What is the point of Elf on the shelf?
What is the point of elf on the shelf? The little elf is supposed to motivation for your kids to behave well. Children are taught the elf is a living, magical/spiritual being. He is invited in the home and stays through the season to observe kids and their behavior and report back to Santa on a nightly basis.
What does the Elf on the shelf do?
The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition is the very special tool that helps Santa know who to put on the Naughty and Nice list. This interactive holiday hide-and-seek tradition is perfect for children and families of all ages. The tradition begins when Santa sends his scout elves out to Elf Adoption Centers.
What is the story behind Elf on shelf?
What is Elf on the Shelf? Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition that started over a cup of tea between Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. Chanda came up the idea of writing a Christmas story about an elf sent from Santa who comes to watch over the children.
What is the Elf on the shelf used for?
Elf on the shelf is a popular tradition where families use a plush stuffed elf to keep an eye on children during the countdown to christmas. Elf on the shelf ideas. The magical scout elves help santa manage his nice list by taking note of a family’s christmas adventures and reporting back to santa at the north pole nightly.
What is the goal of the Elf on the Shelf?
Though for Bell, the goal for the Elf has remained the same. With writing The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, Bell and her mother hoped to remind families of the true values of the Christmas season: joy, hope, faith, and a little magic. They were also hoping to help parents and kids interact in new ways — and it's safe to guess there weren't too many families with elves participating in marshmallow snowball fights before the book was published!
Who Created The Elf On The Shelf?
In 2005, Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell co-authored the book The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, a tale about Santa’s Elf helpers who visit homes to observe childrens’ pre-holiday behavior. Now the books are sold alongside an elf doll, and a kit that can help you create various scenes for your adopted elf, as the character is meant to return nightly to the North Pole then reappear every morning in different spots around your abode. A chair, booties, and a swing are just a few of the props you can buy for your elf to make its magic come true in your home.
What did Bell do before writing a children's book?
Her mom had been going through a tough time with an empty nest, and the idea to write a children's story was "something we could do together and to give my mom something else to think about."
Why do they send elf on the shelf?
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.
When does the Elf on the Shelf arrive?
Usually, the Elf on the Shelf arrives at the end of November or beginning of December.
What do elfs do in the past?
In the past, we’ve seen the elf get up to all sorts of crazy antics, from playing poker to taking selfies to sunbathing on the kitchen counter.
When was the Elf on the Shelf first published?
The world was first introduced to the Elf on the Shelf in 2005. That year, Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell published a children’s book called The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. They teamed up with Aebersold’s other daughter, Christa Pitts, to market the book to kids.
Can you touch an elf?
The Christmas tradition has just two rules. First, children are not allowed to touch the elf or it will lose its magic. If an elf is touched by mistake, the official Elf on the Shelf website advises children write a letter to Santa to apologize and sprinkle a little cinnamon beside the elf before bed.
Do elfs move when they are awake?
The second rule of Elf on the Shelf is that the elf will not speak or move while the kids are awake. The elf only moves at night when it makes its trip back to the North Pole. Once it returns home, it then assumes a new position in the house.
Is the Elf on the Shelf a movie?
Today, the book has become a bestseller and inspired an animated TV movie called “ An Elf’s Story: The Elf on the Shelf .” The phenomenon has become so strong that the Elf on the Shelf is also now a regular at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade.
What is the Elf on the Shelf?
The Elf on the Shelf is a festive family Christmas tradition that continues to grow in popularity each year. The concept is that there are "scout elves" sent by Santa to the homes of kids who celebrate Christmas. These elves have magical powers and a special mission to fly to the North Pole nightly to report to Santa Claus what the kids in the household have been doing—particularly if they've been naughty or nice .
Why do kids play Elf on the Shelf?
For many families, this tradition works to heighten holiday excitement between Thanksgiving and Christmas and provide a creative way for parents and kids to play a several weeks-long game of hide-and-seek together. Additionally, many parents welcome a holiday activity that's screen-free and gets their children moving.
How to make an elf on the shelf happen?
For Elf on the Shelf magic to happen, the adults in the household will need to commit to moving the elf each night. Parents will also need to gauge how hard of a hiding spot to find for the elf. It should not be so easy that the child discovers it instantly but not so hard that a frustrated preschooler ends up in tears. Early on, parents may need to remind the kids to look for their elf buddy (and possibly point kids in the right direction) until the routine gets established.
How to start the Elf on the Shelf tradition?
First, you'll buy the elf doll, which can be customized by gender, skin color, and eye color. Your chosen elf comes as a set of two items in a keepsake "The Elf on the Shelf" box. Inside the box, you'll find the hardcover storybook and your elf.
What does the elf do in the morning?
