You may have heard about it more and more these past few years, but what is the Elf on the Shelf? In this article I will explain how the story became such a heart warming tradition that has taken hold in the households of many families, including my own. The joy it brings to the little ones, and big people too, is just beautiful. Whether you have a normal life, or are dealing with issues, which most people are, bringing the Elf on the Shelf into your family fold can be a beacon of light, wonder and enjoyment, for all ages. When it comes to Christmas, we are big fans of everything that is Christmas. It truly is a wonderful time of the year, even living in a country where it falls in summer and never resembles those lovely white Christmases we see in the movies, we still do what we can to create that feeling.
When my daughter was younger and had Leukemia, I wish the Elf on the Shelf had been around then so we could spread some Christmas cheer in a dark time, and if it so happened that she was in hospital at any time through Christmas, the Elf on the Shelf, being quite small, could have still been active there too. Don’t let something like that spoil Christmas for you when something as simple can bring so much joy to your children (and yourselves, because I get just as much joy from being the elf handler for my grandchildren as they do in the process of finding or discovering him). Having an Elf on the Shelf need not be expensive or difficult to adopt as a Christmas Tradition. The fun doesn’t stop once the children are older and out of the believing in Santa stage, because you will find many adult versions of antics the elf gets up to too, that will have the whole family laughing.
The Enchantment of the Elf on the Shelf – Where Did it Begin?
The Elf on the Shelf originated when American mum, Carol Aebersold, from Tennessee, decided to share her family’s tradition from when she was growing up and produced the book “The Elf on the Shelf”. The story is about a magical elf that came to visit her family from Santa at the North Pole during the days leading up to Christmas, often from Thanksgiving to Christmas. The story book and the accompanying elf toy were created as a result, and was made available to the general population. The tradition fast became adopted by many families over the world.
The Story Goes….
The elf is sent by Santa to spend time with families leading up to Christmas. The children must name the elf for the elf to obtain it’s magic and be able to fly back to the North Pole nightly to report to Santa . You can also choose to keep the same name every year, or give it a new name each year. Some years, we have even just referred to the elf by default as “Elfie”, and that is perfectly OK too. While the story is about how the elf is there to report to Santa on the children for the naughty or nice list, some parents, or grandparents such as myself, believe it’s your elf and you don’t necessarily have to do that side of it, the elf merely returns to Santa for other reasons. Whether it be to refresh it’s Christmas magic, or give an account of the adventures it’s having with your family, or collect something to bring back, it’s your story, create what suits you and your family best. When the elf returns, it finds a new place to sit and subsequently it’s like a Christmas-long game of hide and seek with the family.
There is Just One Rule To Follow and it Will Be Plain Sailing!
There is one rule and that the children must adhere to, and that is that the elf is not allowed to be touched otherwise it will lose it’s magic and won’t be able to fly back to Santa each night. You can do everything that the book says, or you can choose how to have your particular elf participate in the family Christmas fun. Ultimately, I think there is a lot of room for fun and games if you are so inclined, or you can just keep it as simple as you like. Some families just may not have the time to go all out, but to just move it around to different places, which means even the busiest of families can still have and enjoy their own Elf on the Shelf.
OK, I got the Elf, Now what do I do with it?
There are many ways a family might choose to have fun with their elf. Some parents just move it around the house in to different spots, some have the elf up to all sorts of antics, some have the elf creating scenes from things around the house, some have the elf bring items, such as Christmas craft, sweets, books or whatever. For ideas there are many articles, Pinterest posts, Facebook pages Etc., where people share what their elf has been up to daily. On Christmas Eve, the elf is destined to fly home with Santa until the following year when it comes back again. You can be as lavish as you like, creative as you like, or keep it as simple as you like. Ultimately it’s up to you as parents, to decide how your elf will interact with the family.
When To Start Your Elf on the Shelf Journey? It’s All Up to You!
You can also decide when the elf comes as well. For some people, the elf arrives on Thanksgiving, for others, like us, our elf arrives on December 1st, or other’s might decide that the 12th of December will work well. It’s really up to you. We also change it up a bit where our elf doesn’t always come on the 1st, but he’s usually not too many days later than that. Ours doesn’t arrive earlier than December 1st. Sometimes family things come up and we have to adjust it to suit our family. The important thing to remember is that there are many excuses that you can use that may have contributed to the elf not arriving when he or she should have. One year, I forgot the date, and I was able to explain the elf’s late arrival due to a storm we just had, and when the elf finally arrived, he was carrying a sign that said “sorry I’m late, I got held up in the storm”.
Bringing Hope and Joy: The Value of Elf on the Shelf for Families Facing Challenges
For families facing challenges, such as we did when my daughter had Leukemia, means that the Elf on the Shelf tradition can be a source of comfort and distraction for families facing Christmas with children who might be ill or perhaps even in hospital. I can think of many other challenges to families that may put a damper on Christmas such as job loss, financial strain, moving house, to name just a few, but with a tiny elf and some hiding places in your home, or wherever you may be, you can still make Christmas nice and memorable during trying times.
Your Home is a Treasure Trove of Ideas
Make use of what you have in your home already. If you are already decorated for Christmas, use the decorations as props or locations, if your child has Barbie doll clothes or toy cars, dress your elf up in the clothes, or have them riding on one of the toys. If you have limited space, like us right now, make a dedicated elf area where the elf remains but things change around it and it changes positions in which it can be found. Just last night I had some holly on a vine that I bought for a decoration, and all I did was tangle our elf, plus a couple of other elf friends, up in the vine.
