Sprinkle some pixie dust (glitter) on the Elf, and he will come back to life! Tell them, “every time they touch the elf, Santa brings them one less gift on Christmas morning.” If there's anything your child wants for Christmas, it's their gifts.
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. Parents: read on to learn about special, few and far between cases where emergency help will be required.
There is only one rule according to the story: if the child touches the elf, it will lose its magic.
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.
Steps to Make your Elf on the Shelf Posable
Step 1: Elf on the Shelf comes with his hands connected together, cut the thread that holds them together so the arms can be separated. Step 2: Unpick the stitching at the end of the elfs hands and feet.
7. Children are not allowed to touch them. Elves are very fragile, and if they are touched by human children they lose their magic and ability to communicate with Santa.
By age eight, kids begin to acknowledge the unlikeliness of one man travelling the world in a single night. The good news? If you started the tradition of Elf on the Shelf in your household, you can likely send the elf into early retirement around your child's eighth Christmas.
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.
Tell the Kids how Elf on the Shelf Works: Tell your kids how the Elf on the Shelf works, and how Santa sends elves down for some Christmas fun and how each night the Elves fly home to Santa's workshop and tells Santa about how amazing the kids are being.
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.
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.
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.
Dr. Lamminen says that for typically developing children, the years between age 7 and 11 mark a big change in thinking. Younger children are more imaginative, but not very logical, making it easy to believe in Santa. By age 7, believing starts to become more difficult.
"There is no such thing as being too old to believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy," Kelman tells Yahoo Life. "Letting kids figure it out on their own is preferable to parents breaking the news to them.
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.
Explain that you actually bought those yourself and that Santa Claus is the idea of giving for the sake of giving, without thanks or acknowledgement. Tell them that now they know the truth, they're part of it, too, and can never tell a younger child the secret.
Sprinkle some cinnamon
Cinnamon is like vitamins for your elf, according to the Elf on the Shelf website. So, sprinkle some of this life-giving substance around your elf to help it regain strength and restore its magic if your Elf on the Shelf is touched.
It could simply say "goodbye" or "farewell." A trendy elf might opt for "elf out" or "laters."
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! Otherwise your poor Elf is going to get haggard from all the kid play!
If your elf didn't move, they may be trying to communicate an important message to you! If your elf is accidentally touched, they may have just enough energy to get to the North Pole but not enough magic to create a whole new scene in your home.
A Scout Elf receives their Christmas magic after you name them, therefore it's safe to take your elf out of the box before they are named. If you have named your Scout Elf, don't worry! At night he or she will find their way out of the box using the Christmas magic they gained when you named them!
An elf does not want to report a child's bad behavior to Santa. Instead of reporting naughty behavior, they will stay in their spot for a few days until there is something nice to report to Santa. If you want your elf to move, you better be good!
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.
We think Elf is one of the more family-friendly Christmas movies out there. It should be something kids ages 6 and up can handle in most cases. There are a few issues as noted above, but if these do not concern your family: enjoy Elf together this holiday season!