So, Clause Code is my attempt to learn the Anthropic SDK and add a little Christmas magic to coding.

Why don’t I just let Clause Code tell you about Clause Code?

Clause Code transforms your coding workflow into a delightful holiday experience. Every interaction features festive ASCII art, and cheerful status messages like “Sleighing…” and “Jingling…” while Claude thinks. It’s like having Santa’s workshop right in your terminal!

Clause Code automatically detects when Claude generates code and extracts it into the right files. Just ask “Create a Flask app with authentication” and watch as it generates and writes app.py, auth.py, requirements.txt and more – all organized in your project folder. No more copy-pasting from chat windows!

Beautiful Syntax Highlighting Code is rendered with rich syntax highlighting using the Monokai theme, making every snippet easy to read and understand. Whether it’s Python, JavaScript, Rust, or any other language, your code looks gorgeous in the terminal.

Clause Code Modes

• Santa Mode – Full festive experience with maximum holiday cheer (/santa)
• Grinch Mode – Minimal, professional output when you need to focus (/grinch)
• December Advent Calendar – Throughout December, use /advent to unlock daily coding challenges with a festive twist. It’s like an advent calendar for developers – a new challenge each day!

I did learn a lot building this coding agent. For one, I learned how Anthropic is building these cool terminal apps. I totally missed that developers were making terminal apps. I discovered Textualize/rich (https://github.com/Textualize/rich) and other techniques that make the terminal interactive.

How To Use Clause Code

• Copy Clause Code to your machine, navigate to that folder, and set your Anthropic API Key
• Run the app with uv sync and uv run clause-code
• Set a project folder with /project
• Send in a prompt

Demo Time

Of course, I am going to make CheerLights project with my very own Clause Code coding agent.

Here’s my prompt:

build a web page that reads the cheerlights color from thingspeak and set its background to it. in the foreground show me falling snow using css.

With a bit of Christmas magic, I will get a webpage that gives me just what I wanted this year for Christmas. Or, maybe have been naughty and using a quantized model at peak hours of the day

Check out the project on GitHub, feel free to make changes, learn something new, and share the joy. Make sure to use it during December and try out the Advent coding challenge feature!

A yule console.log() by the fire?

What is Elf on the Shelf?

The Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition that has become popular in recent years, particularly in the United States. It involves a special scout elf sent from the North Pole to help Santa Claus manage his naughty and nice lists. Here’s how the tradition typically works:

1. Adoption of the Elf: Families adopt a scout elf and give it a name. Each elf receives its magic by being named and loved by a child. After the elf is named, it receives its Christmas magic, which allows it to fly to and from the North Pole.
2. Daily Movement: The elf watches the children’s behavior during the day and returns to the North Pole each night to report to Santa about what it has seen. After returning from the North Pole, the elf is found in a different location in the house each morning.
3. Hiding Game: The fun part for children is waking up each morning and racing around the house to find where the elf has landed for the day. Often, elves are found in humorous or mischievous scenarios.
4. Rules: There are two main rules that every child knows when it comes to the Elf on the Shelf. First, the elf cannot be touched; if it is, it might lose its magic. Second, the elf cannot speak or move while anyone in the house is awake; its job is to watch and listen.
5. Departure: The Elf on the Shelf stays with the family until Christmas Eve, when it returns to the North Pole with Santa Claus, not to be seen again until the next holiday season.

The children’s book “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, with illustrations by Co. Steinwart, served as the inspiration for this custom. The book comes with a toy elf and explains the story and the rules of the tradition. The Elf on the Shelf tradition has been both praised for encouraging creativity and good behavior in children and sometimes criticized for the effort required by parents to keep the tradition going.

Tried and true ideas for Elf on the Shelf

Maybe your Instagram Reels FYP is filled with Elf on the Shelf videos. Ideas from other humans that are all trying to top each other for likes, comments, and shares. I am guilty of it. I think that it is a fun tradition, and I like working out the scenario with Becky and being creative.