Each morning, the elf chooses a new vantage point from which to keep an eye on the kids. The night before Christmas, the elf flies off one last time to spend the year with Santa until reappearing next season.
What to do after you pack away an elf?
After you pack away your elf on Christmas Eve, set out a small present from your elf to your children. It doesn't have to be a big gift. Candy canes, a book, a Christmas card with the date on it, or another small token can become part of your family tradition.
Why do elfs fly to the North Pole?
The premise is that each night, your elf flies to the North Pole to tell Santa Claus whether your children have been naughty or nice. It's a cute way to keep the spirit of Santa alive—and encourage good behavior in your children in anticipation of Christmas (and hopefully all year round).
The Elf Needs a Name
The name tends to be something silly and cute, such as Chippey, Snowflake, Fisbee or Buddy.
The Elf Must Not Be Touched
Considered the most important rule, the Scout Elf must never be touched (of course, apart from when the parents move them around) as that will cause them to lose their magical powers.
Their Powers Can Be Restored
According to "Elf on the Shelf 101," if a Scout Elf was accidentally touched, their magical powers can be restored via one of the following methods:
You Can Talk to the Elf
Scout Elves are great listeners and kids can communicate with them by leaving written messages to share their wishes and secrets.
They Only Move When Kids Are Sleep
Parents will want to set an alarm as a reminder to move the elf before their kids wake up each morning and avoid forgetting to do so.
Why do you cut an elf's arms?
Some people don’t and some people do. The reason you would cut them would be to make your elf easier to position when placing him each night. I have also seen tutorials online that help teach you how to add wire to your EOTS’s arms and legs, so you can bend them in fun positions. They also add velcro to their hands, so that they can hand or attach them to things. This tutorial from Dirty Diaper Laundry is a good one!
When to move an elf?
I choose to move our Elf at night, after all the kids are asleep. But, if you have a late night family and are up before your kids. Then, you may choose to move your EOTS in the early morning.
How many printables are there in the Ultimate Christmas Elf Book?
Are you ready to take the hassle and worry out of your Christmas Elf this season while still giving your kids the most amazing experience? The Ultimate Christmas Elf Book of ideas has 25+ printables and ideas available in one simple download!
Is there a real elf on the shelf?
YES! There is only one real brand of Elf on the Shelf, but within the true brand of Elf of the Shelf there are different Elf on the Shelf dolls. There is a Blue Eyed Boy Elf, a Brown Eyed Boy Elf, a Blue Eyed Girl Elf, and Brown Eyed Girl Elf and also a Dark Skinned Brown Eyed Girl Elf and a Dark Skinned Brown Eyed Boy Elf. They also have a few fun little outfits you can purchase to dress up your EOTS: Game Day Jersey, Collectors Elf Skirt (2012 HERE ), and Apron Set.
Do elves get into trouble?
It is often heard of the Elves being mischievous and getting themselves into trouble. This is by all means not a requirement. The elves behavior is up to your preference. My kids are currently 5, 3 and 5 months and I am choosing not to have him make messes and cause mischief. However, my older sisters kids are between 13 and 3, so to make the whole EOTS thing more fun, she chooses to have him be a little mischievous and make it fun for their ages!
What is the Elf on the Shelf?
It describes elves visiting children from Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve, after which they return to the North Pole until the next holiday season. The Elf on the Shelf comes in a keepsake box that features a hardbound picture book and a small scout elf. The authors say the story is from a family tradition started by Carol Aebersold for her twin daughters, Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts in Georgia, USA.
Who started the Elf on the Shelf?
The authors say the story is from a family tradition started by Carol Aebersold for her twin daughters, Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts in Georgia, USA.
What episode of The Simpsons is the elf on the shelf?
The Elf on the Shelf was parodied as "The Gnome in the Home" in " The Nightmare After Krustmas ", a 2016 episode of The Simpsons. 2005 children's picture book.
How do scout elves get their magic?
The Elf on the Shelf explains that scout elves get their magic by being named and being loved by a child. In the back of each book, families have an opportunity to write their elf's name and the date that they adopted it.
Why does the Scout Elf fly back to the North Pole?
Once everyone goes to bed, the scout elf flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa the activities, good and bad, that have taken place throughout the day. Before the family wakes up each morning, the scout elf flies back from the North Pole and hides.
When was the Elf on the Shelf book released?
In 2013, The Elf on the Shelf hit the No. 1 spot on the USA Today Bestsellers List. In October 2013, The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition was released. Written and illustrated by the same team that created the first book, it offers instructions for inviting a scout elf to visit for a child's birthday party and describes how ...
When did the Elf on the Shelf come out?
On 26 November 2011, a 30-minute animated special titled An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf aired on CBS, directed by Chad Eikhoff.