Hospital or Illness Should Not Ruin the Fun
If you happen to have a child in hospital, the elf is small and flexible and can be easily packed in a hospital bag to be taken out and placed when needed. The hospital would have many things or locations that you could use to continue the magic. There would be plenty of areas or things you can use to hide the elf. If they are on a drip machine, you could hang the elf around it, or peeking out from a curtain, hiding under the medication trolley or food trolley by the bed, to offer a few examples here. Likewise, if you happen to be on holiday, the elf can easily be packed for this also.
Adversity Should Not Prevent a Bit of Elf Medicine
You may not be able to change or fix whatever issues you are facing in the present and immediate future, but you will still be able to create some very precious Christmas moments and memories amidst the adversity and get to see the children’s face light up when they find the elf. A smile can lift your whole demeanor, try it. Usually when you are feeling depressed or down, your shoulders tend to droop a little. I went to a seminar years ago and we practiced standing as if we were depressed and overwhelmed and took note of how our shoulders slumped and matched our moods, etc., and then we were asked to smile, a broad, big smile, and do you know what? It lifted our shoulders up and there was a notable difference in our moods for the better. It truly was a life changing experience and a free tool for anyone to use if you remember to smile if in need. Smiling is contagious, and seeing the precious faces of children filled with excitement and so filled with joy, will no doubt serve to bring a smile to your face too. And don’t forget, if you have Camp Quality where you are, their motto has always been “laughter is the best medicine”.
Will You Bring a New “Elf on the Shelf” Tradition Into Your Home?
Our family are big on Christmas traditions. We have many, some of which have been passed down from my own parents, ones that I am passing down to my own daughter who is also developing her own traditions to add to mine and my parent’s for her own family. That being said, I’m sure my grandchildren will also carry on these traditions and also add new ones to the mix too, once it is their turn to bring Christmas to their own families. For me, that’s one of the things that makes Christmas such a special time for me, the traditions we have and the love we share in this time of the year.
Making Your Elf a Part of your Christmas Traditions
Incorporating our Elf on the Shelf into our family’s Christmas experience and traditions has been an easy thing to do. My rules are pretty loose, except the no-touching rule, and subject to change according to our circumstances. Some years I spend a bit of money gathering things to have the elf bring to our home, other years, we have kept it very simple and just played hide and seek with it, or a mixture of these. Reasons for the loose rules are changes in the size of the family, the ages of the grandkids, having pets or not, living in a too-small home, not being able to have the elf go anywhere in the house or having to have him contained in one area due to space constraints, toddlers who want to touch everything , having parties where guests might accidentally touch him, plus many others.
Adjusting to Changes in Circumstances Does Not Mean You Can’t Bring an Elf into Your Home
When my first granddaughter was younger, and our elf first arrived almost ten years ago, I could trust her not to touch the elf, even when it was on the floor, because she was just that kind of kid, but there are 3 more grandchildren, 1 dog and 2 cats to take into account now. Two of the younger kids are almost at the age where I can trust them to leave the elf alone, but the 2 year old is another story. Likewise, the cats and dog are not likely to leave the elf alone if it so happened that he landed on the floor when coming home from Santa. So we have had to dedicate an area, or Elf Arena, to where the elf can do his thing without the scene getting disturbed. Our home just doesn’t have the space at the moment for the elf to get carried away with fancy scenes, although I still do try to create something special some of the time. Once the kids are all older, we might be able to go back down to using floor space for other kinds of fun scenes. We also utilise places that are up higher, such as in the Christmas tree or hanging from something, sitting on top of the air conditioner etc.
As an Added Bonus: Having an Elf on the Shelf Contributes to Family Bonding and Encouraging Niceness Towards Each Other
Our Elf certainly brings us together as a family. The grandkids love searching for the elf and once they’ve found it, ask everyone in the house if they have found it yet. They wait for a little while until their patience reaches it’s maximum and then they ask if the family want any clues or for them to be shown. I love that they give people the opportunity to find it themselves first. Their excitement is contagious and everyone joins in on making exclamations about how sneaky, cheeky or clever etc., the elf has been. No matter how much the kids fight during the rest of the day, the mornings are always started on a nice note, and I think that sets a mood to help everyone through the day. Christmas is about good will to all, and our elf contributes to this in our home on a daily basis.
Bring Your Family Some Christmas Cheer With Your Very Own Elf on the Shelf
Our Elf on the Shelf is with us forever now, and I’m so glad I introduced this tradition to our family quite a few years ago. He creates Christmas magic every day he is in our house, not just for a couple of days, but the whole lead up to Christmas and keeps everyone in the Christmas spirit. He is a very integral part of Christmas for us now, and at least I know that with him around, there is no end of Christmas festivities to us. Christmas is my absolute favourite time of the year, so I accept and embrace all things that bring Christmas cheer to me and my home. I love that he is also affordable for all families at a one time cost, and once people start to have fun with him, his value becomes priceless.
Oh by the way, I should mention too, that if you are really stuck for ideas, or want things to be quick and easy, there is an Elf on the Shelf Store on Amazon. It has many products that are designed to enhance your experience and fun with the elf and can make things a whole bunch easier if you have trouble thinking of things to do with him or her. I hope you have a fantastic Christmas and have the best time with your family and your elf.
Thank you for reading my article. I’d love to hear from you in the comments if you have your own Elf on the Shelf. Drop a photo in in you can. I’m sure they will inspire other people and give them ideas on what other people do too.
Warm Wishes
Ange