Here are some tried-and-true ideas for Elf on the Shelf:

1. Elf’s Mini Adventures: Create a series of mini-adventure scenes for the elf. One day, it could be camping in a makeshift tent in the living room, complete with a small flashlight. The next day, it might be having a tea party with other toys.
2. Elf in the Kitchen: Have the elf bake tiny cookies (using a dollhouse set or small cookie cutters) or prepare a miniature breakfast. You could set up a scene where the elf is caught in the act of mixing ingredients.
3. Elf’s Creative Artwork: Set up a scene where the elf has drawn a picture or written a message to your child. You could use washable markers for the elf to ‘draw’ on a mirror or window.
4. Sporty Elf: Create sports-themed scenarios, like the elf attempting to score a goal with a mini soccer ball, doing yoga, or lifting tiny weights.
5. Reading Buddy: Pose the elf reading a book, maybe even the same book your child is currently reading, to encourage reading habits.
6. Superhero Elf: Dress the elf in a mini superhero cape and create a scene where it’s saving other toys from ‘danger’.
7. Elf’s Science Experiment: Set up a small, safe science experiment, like a baking soda and vinegar volcano, and have the elf wear protective goggles.
8. Elf’s Snow Adventure: If you have access to snow, create a small snowman or snow angel scene with the elf outside.
9. Helpful Elf: Show the elf doing helpful chores around the house, like sorting socks or helping with the Christmas decorations.
10. Elf’s Movie Night: Set up a scene where the elf is having a movie night with popcorn and other snacks, perhaps watching a Christmas movie.

Taking Elf on the Shelf to the next level using ChatGPT

You’re not here for the status quo. You want to go to the next level. Let’s do this. Fire up ChatGPT by going to chat.openai.com, signing up or in, and trying this first prompt: What is the Elf on the Shelf tradition?

This helps ground the conversation to keep the chat only about Elf on the Shelf. Now, ask ChatGPT for traditional ideas for the Hiding Game. This will help clear out the tried-and-true ideas that will not satisfy the most curious of the six-year-olds in your life.

Now, let’s go to the next level. Let’s ask ChatGPT for some ideas that only AI could generate.

Elf’s High-Flying Adventure

Imagine a miniature elf piloting a tiny drone around your living room. The drone, decorated in festive colors, has a small camera attached, capturing photos of the family’s Christmas decorations. The elf, wearing a pilot’s cap and goggles, navigates the drone with excitement, adding a modern twist to the traditional Elf on the Shelf. The backdrop of this scene includes a beautifully decorated Christmas tree and stockings hung by the fireplace.

Elf Detective Mystery

Turn your elf into a tiny detective, complete with a trench coat and detective’s hat. The elf uses a magnifying glass to investigate a trail of cookie crumbs leading to a gingerbread house. This setup in the kitchen incorporates an element of mystery and fun, as the elf appears determined to solve the case of the missing cookies.

Elf Conducting a Mini Orchestra

Create a whimsical scene where your elf is conducting a miniature orchestra of Christmas figurines. Dressed in a conductor’s outfit, the elf leads a group of nutcrackers, toy soldiers, and teddy bears, each with tiny musical instruments. The backdrop is a living room decorated for Christmas, with the elf standing on a podium made of stacked books.

Elf’s Space Mission

Create a tiny astronaut out of your elf, and surround him or her with planets and space rockets made of LEGO or other building blocks. Set this scene on a table with a dark cloth representing space, sprinkled with small LED lights as stars. This educational and immersive space exploration scenario adds a unique twist to the Elf on the Shelf tradition.

Elf as a Miniature Barista

Turn a part of your kitchen counter into a tiny coffee shop, with the elf as the barista. Complete with a small espresso machine, tiny cups, and a counter, the elf in a barista apron makes a tiny latte with foam art on top. The setting includes miniature pastries and a small chalkboard displaying the ‘menu’, creating a charming and playful touch.

Still not satisfied?

1. Elf’s Time Travel Adventure: Create a scene where the elf is a time traveler. Set up different eras in various parts of your home – the elf could be a knight at a round table in the dining room, an astronaut on a lunar landscape in the living room, and a pirate searching for treasure in the bathtub. Use costumes, miniature props, and creative backdrops to bring each era to life. The elf, equipped with a tiny makeshift time machine (perhaps a decorated box or a small clock), zips from one era to another, adding a historical and adventurous twist to the tradition.
2. Elf’s Underwater Expedition: Turn your bathroom or a large basin into an underwater scene. Dress the elf in a mini diving suit and place it amongst coral-like decorations, toy fish, and other sea creatures. You could use blue cellophane to simulate water and hang some fish from strings to give the appearance of swimming. The elf could be exploring a sunken toy ship or looking for hidden underwater treasures, making it a fun and imaginative aquatic adventure.
3. Elf in the Jungle Safari: Transform a section of your home into a jungle safari scene. Dress the elf in safari gear and place it among plush animal toys like lions, elephants, and monkeys. You can use house plants to mimic jungle foliage and set up a mini tent or a lookout tower for the elf. Perhaps the elf is on a mission to photograph rare animals or find a hidden Christmas treasure in the jungle.

Even more?

