His Wife Dared Him to Dress Up as Buddy the Elf and Frolic Around N.Y.C. The Results Could Not Be Merrier (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Ryan Beeler dressed up as Buddy the Elf.Photo:Melissa Beeler

Melissa Beeler

One man is showcasing the best way to spread Christmas cheer.

A couple of days before Ryan Beeler and his wife, Melissa, flew from their home in Oklahoma to New York City to celebrate his 40th birthday, the couple decided to watchElfto get into the holiday spirit. That’s when Melissa got an idea: She dared her husband to dress up as Buddy the Elf from the iconic Christmas movie and hop around N.Y.C. to recreate the scenes.

“I was like, ‘I bet you won’t do it,’ " Melissa, 37, tellsPEOPLEexclusively. “I didn’t think he would, but he said, ‘Order me the costume,’ so that’s what I did.”

Melissa Beeler with her husband, Ryan Beeler dressed up as Buddy the Elf.Melissa Beeler

Even when Melissa got the costume, she thought to herself, “There’s no way he’s going to do this.” But eventually, after they arrived in Times Square, she gave him the outfit, then watched him put it on and go outside in the cold.

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Another clip captures Ryan approaching an NYPD’s horse, who tries to bite him and keeps giving him a side-eye.

“People loved it,” Ryan tells PEOPLE. “Everybody’s cheering me on. I remember some random kid yelling at me, ‘Oh my God, it’s Buddy!’ I thought people in New York were going to be rude or mad that I was doing this. Everybody’s always in a hurry in New York, but people were nice.”

“It was funny to see how happy he was making people,” Melissa adds. “I was definitely nervous for him at first, thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t know how people are going to receive this.’ But then to see how happy it made everybody, it was really cool.”

“I was also cool to see it go viral online and spread Christmas joy,” she adds. “I love that people receive it like that. I loved watching it, and I just love that people at home can laugh too.”

Ryan Beeler dressed up as Buddy the Elf with an NYPD officer and horse.Melissa Beeler

While Ryan tried to go out the next day and do it all over again, it was too cold, and the tights for the costume weren’t very warm. So, he hopes to come back to N.Y.C. next year and make his way over to the Empire State Building to recreate scenes of Buddy entering the landmark, where his dad Walter works.

“In a world full of doom and gloom and negativity, people can still have a little fun and spread some Christmas cheer,” Ryan says.

As for Melissa, seeing her husband in action was priceless; the only thing that would make it better would be Ferrell joining in on the fun. She says, “That would be the highlight of my husband’s life, not getting married or having kids. It would literally be that scenario happening.”

source: people.com