What Is Up With Elf On The Shelf?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition where

a special scout is sent to your home from the North Pole to encourage kids to behave themselves

. The idea is that Santa's little helper watches the children by day, and each night, it returns to the North Pole to report on whether they were naughty or nice.

What is the secret behind elf on the shelf?

In the story,

elves get adopted by families and integrated into their Christmas traditions every year

. When the family gives the elf a name, the elf receives its Christmas magic. Each night, the elf flies back to the North Pole each night to “report” to Santa Claus.

Why is Elf on the shelf a bad idea?

The crux of this toy is that the elf is not-so-secretly spying on your kids on a daily basis to report their behavior to Santa Claus. If your child is bad or doesn't follow rules, the obvious risk is that

their Christmas will be sacrificed

, and they will instead receive that dreaded lump of coal.

What are the rules of Elf on a shelf?

  • He or she needs a name. …
  • He or she arrives whenever the heck you want. …
  • He or she moves every night while the kids are sleeping. …
  • He or she watches over the kids all day. …
  • The kids can't touch their Elf. …
  • The Elf doesn't move or speak while the kids are awake.

Do your parents move the elf on the shelf?

Because the elf is supposed to be “alive” and watching children to see if they're naughty or nice, this toy basically

requires parents to move it to a new location every night

.

Is Elf on the Shelf still popular?

The Elf on the Shelf is a festive family Christmas tradition that

continues to grow in popularity each year

. … Many parents and kids alike enjoy the fun and games of including this yearly ritual in their Christmas celebrations.

Is Elf on the Shelf real?

They are Elf on the Shelf elves, and to the people who carry out this tradition they are some of the highlights of Christmas. The rules are simple: The elf travels to the North Pole overnight to tell Santa if you've been good or bad. …

The Elf on the Shelf is real.”

Who made elf on the shelf toy?


Christa Pitts, Carol Aebersold and Chand Bell

, the business and creative brains behind “The Elf on the Shelf” phenomenon. Families adopt the elf that comes with the storybook. There are two rules with the elf: You can't touch the elf or he or she will lose their magic.

How big is Elf on the shelf?

Brand The Elf on the Shelf Item Dimensions LxWxH

10.24 x 2.76 x 10.24 inches
Color (Blue-eyed Boy) Classic Style The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition Language English

Who owns Elf on the shelf?

Behind it all is

Carol Aebersold and her twin daughters Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts

, who kicked off the craze in 2005 when Carol and Chanda published a book called The Elf on a Shelf . Since then, their company, Creatively Classic Activities and Books, based in metro Atlanta, has expanded to a larger franchise.

Do you read the Elf on the Shelf book every year?

I love reading the Elf on the Shelf Book to the kids when first getting started, and for

the younger ones reading it each year

helps them remember all the fun that comes from elf on the shelf. … The book that comes with Elf on the Shelf has all the rules in it.

When should I bring out Elf on the Shelf?

According to the official Elf on the Shelf website, you should bring back Santa's little helper sometime during Scout Elf Return Week, which is

no earlier than November 23 and no later than December 1

.

What happens if a child touches an Elf on the Shelf?

If your kids purposefully touch their Elf on the Shelf,

you can have their elf spend a day away at the North Pole

. Write a brief letter from your elf to explain that because they were touched, they have to spend the day getting their magic fixed at the North Pole and there will be no fun antics happening that day.

What is the 4 gift rule?

The 4 gift rule says

you limit the number of gifts you buy your children to four

, one from each of the four categories: Something they want, need, wear, and read. It's an easy way to teach your children that they can't have everything they want.

Why do you move the Elf on the Shelf?

It's tradition to move the elf every single day because, in theory,

the elf returns to the North Pole every night to tell Santa how the children he's been watching over are behaving

. … In order to keep the Elf on the Shelf firmly planted for at least a week or two, she put the elf in a cast.

What do you do if your elf on the shelf doesn't move?

Often an elf will lose their magic over night when the temperature gets too warm or they use up too much energy making something for you. Solution: To make sure the elf has enough magic to leave the next night,

gently pick him up with kitchen tongs and place him in the refrigerator for

30-45 minutes.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.