Because the Elf on the Shelf “moves” each night, belief can sometimes be suspended into thinking that it is real. And for all intents and purposes, the Elf on the Shelf is real. It's a real doll, after all.
Are grown-ups allowed to intervene? 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.
Santa is real in the sense that he was an actual person. Otherwise known as Saint Nicholas, his story goes all the way back to the 3rd century. He was a monk who was born in 280 A.D. in modern-day Turkey. As an only child, he was given great affection by his parents.
Santa's official Scout Elves always come in an official The Elf on the Shelf® box, and they are accompanied by a children's storybook, just as shown above! You can tell Scout Elves apart from other elves at the North Pole because they arrive in an official solid red jumpsuit.
Visit an official Scout Elf Adoption Center.
At these special adoption centres, which are typically only open during the holiday season, you and your family can visit and pick out your very own Elf on the Shelf® to take home.
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.
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. When scout elves lose their magic, they can't go about their Christmas duties.
And for all intents and purposes, the Elf on the Shelf is real. It's a real doll, after all. The real question is, though, do you think the Elf on the Shelf is real? And I'm here to tell you that, yes, it is.
When they do come to you and tell you that they without a doubt no longer believe in Santa and Elf on the Shelf isn't real, then you can come clean. Explain to them that while they may not be “real” in the sense they once believed; their overall message is still important.
"It's not an overnight shift in thinking," says Laura Lamminen, Ph. D., a pediatric psychologist at Children's Health℠, "and there's no set age where children should know the truth about Santa Claus." Dr. Lamminen says each family and each child within that family will be ready to talk about Santa at different ages.
Nick is fictional. About 40 percent of the parents polled by the site said the right age to break the news about Santa to children is between the ages of 8 and 12, while one in 10 adults feel you can put off that disclosure until after kids turn 12.
Preschoolers likely believe that Santa has a special mind, that he may know some things that most other adults don't know but not everything. So, young children typically believe that Santa exists, but in a more mundane form than adults let on.
Elves need to wait until everyone is asleep before they can move around. If there was too much activity around the house last night, perhaps your elf only had time to get to the North Pole and back, but not enough time to find a new position. Make sure you get to bed early tonight to help them out!
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.
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. Every night, a parent hides the elf in a new place.
If anyone touches the scout, he or she cannot fly to the North Pole and back every night. But don't worry! If your elf is "accidentally" touched, or falls out of the tree, or the dog mistakes it for a chew toy, you can revive the magic.
From a scientific viewpoint, elves are not considered objectively real. However, elves have in many times and places been believed to be real beings.
And don't you deserve the credit for buying all the presents? As adults we know Santa Claus isn't real, but many of us remember the disappointing day we discovered this was the case.
Even though your family can't talk to your elf directly while they are at the North Pole, you can keep in touch and let them know you're thinking of them – talk to your Elf on the Shelf® either online, by post, or keep up to date with their magical adventures!
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.
Per official Elf on the Shelf lore, a touched Scout Elf loses their magic. Learning this fact could leave your kids spiraling down an endless rabbit hole of unwanted outcomes — ending up on the naughty list and Christmas being cancelled being their chief concerns, according to my own kids.
Stick a stuffed animal/toy on counter with a note saying "save me!" Elf on the shelf - Elsa. (put in ziploc bag - press all air out, put in cup, fill with water, freeze - put something heavy on to keep from floating. once frozen, put cup under hot water to get ice out then stick back in freezer with Elsa.)
The Elf on the Shelf tradition can be started at any age, but most parents recommend waiting until your child is between the ages of 2 and 3. They claim it's the perfect sweet spot for children to appreciate and understand the elves' magic while establishing this family tradition at a young age.