weekend earned over $31 million, and was only beat out to be number one that weekend by The Matrix Revolutions. The film did so well that it remains Will Ferrell’s second highest grossing movie. Considering that the film had the potential to end Ferrell’s barely starting film career, it’s pretty crazy that it ended up being one of his most influential projects to date!  $33 million budget Which it almost paid off entirely in its opening weekend. Considering the average budget for a film ranges anywhere from $70 to $90 million, Elf did very well with its lower budget consisting of $33 million. Every single penny was obviously well spent as you can bet the movie is in most people’s lexicon of favorite Christmas films.  $1 million in the first week on Broadway People just can’t get enough of Buddy the Elf! It’s first week performed on Broadway, Elf: The Musical grossed over $1 million! Though the overall story remains pretty much the same, there are a few differences from the film to keep the audience on their toes. First of all, the story is narrated by Santa instead of Papa Elf. Also, Santa uses an iPhone to keep his list of names instead of a giant book. Instead of finding Miles Finch’s notes, Walter’s staff comes across a copy of an unpublished manuscript for a Christmas story, wiping out the character of Miles Finch all together. 

Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day FAQs

Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf?

Absolutely! Of course! Who else? What did you hear? Will Ferrell plays Buddy the Elf in the 2003 Christmas movie, Elf! However, in the 2010 Broadway musical, Buddy was played by Sebastian Arcelus.

What does Buddy the Elf say?

Some of the most memorable Buddy the Elf quotes are: – “So, good news…I saw a dog today.” – “I’m sorry I ruined your lives and crammed 11 cookies into the VCR.” – “I thought maybe we could make ginger bread houses, and eat cookie dough, and go ice skating, and maybe even hold hands.” – “We elves try to stick to the four main food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corns and syrup.”

What was Buddy the Elf's real name?

Though we’re unsure if Susan Wells ever named Buddy before giving him to the orphanage, the elves that found him named him Buddy because that was the brand label on his diaper.

Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day Activities

  1. It's all in the name

    Remember the name of this special day? Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf (day). Well...you know what to do!

  2. Watch the movie

    What better way to relive this magical movie moment than to rewatch the film? Just make sure you're all stocked up on candy, candy canes, candy corn, and syrup!

  3. Dress the part

    Did you know while filming the montage of Buddy running around New York, Will Ferrell was actually running around New York? And all those extras in the background? They were genuinely confused New York pedestrians who had no idea what was going on, but in New York fashion, decided to ignore the insanity of it all. If Will can do it, so can you! Run around your neighborhood in your best Elf costume and see the reactions you get! Unless you live in New York, they're used to it already.

Why We Love Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day

  1. His enthusiasm is infectious

    Just listen to him! It's hard to hear him for more than five seconds without a smile cracking on your face. There's something intangible about Buddy that makes you want to laugh — and not at him, but with him!

  2. He tells it like it is

    Remember when Buddy's going to meet Santa at the mall? It didn't take long for him to sniff-out the imposter — telling him that he smells "like beef and cheese," and that the throne he sits on is made of lies. But Buddy's as nice as they come, and there wasn't an ounce of malice in his words. He's just telling it like it is!

  3. He's authentic

    Remember the awesome scene where Buddy's playing with the jack-in-the-boxes? All of Will Ferrell's reactions were for real — the release mechanism was controlled off-stage, and was only triggered when Ferrell had been waiting for a while.

Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day dates

Year Date Day
2026 December 18 Friday
2027 December 18 Saturday
2028 December 18 Monday
2029 December 18 Tuesday
2030 December 18 Wednesday

Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day related holidays

SunJan 24Featured

National Compliment Day

TueMar 10Featured

National Landline Telephone Day

WedOct 21Featured

​Back to the Future Day

See More

Let’s get social

Here are some special hashtags for the day.

#Elf #ElfTheMovie #BuddyTheElf #ChristmasMovies

NovDecemberJan
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031
Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day Arabic Language Day Bake Cookies Day Flake Appreciation Day Guru Ghasidas Jayanti International Migrants Day National Crime Junkie Day National Regifting Day National Roast Suckling Pig Day Qatar National Day Republic Day of Niger Wear a Plunger on Your Head Day View all December holidays

Holidays Straight to Your Inbox

Every day is a holiday!Receive fresh holidays directly to your inbox.

  • 6,184 Days celebrated
  • 18,552 Ways to celebrate
  • 10,000,000+ Happy users

About us

  • Our Mission
  • Our Story

Resources

  • For Businesses
  • For Journalists
  • For Brands
  • For Influencers
  • FAQs
  • News
  • Reminders
  • Videos

Contact Us

  • Promote an Event
  • Submit an Error

Our Services

  • Create A Holiday
  • Sponsor A Holiday
  • Data Licensing

Months

  • January
  • February
  • March
  • April
  • May
  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October
  • November
  • December

Upcoming

  • Today
  • Tomorrow
  • Monday
  • Friday
  • Saturday

All Months

  • National Today Calendar

Gifts

  • Reviews and Gift Guides

Blog

  • Blog Home

Shopping Reviews

  • Baby
  • Car
  • Children
  • Health & Fitness
  • Home & Garden
  • Kitchen
  • Pets
  • Sleep
  • Tech
  • Travel

Gift Guides

  • By Age
  • By Interest
  • By Occasion
  • By Price
  • By Recipient

Popular Holidays

  • National Girlfriend Day
  • Day of the Dead
  • National Boyfriend Day
  • National Sons Day
  • Mexican Independence Day
  • Pride Month
  • National Best Friends Day
  • National Daughter Day
  • World Bicycle Day
  • National Dog Day

About National Today

We keep track of fun holidays and special moments on the cultural calendar — giving you exciting activities, deals, local events, brand promotions, and other exciting ways to celebrate.

Follow us on

Follow @NatlToday Copyright © 2017–2026 by National Today. Privacy policy
  • Holidays
  • News
  • Events
  • Birthdays
  • Reminders

Tag » Where Does Buddy Get His Name From