Elf as a Tiny Scholar

Set up a scene where the elf is sitting at a miniature desk, made from a matchbox, with tiny pencils and a small notebook, appearing to write a letter to Santa. This simple setup on a shelf or table, with the elf wearing small glasses, adds a studious and whimsical touch. It suggests the elf is diligently reporting the day’s activities to Santa, making it both easy to set up and engaging for kids.

Elf’s Bedtime Story

Create a cozy scene with the elf tucked into a doll’s bed, complete with a tiny pillow and blanket, pretending to be asleep. Place this setup on a child’s dresser or a small table, with a small book open as if the elf were reading before bed. This scenario creates a relatable bedtime story for the elf, is easy to set up, and is delightful for children to discover in the morning.

If you just need to brainstorm, you can ask for just the titles of the hiding game scenarios. This might help uncover your own idea.

The Most Extreme and Elaborate Elf on the Shelf Hiding Game Scenario?

The North Pole Express

Your Elf becomes the conductor of a miniature magical train, the “North Pole Express,” traveling through different ‘countries’ set up in various rooms of your home.

Setting Up

1. Miniature Train Set: Use a small toy train set. If you don’t have one, a simple DIY version can be made with cardboard or toy blocks.
2. Train Tracks and Station: Lay out the tracks in a circuit that travels through different rooms. Create a small train station using cardboard, complete with a sign that reads “North Pole Express”.
3. Different ‘Countries’ in Each Room:
   • Living Room (Snowy Landscape): Use cotton wool or white fabric to create snow. Add miniature pine trees and snowmen.
   • Kitchen (Tropical Paradise): Craft paper palm trees, put up small beach umbrellas, and maybe even a little sandbox.
   • Bedroom (Cityscape): Make cardboard skyscrapers, tiny streetlights, and draw roads on a large sheet of paper.
4. Elf’s Costume: Dress your elf in a conductor’s uniform. If you’re crafty, you can make a tiny uniform out of fabric scraps. Otherwise, a piece of blue paper or felt can be fashioned into a simple jacket.
5. Accessories:
   • Ticket Puncher: Use a small clip or make one out of cardboard.
   • Timetable: Create a tiny timetable using paper, listing different stops along the route.
6. Passengers: Use other small toys as passengers. Position them on and around the train.

Execution

Each day, the train ‘travels’ to a different ‘country’. Move the elf and the train setup to a new room each morning. You can even create boarding passes or tickets for your child to find, indicating the next destination.

Daily Interaction

Encourage your child to help the elf by making new decorations for each country, suggesting new destinations, or even writing stories about the elf’s adventures in each location.

Whew. There you have it. Go out and try out ways to use ChatGPT for the Elf on the Shelf tradition. Share your experiences. Have fun with it. Be creative. And, most importantly, create some magic for your kids and loved ones. Cheers.

Then, I remembered that I have access to DALL-E 3 image generation with my ChatGPT Plus subscription. I spent the evening seeing if I could generate photographs of that Christmas morning. Some of my image generation prompts didn’t yield a great image, but over the course of an hour messing around with generating vintage photos, I realized that I was creating false memories. The sophisticated AI model was adding random details to the images, and then I was remembering them.

The first image was quite remarkable. I will share the prompt and the output.

It's 1986. My mom has an old camera with 35mm film. She took a photo of Christmas morning. We got an NES. Gift wrap was everywhere. A few Nintendo game boxes were there. She developed the film a few weeks later and put the photograph in an album, where it yellowed. Create this photograph.

Whoa. That’s pretty amazing for the first try at it. I started remembering the accessories that we got with the Nintendo. But, we didn’t get any accessories, save those hook-ups for the television. Let me try again.

It’s definitely a strange image. It is picking up on the word boxes and adding some weird elements to the photo, as you can see. But, somehow, I remember that gold tinsel on our tree. At this point, I am not sure if I really remember that detail or not, but it really feels like we had that gold tinsel wrapping our Christmas tree. My prompt doesn’t specify that it was in the living room; the AI model made a good assumption, but the detail is “made up” nonetheless. Let me get more specific.

It's 1986. My mom has an old camera with 35mm film. She took a photo of Christmas morning when we got an NES. Gift wrap was everywhere. I remember a tree with some handmade ornaments and gold tinsel. We had a huge Sears television in the living room. She developed the film a few weeks later and put the photograph in an album, where it yellowed. Create this photograph.

