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Every day from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve, each family's scout elf
watches over the children and then at night, once everyone goes to bed,
the elf flies back to the North Pole to report back to Santa about what
activities, good and bad, took place throughout the day. Before the
family wakes up each morning, the scout elf flies back from the North
Pole and hides. By hiding in a new spot each morning around the house,
the scout elf and the family play an on-going game of hide and seek. The Elf on the Shelf
explains that elves get their magic by being named. In the back of each
book, families have an opportunity to write their elf's name and the
date that they adopted it. Once the elf is named, the scout elf receives
its special Christmas magic which allows it to fly to and from the
North Pole. However, the magic might go if touched, so the rule for The Elf on the Shelf
states: "There's only one rule that you have to follow so I will come
back and be here tomorrow: Please do not touch me. My magic might go,
and Santa won't hear all I've seen or I know." Although families aren't
supposed to touch their scout elf, they can talk to it and tell it all
their Christmas wishes so it can report back to Santa accurately.
My understanding is that most parents use this little elf as a way to keep their children in check during the holiday season. "Don't hit your brother, the elf (usually some creative name) is watching and will tell Santa that you've been naughty." Seriously? It just seems strange to me. I'm not a big fan of using the whole Santa thing to scare my children into good behavior, but I guess to each their own.
Oh, and it costs $30!! AND it has sold more than 1.5 million copies! I guess I'm just not on that bandwagon...should I be?!?!?
If you are an elf on the shelf fan, let me know why in the comments! Maybe you can make a believer out of me! :)
