If you are on social media, perhaps you have come across Christmas pictures of a little creature in people’s homes. This is a new Christmas craze known as elf on the shelf that has created a lot of buzz worldwide. December is the month that we count down to the D-day that is Christmas on 25th of December. This is the time when we get to decorate homes with Christmas trees, and in millions of homes, you will find little elves in different positions. In fact, over 10 million homes worldwide are practicing elf on the shelf. If you have seen this little creature on photos, you might be wondering what the buzz is all about. The elf on the shelf is a kid’s gift pack that has a storybook and an elf, which could be a girl or a boy, that comes from the North Pole to assist Santa Claus to manage his nice and naughty list.

When does Elf on the Shelf start?

The elf on the shelf can start at any time from the end of November to week two of December. Today, the elf on the shelf is seen as a Christmas game or decoration that keeps the children busy as they prepare to celebrate Christmas. The elf on the shelf started as a storybook back in 2005, which told the story of Santa Claus sending his elf to check if kids are nice or naughty. Over the years, the elf on the shelf story developed to include a festive toy, which is a little character of the storybook. It also has a parent guide that documents how the elf will fly to Santa every night and return the next morning. Usually, the elves will join different families at the beginning of Christmas festivities and will stay until the Eve of Christmas Day. Kids can come up with new names for the elves once they adopt them in their homes.

 

Every night, the elf will fly back to the North Pole where it will report back to Santa Claus on the kid’s behavior during the day. The next morning, the elf will return to its new home this time landing in a different area. To make it look realistic, parents will come with a different position for the elf the next morning. This can be kneeling next to a manger with baby Jesus, decorating the Christmas tree, or sitting on the Christmas wreath. Therefore, when the kids wake up the following day, they will find the elf has returned to a different position. If kids are well behaved, parents can leave some gifts along with the elf. However, the elf can only move when everybody else in the house is asleep. Also, kids are not supposed to touch the elf so that it doesn’t lose its magic. In case a child touches the elf by mistake, they are allowed to write an apology letter to Santa. This will make sure the elves don’t lose their powers and Santa will listen to what they have to say.

The elf on the shelf story

The magic of the elf began 16 years ago when Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell wrote The Elf on the Shelf: Christmas Tradition book. The bestselling book tells the story of how Santa knows who has been nice and naughty. It explains how scout elves visit different homes between Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Eve, before returning to the North Pole until the Christmas holidays. Usually, the scout elf will hide in homes to watch how kids are behaving. During nightfall when everybody is asleep, the scout elf will return to Santa Claus to report on the day’s activity. Before the kids are awake, the elf will return back to the home and hide in a new place. It is the kids’ responsibility to find where the elf is hiding once they wake up. The little scout elf gets its magic after being named by the new family. Once it has a name, the scout elf will get its Christmas magic of flying to the North Pole and back. However, the magic may disappear if the kids touch the elf. Families are allowed to speak to the elf so that it can report to Santa what it heard. The Elf on the Shelf story concludes when the little scout returns to stay with Santa Claus until the next Christmas holiday.

Elf on the Shelf ideas

If you are a new parent, you might be wondering how to be creative with this little creature position in your house. Of course, you can be as creative as you wish. We have seen elves taking selfies with Christmas trees and others parachuting down the Christmas tree. You can get as creative as you want with the little scout elf. If you are looking for new inspiration to spice up your Christmas decoration, we are going to look at some of the best elf on the shelf ideas that you can use this festive season.

Elf on the shelf is a fun activity that parents can engage with their kids during the festive season. While it originated from the North Pole, parents around the world are starting to adopt the practice which is gaining popularity every year. As we approach the Christmas Day, the elf on the shelf can make sure your kid appears on Santa’s nice list instead of the naughty list. At the same time, they will have some fun time with elf before Christmas day arrives.

The Elf on the Shelf: a Christmas tradition that continues changing with the times. In 2017, what boy scout elf doesn’t love jamming out to tunes on her headphones? Not only will your child delight in the book of the Elf on the Shelf story, but this new green graphic hoodie will make your elf stylish and artistic. Buy your elf on the shelf kit right now!

Elf serving breakfast

Elf on the shelf on the Christmas wreath

Elf assisting to set the Christmas lights
Elf assisting to set the Christmas lights

 

Elf encouraging your kids to brush their teeth
Elf encouraging your kids to brush their teeth
Elf swinging on a tissue paper
Elf swinging on a tissue paper

Elf sliding down the newel using a candy stick
Elf sliding down the newel using a candy stick

Elf playing sack race with other dolls

 Elf asking the kids to find hidden candies
Elf asking the kids to find hidden candies
 Elf asking your kids to build a snowman
Elf asking your kids to build a snowman
Two elves sitting on the Christmas wreath side by side
Two elves sitting on the Christmas wreath side by side

 Elf zip lining from the Christmas tree
Elf zip lining from the Christmas tree

A superman elf flying down the Christmas tree

 

as always, thanks for reading!
Olivia Traistaru
senior editor