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Esquire's December issue has a hostess: Erika Christensen, whom you can see in various poses throughout the magazine's pages (and above). We spoke with the twenty-eight-year-old Seattle native (and star of NBC's Parenthood) about her holiday spirit — and how to stretch before giving a gift.

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ESQUIRE: Were you honored to be our holiday elf?

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ERIKA CHRISTENSEN: It's flattering, of course, but it's kind of ironic because my character on Parenthood is such a feminist. I realized that as I was getting dressed.

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ESQ: What would she say to you if she found out?

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EC: Probably something like, "Women's suffrage was a long journey, don't throw it all away." She would go off.

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ESQ: What's the biggest challenge of being an elf?

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EC: I was focused on making sure [people can tell] I was having a very good time. My theory is, if you force yourself to smile enough, then you start to feel it. Which comes in handy all the time.

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ESQ: For all the aspiring elves out there, what tip would you give them? Aside from smiling, of course.

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EC: Definitely stretch out those quads and hamstrings. And study your Varga girls. That's really the ultimate.

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ESQ: So what do you want for Christmas?

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EC: I keep a running list. It has everything on it from home property to all the seasons of The Wire on DVD.

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ESQ: What's the worst gift you've ever gotten?

EC: There was a strapless, short dress that was chiffon with a slit. This probably sounds good to you, but it was different strips of different colors. It kind of looked like a Little Mermaid costume. Maybe I should have kept it, and I could have been the Little Mermaid for Halloween.

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