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You better watch out: LSU college introduces its own Elf on the Shelf

The Louisiana State University College of Agriculture introduced Tabasceaux to faculty, staff and students with a Facebook post Wednesday .

Santa Claus is extremely busy this time of year, but thanks to a wildly popular book and toy set, the big man has elves on shelves everywhere to watch for good or bad behavior.

The latest recruit to Santa's Louisiana team is Tabasceaux, a magical agriculture elf who loves all things sugar cane.

The Louisiana State University College of Agriculture introduced Tabasceaux to faculty, staff and students with a Facebook post Wednesday.

You can see the red-hatted figure sitting on campus near the School of Renewable Natural Resources.

"Tabasceaux the Ag Elf has been keeping an eye on our students, and he says they have been extra good!" reads the Facebook post, which had been shared about 50 times in 19 hours. "This time of the year he spreads Christmas magic with agriculture. Follow his journey here."

Expect to see more of these posts over the next few days, finding them with the hashtag #AgElfontheShelf.

The photos will lead to the release of a video exposing folks to the diversity of Louisiana agriculture and its connection to Christmas.

Credit: Amari Baker
Louisiana State University's College of Agriculture introduces its Elf on the Shelf, Tabasceaux. His favorite Louisiana is crop is sugar cane, of course.(Photo: Photo by Amari Baker)

While the video serves the college as a recruitment tool, "it also gets the college out in the general public to show what agriculture really is," said Tobie Blanchard, director of communications for the College of Agriculture.

The College of Agriculture comprises 10 schools and departments covering everything from textiles and apparel design to nutrition and entomology.

"It shows the breadth and depth of what we do here at the College of Agriculture," Blanchard said. "(And) Christmas really is tied into agriculture, with the trees and the food and cotton sweaters."

Embodying the agriculture magic is Brandon Guillory, the college's manager for student services. When he's not working he's often doing theater in the Baton Rouge area, so it was a natural fit.

He's visited with a food safety expert at the LSU AgCenter to discuss holiday consumption, explored a cane sugar field and learned about textiles while being fitted for his elf suit.

"It's a nice way to get everyone in the spirit," Guillory said. "At this point in the year we need a little bit of Christmas magic."

Tabasceaux talks with Wenqing Xu, food safety expert with the LSU AgCenter, about the importance of food safety around the holidays. Tabasceaux learned not to eat raw cookie dough. (Photo: Photo by Tobie Blanchard)

Last year the college produced a video of faculty and staff reading "The Cajun Night Before Christmas" with varying levels of Cajun accents.

This new tradition is a way to show current and prospective students and parents that the college is fun and takes time to care for its students, Blanchard said.

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