Editing Buddy Hobbs (section)

== Biography ==
On Christmas Eve, during a stop at an orphanage, a baby crawls into Santa Claus’s (Ed Asner) sack of toys, captivated by a teddy bear. Unaware of his stowaway, Santa returns to the North Pole, where the baby is discovered. The elves name him Buddy after the "Little Buddy" brand on his diaper, and Papa Elf (Bob Newhart) volunteers to raise him.

Although Buddy is accepted by the elves, his human size makes life at the North Pole challenging. He struggles with the tools and furniture designed for smaller elves, and his toy-making skills fall short of meeting their high production quotas. Despite their reassurances that he's "special," Buddy feels out of place and is relegated to testing toys—a task he finds demeaning.

Buddy’s world turns upside down when he overhears a conversation revealing that he is human. Papa Elf confirms this, explaining that Buddy was born to Walter Hobbs (James Caan) and Susan Wells. Walter never knew of Buddy’s existence, as Susan placed him for adoption before her death. Walter now works at a children’s book publishing company in New York City.

Encouraged by Leon the Snowman (Leon Redbone), Buddy decides to travel to New York to find his father. Before departing, Santa warns Buddy that Walter is on the naughty list due to his greed and selfishness, leaving Buddy heartbroken but determined to connect with his estranged father.

Upon arriving in New York City, Buddy struggles to navigate the human world due to his sheltered upbringing. He unknowingly crosses streets at unsafe moments, chews discarded gum from a subway banister (forgetting Santa's warning about germs due to his childlike nature), eagerly accepts promotional fliers, and naively believes a coffee shop's claim to have the "world's best cup of coffee," running inside to congratulate them.

Eventually, Buddy locates his father, Walter Hobbs, in his office at the Empire State Building. Mistaking Buddy for someone delivering a Christmas gram, Walter allows him inside. However, when Buddy begins talking about Susan Wells and their familial connection, Walter dismisses him as delusional and has him escorted out by security. Following the guards' sarcastic suggestion, Buddy heads to Gimbel's department store, where the manager, Wanda (Faizon Love), mistakes him for a store employee.

While wandering through Gimbel's Santa Land, Buddy meets Jovie (Zooey Deschanel), a reserved employee who immediately catches his attention. Learning that Santa will arrive the next day, Buddy sneaks into the store overnight. He transforms the space into a winter wonderland with intricate Lego structures, pillow stuffing as snow, elaborate decorations, and a glowing LED sign.

The next day, when the store Santa (Artie Lange) arrives, Buddy excitedly approaches him, only to realize he is not the real Santa. Outraged, Buddy exposes the imposter by ripping off his fake beard, leading to a chaotic fight that damages the store. Buddy is arrested and taken into custody.

Walter receives a call from the police and reluctantly bails Buddy out. Unconvinced of Buddy’s claims, Walter takes him to a pediatrician (Jon Favreau) for a DNA test. The test confirms Buddy’s story: he is indeed Walter’s biological son. Although skeptical and uncomfortable, Walter is persuaded by the doctor to take Buddy home to meet his family.

At home, Buddy meets Walter’s wife, Emily (Mary Steenburgen), and his 12-year-old half-brother, Michael (Daniel Tay). Buddy's immature behavior, such as smothering spaghetti with maple syrup and candy, and failing to recognize that neither Walter nor Michael are interested in his exuberant attempts at bonding, alienates them both. Despite this, Emily insists they care for Buddy until he can adjust to his new surroundings.

Buddy eventually wins over his half-brother Michael by helping him fend off a group of bullies in a snowball fight, showcasing his extraordinary aim and speed. This newfound bond leads Michael to encourage Buddy to ask Jovie out on a date. Meanwhile, Walter is informed by his boss, Mr. Greenway, that their publishing company is in dire straits after the failure of their last book, ''The Puppy and the Pigeon.'' Greenway demands Walter attend a critical pitch meeting on Christmas Eve to salvage the company, threatening his job if he doesn’t comply. Walter reluctantly agrees.

The following day, pressured by Emily, Walter brings Buddy to his office but quickly sends him to the mailroom to avoid distractions. Unfamiliar with workplace norms, Buddy mistakes a co-worker’s whiskey for syrup, pours it into his coffee, and unintentionally gets drunk. This leads to a wild party in the mailroom, disrupting Walter's phone meeting with acclaimed children's author Miles Finch, whom he hopes to hire to save his company.

Despite his workplace mishap, Buddy charms Jovie on their date with his endearing and childlike personality, and she begins to fall for him. Meanwhile, Miles Finch arrives at Walter’s office and begins discussing potential book ideas. Buddy interrupts the meeting to announce his love for Jovie and, mistaking Finch for an elf due to his short stature, tries to learn how he "escaped the North Pole." Buddy’s comments escalate, culminating in him calling Finch an "angry elf." Offended, Finch attacks Buddy and storms out, leaving Walter furious. In a fit of rage, Walter disowns Buddy, saying he no longer wants him in his life. Heartbroken, Buddy writes an apology to his family on an Etch-a-Sketch and leaves.

Walter’s team later discovers Finch left behind a notebook filled with brilliant book ideas, prompting Walter to prepare a storyboard. However, Michael finds Buddy’s farewell note and interrupts Walter’s meeting with Greenway to inform him that Buddy has run away. Confronted by Michael’s accusation that he prioritizes work over family, Walter has an epiphany. When Greenway refuses to reschedule the meeting, Walter quits his job and leaves with Michael to search for Buddy.

Buddy, wandering through Central Park and feeling dejected, witnesses Santa’s sleigh crash. Santa explains that the sleigh’s engine is broken and the Christmas spirit—its alternate power source—is nearly gone. Walter and Michael arrive, and Walter apologizes to Buddy, finally accepting him as his son. Buddy introduces them to Santa, who reveals that belief in him can restore the sleigh's power. Michael reads Santa’s list live on TV, encouraging viewers across New York City to believe in Santa. Meanwhile, the Central Park Rangers pursue Santa’s sleigh, still harboring a grudge for being placed on the naughty list.

Jovie, inspired by Buddy’s mantra, "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear," leads the gathered crowd in singing ''Santa Claus Is Coming to Town'' on live TV. Her singing, joined by the crowd, generates enough Christmas spirit to lift the sleigh. Walter, initially mouthing the words, finally sings aloud, fully restoring the sleigh’s power without needing the engine. The sleigh soars into the sky, safe from TV cameras and skeptics, preserving the magic of Christmas.

By the following Christmas, Walter has started his own successful publishing company, with their first bestseller being ''Elf,'' a book chronicling Buddy’s adventures. Buddy and Jovie are now married and have a daughter, Susie, named after Buddy’s late mother. The film closes with the family visiting Papa Elf at the North Pole, enjoying a joyful reunion.