Christmas has a lot of festive traditions, from decorating a pine tree indoors, to ugly sweater contests. We do quite a lot to make our homes and work environments a bit more jolly around this time of year. Another interesting tradition, especially those with families partake in, is called Elf on the Shelf. It revolves around a small elf plush toy placed around the home in different spots or scenarios every day.
How the Elf on the Shelf started.
The Elf on the Shelf wasn’t always a toy, in fact it started out as a book written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. The book talks about an elf who came to watch a family. Eventually, the book became an animated Christmas special and then eventually a toy sensation that became a part of America’s Christmas tradition.
So, what exactly is Elf on the Shelf?
Every year, families can decorate their homes with toy elves, but the story goes that these elves are more than just toys. In fact, they’re actually monitoring the behavior of the home they’re in, and once the family goes to sleep, the elf goes back to the North Pole and reports the good and bad behaviors to Santa Claus. When the family wakes up, the elf will have come back and “hides” in a different spot each day.
It is told that the elf receives its magic by being named and loved by the family who brings it home. Additionally, this “Christmas magic” can disappear if the elf is touched, and on Christmas Day, the elf leaves to the North Pole and will return the following season.
Will your family partake in Elf on the Shelf this year? To learn about more fun festivities you can enjoy this year, click the button below.
