— Photos by Bobbie Toner

So, what is the big buzz lately that’s got the whole city enthralled? The Omicron variant? That Beatles documentary? Maybe the very spirit of the holiday season that is finally upon us? All of the above perhaps, to a certain degree. But once you’ve been to “Elfland” you’ll understand why the site has taken the region by storm.

It all began when an 8-year-old resident of Somerville decided to help the elves he said he saw in a vacant lot at 73 Summer St. by constructing miniature “buildings” for them to inhabit and make use of. Gradually, and with the help of many others who have joined in on this diminutive urban development project, the tiny village has grown significantly in the number of features that are currently present.

Elf-size houses, stores, a library, a hospital, etc., have all sprung up at this enchanted village. Solar-powered lights have even been installed. The parents of the child responsible for the founding of this mini-municipality prefer to keep their anonymity, to better preserve the magic of the moment. But they and their enterprising son are thrilled nonetheless to be a part of it all, no matter how long the magic lasts.