Guide for Parents on Elf on the shelf (2024)

FAQs

What are parents supposed to do with Elf on the Shelf? ›

Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition that sees parents moving an Elf on the Shelf (also known as a "Scout Elf") around the house every day to keep an eye on children ahead of Santa's visit.

An Elf on the Shelf welcome letter is one way to introduce your kids to their new buddy who will be sticking around for the holidays. It can explain to them that the elf has been sent from the North Pole to watch their behavior for Santa, and that the Elf will report back to Santa every night.

Santa advises that no family member touch their Elf on the Shelf, but he does describe a few rare instances when an adult may use tongs or potholders to help an elf in an urgent situation.

There are just a few rules to remember! The most important—don't touch your Scout Elf, or they will lose their magic! Scout Elves can't talk, but they are great listeners. Little ones can share secrets and wishes with their elf as often as they'd like.

When does Elf on the Shelf come? The Elf on the Shelf website recommends your Elf arrive between November 24 through December 1. This is also known as Scout Elf Return week, a.k.a. the time when Santa's little helpers flee the North Pole and head out to the houses they'll be staying at until Christmas.

Elves are very fragile, and if they are touched by human children they lose their magic and ability to communicate with Santa.

Elf moves back and hides in a new place in the morning. Children are allowed to send their wishes to Santa through Elf. Note: Parents should understand that there are two rules of placing the Elf on the Shelf officially. Firstly, parents should change the position of the Elf every night when their children are asleep.

Do I need one Elf per child or one per household? The choice is yours. We have included two Nice List Certificates and two Letters to Santa in each kit, as these items are personal. All the other items can be shared as a family.

Usually elves travel by more magical means, but for a more official goodbye, pack up your elf in a box, write “To the North Pole” on it, and slap every stamp you can find on there. You don't actually have to send it anywhere, just make it seem like he's going on a trip to a very cold and faraway place.

One philosophy provides a compelling argument about the dangers of the Elf on the Shelf, namely that it is a lie, threatens the trustworthiness of parents, ultimately encourages gullibility in children rather than critical thinking and inadvertently teaches children that their behavior should be governed by potential ...

What are the two rules for the Elf on the Shelf? ›

What are the Rules for Elf on the Shelf? The Kids can not touch the elf. If they touch the elf then the elf can not fly back to the north pole that night.

Write a note to your elf or Santa apologizing for touching your elf. This is the most effective way to help your Scout Elf get back in action quick! Sprinkle a little cinnamon next to your Scout Elf.

According to The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, the night before Christmas, an elf's job comes to an end. On December 24, most Scout Elves say farewell to their families and fly back to the North Pole following Santa's sleigh.

The official Elf on the Shelf website details the three rules to follow. The first and most important rule is that you must NOT touch your Elf. If you do, they will lose all their magic - and nobody wants that to happen.

Here's a breakdown of the few basic Elf on the Shelf rules: Don't touch your elf or their magic will disappear. Talk to your elf, but know that they can't talk back. Your elf reports to Santa nightly and can deliver letters to him.

On the nights when your elf is ornery, he or she will leave a note apologizing for a mess. Elves also love to hide stuff (like stockings and candy canes) and there's notes with instructions to find…

Are you supposed to cut the tie between their hands? This is again a personal decision. 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 looked at my oldest, and she confirmed, “Yep, apparently, the Elf on the Shelf now brings presents to kids every day before Christmas.”

How do I tell my child the truth about the Elf on the Shelf? ›

Be honest with your child.

Tell him/her that the Elf on the Shelf is something parents do to make the Christmas season a little more fun for kids, and you are sorry he/she is so smart to have figured it out too soon but Santa (or you) will be proud of him/her for letting siblings/friends continue believing in the elf.

As the story goes, elves arrive around Thanksgiving and keep watch of children up until Christmas Eve. Every night during this time, elves fly to the North Pole to report to the big guy, ya know, Santa, about the kids' naughty or niceness, then return to a new spot each morning.

Average Elven Lifespan

Elves have the ability to live forever thanks to their immortality. Elves like Elrond, who was over 6000 years old in The Lord of the Rings, are not hard to come by.

Age: Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as Humans, the elven understanding of Adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims Adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

According to elf legend, the elf moves each night. Some mornings, though, kids might find themselves asking why the elf is still in its same place.

The Elf on the Shelf “Goodbye Letter” is a part of the farewell tradition; it is written and included when the elf leaves each year. The letter usually includes a message about the memories the Elf had with your child, as well as a thought for the new year.

Elf on the Shelf usually leaves on Christmas Eve. While this can be sad for many children, the elves must go back to the North Pole to report to Santa and help with Christmas. Don't worry though, they will be back next year!

The gloves protect your skin from touching the Elf, so that way your Elf will not lose its magic! Now the kids can touch their Elf! However, I suggest making the Elf Magic Gloves be something special that is only allowed some of the time!

The elf moves around the house, ready to catch unsuspecting children misbehaving so that he can report back to Santa. The tradition was created to encourage children to be on their best behavior during the holidays, and it is based on a 2004 book of the same name by Chanda Bell.

They have a favorite spot in your home. When your Scout Elf flies back from the North Pole and lands in the same spot, chances are it's their favorite place to sit in your home. Just like you have a favorite spot on the couch, your elf has favorite spots, too! The spot has a great vantage point.

What is elf code? ›

In computing, the Executable and Linkable Format (ELF, formerly named Extensible Linking Format), is a common standard file format for executable files, object code, shared libraries, and core dumps.

Elves only need to sleep for 4 hours, meaning that they can be the one on guard duty for the other four hours instead of the PCs together getting about 6 hours of sleep for a long rest or if there's less than 4 players that one player will have to take a short rest and/or a long rest without sufficient sleep instead.

Christmas Eve is debatably the most exciting day of the year, however, that doesn't mean the rules change. Even though your kiddos probably want to embrace your Elf with tons of love before he leaves, he still has to fly back to the North Pole. So, just like the other 23 days, don't touch the Elf.

Visit Santa's online adoption center. Parents, pull up Santa's online store, where all the magical creatures from the North Pole are available for adoption. After you pick a boy or girl elf, Santa will send your new helper straight to your home. Put it in a wish list.

The first and most important rule is that you must NOT touch your Elf. If you do, they will lose all their magic - and nobody wants that to happen. When scout elves lose their magic, they can't go about their Christmas duties. This means no presents for anyone in your family!

Are you supposed to cut the tie between their hands? This is again a personal decision. 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.

According to The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, the night before Christmas, an elf's job comes to an end. On December 24, most Scout Elves say farewell to their families and fly back to the North Pole following Santa's sleigh.

I looked at my oldest, and she confirmed, “Yep, apparently, the Elf on the Shelf now brings presents to kids every day before Christmas.”