O.M.G. This is starting to look exactly like I remember that morning with my two brothers. Looking at the made-up photo helped me remember other details. DALL-E 3 added that the TV was on a stand and some paintings were on the wall. My dad was obsessed with Bob Ross in the 1980s, and he painted a few paintings by following along with the Bob Ross painting show on PBS. This is weird. I am using AI to generate photographs, and the AI is filling in details that I am not supplying. Each iteration is giving me certain clues and filling in my memory. I just remembered a candy dish that my mom had in the living room and also a hot water heat register.

It's 1986. My mom has an old camera with 35mm film. She took a photo of Christmas morning when we got an NES. Gift wrap was everywhere. I remember a tree with some handmade ornaments and gold tinsel. We had a huge Sears television in the living room. We had a candy dish on the coffee table and a hot water register. She developed the film a few weeks later and put the photograph in an album, where it yellowed. Create this photograph.

DALL-E 3 is now adding some extreme detail as I add more information to the prompt. It is making reasonable leaps and filling in the gaps. The strange thing is how abstract a photo is. To me, I can encapsulate an entire photograph with a feeling. But a photo has a lot of detail in it. Carpet, wallpaper, window treatments, type of coffee table, type of TV, color of the bowl, arrangement of the items, the number of subjects, color of wood, the grain of the wood, the couch, the frame on the painting, the exact colors of the painting, ….

Maybe it was a Polaroid.

This last one is a lot like what I remember. We did have a VCR. We also had a dedicated VHS tape rewinder.

Here’s what I learned tonight. Something is very weird about using AI to help recreate a memory. And meaning and feeling are strange things. They can abstract many parts of an actual photograph. As I leaf through my old photo albums, I am not storing the photographs in my memory; I am recalling the feeling that got captured Also, generating AI images of the memory added details to my own memory. At this point, I am not sure what’s real and what’s not.

Let’s go with this last one as my actual photo that I couldn’t find. I should put a copy of this photo in an album for my son to find. Will he notice that I not only got one NES, but I got a second huge one?

It's 1986. My mom has a Polaroid camera. She took a photo on Christmas morning when we got an NES. Gift wrap was everywhere. I remember a tree with some handmade ornaments and gold tinsel. On the wood paneling, there was a mountain and lake painting and family photos. We had a huge Sears television in the living room. The TV is off. We had a candy dish on the coffee table and a hot water heater register. She put the photograph in an album, where it yellowed. She wrote, in cursive, Christmas 1986 on the white part of the Polaroid photo. Create this photograph.

Borrowing ideas from my Lofi Girl CheerLights Shadowbox project, George and I made a CheerLights Gift for under our Christmas tree. This gift changes color based on the latest CheerLights color and anyone on Twitter or Discord can change its color and the color of all of the other CheerLights projects.

The CheerLights Gift project is based on the Pimoroni Plasma Stick 2040 W and NeoPixel string lights for illumination. The Plasma Stick ships with CheerLights code main MicroPython file, so all you have to do is change the Wi-Fi network name and password. The microcontroller makes a request to the ThingSpeak API to get the latest CheerLights color, sets the color of the NeoPixel LED lights, waits 10 seconds, and repeats. This is about the fastest way to build your own CheerLights display.

I used a metal gift box that I found in a craft store to house the lights and controller. All we needed to do was stuff the LEDs inside and glue them in place. I only burned my fingers twice.

The project turned out well and kept my five-year-old’s interest for the duration of the build. I was happy that the Plasma Stick 2040 W made it really easy to get the project going.

Join the CheerLights IoT community at CheerLights.com.

I also noticed a tweet by Neil deGrasse Tyson about the reality of Santa delivering packages around the world would have an unpleasant ending for the reindeer.

Neil loves being provocative around the holidays. It is his tradition and it’s just as acceptable as my family’s traditions. This did get me thinking. Neil is trying to (in jest) pick apart the logistics of one person delivering gifts all around the world all at the same time. Maybe the approach shouldn’t be to explain what the legend of Santa is, but rather how it would be possible. When George brought up Amazon, I started thinking that Amazon is slowly making Christmas magic a reality.

Most of the things that I bought on Amazon this year were delivered the next day. I realize that not every area gets one-day delivery, but just a few years ago two-day delivery was the norm. Before that, it was a week. And, when I grew up, if you ordered something from a catalog, you had to “allow 6-8 weeks for processing, handling, and shipping.” Things are changing fast.

Amazon might be able to deliver Christmas magic. On one Christmas eve in the future, you could make your Christmas wish (i.e. place an order), Santa will determine if you are naughty or nice (i.e. creditworthiness), and Santa will get your gifts to you be the next morning (i.e. Amazon will fulfill all of the orders with an army of seasonal workers).

Happy Holidays!