Elf on the Shelf is a popular tradition that involves placing a small, mischievous elf in the home each December to monitor children and relay reports back to Santa. While the Elf may bring joy, there are many reasons why you should not do Elf on the Shelf.
First, you are essentially teaching your children that Santa is always watching them, which could be a source of stress or anxiety. Secondly, encouraging your children to rely on an outside source to know if they are behaving appropriately can lead to over-reliance on external factors to determine their worth.
Thirdly, you are selecting one or two children to be singled out in their behavior and may leave others feeling left out and embarrassed. Finally, by asking your children not to touch the Elf, you could be introducing fear—quite the opposite emotion than what a holiday season should bring.
Overall, while the Elf on the Shelf tradition may be exciting and fun, it can also bring some unintended consequences that you should consider before participating.
What age should you stop Elf on a shelf?
The decision is ultimately up to the parent and depends on the family dynamic. For some children, Elf on the Shelf provides a sense of comfort and safety in the home, while other children may outgrow the fascination and become too old for it.
It is important to be mindful that you do not want to make your child feel like they are too old to participate in a beloved family tradition or miss out on something that they enjoyed as a younger child.
If you are noticing that the Elf on the Shelf is no longer bringing your child the same joy it once did, it may be time to cease the tradition. However, if they find something special in the Elf and are looking forward to its annual visit, you can continue to create traditions around the Elf on the Shelf until your child outgrows it naturally.
How do you tell your kids there is no Elf on the Shelf?
When telling your children that there is no Elf on the Shelf, it is important to do so in a way that is kind and considerate. Start off by explaining to your children that the Elf on the Shelf is a fun game, but it is not real.
Be sure to reinforce the idea that the Elf on the Shelf is meant to be a fun, imaginative game that your children can enjoy. Let them know that you still love them just as much, regardless of what stories or games you play.
It is also important to recognize and validate any disappointment your children may feel as a result of learning that the Elf isn’t real. In these cases, it can be helpful to provide them with another fun activity they can enjoy, such as a new game or craft.
This can be a great way to nurture your children’s creativity and allow them to explore their imaginations in a different way.
Finally, once the conversation is over, it is important to check in with your children to see how they are feeling. When they are ready, take the time to talk with them and address any questions or concerns they may have.
This nurturing environment can help your children feel more comfortable discussing the subject. Overall, when discussing the Elf on the Shelf with your children, be sure to be gentle, loving, and respectful.
Do parents move the Elf on the Shelf at night?
Yes, parents typically move the Elf on the Shelf at night. The Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition that involves a special scout elf sent from the North Pole to help Santa Claus manage his naughty and nice lists.
During the holiday season, the elf is said to make nightly trips to the North Pole to report in on activities and behavior of children in his/her household. This is where the adults come in. Each evening, the adults in a household will move the elf to a new spot in the house, and in the morning, the children are asked to guess the elf’s whereabouts.
Because the elf’s movements are unpredictable, children are encouraged to be on their best behavior, knowing that the elf is watching them and reporting to Santa. Moving the elf at night is an important part of the tradition, as it encourages a sense of magic and excitement for children during the holiday season.
Can 10 year olds Touch Elf on the Shelf?
No, it is not recommended to allow 10 year olds to touch an Elf on the Shelf. This is because the elf is a tradition intended for young children and its magical powers are activated when touched by a child.
If an adult or older child touches the elf, the elf’s special magic will no longer work and the elf will become a normal toy. Furthermore, since the elf’s purpose is to observe children’s behaviour in order to report it back to Santa Claus, it is important that only children interact with the elf, as this is part of the magical tradition!.
What age is elf appropriate for?
The appropriate age for children to watch the movie Elf largely depends on the parents’ discretion and determination of if their child is mature enough to handle some of the content in the movie. Although it is rated PG, Elf contains some mild language and references to relationships and alcohol, so parents may feel their child is too young to view it.
The movie follows the story of a human who was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a baby and raised by elves. Therefore, it contains themes that could be appropriate for children ages six and up, as long as parents use their best judgment.
Is elf appropriate for 7 year olds?
Whether or not elf is appropriate for 7 year olds depends on the content contained in the particular elf movie or book. Generally, many elf movies have mild content that is suitable for a young audience, although some may contain mild violence, crude humor, and mild language.
If a parent is in doubt about the content of a particular elf movie or book, it is always a good idea to look up reviews and age ratings, as well as read the full description of the content contained in the movie, in order to better understand and assess its appropriateness for a 7 year old.
Why did my Elf on the Shelf disappear?
There could be several explanations as to why your Elf on the Shelf has disappeared. It is important to remember that Elves on the Shelf are believed to be magical and will sometimes take a journey back to the North Pole to let Santa know how everyone in the house is doing.
This is usually done overnight, so you may wake up to find your elf in a different place than where you left them the night before.
Another possibility is that someone in the household accidentally knocked over your elf, causing them to “disappear” for the night. Kids usually like to carry around the elf and show it to friends or family.
If one of them didn’t realize the elf was fragile, it could accidentally get dropped and become separated from its rightful spot in the home.
Finally, you may have a mischievous elf on your hands! It is not uncommon for Elves to play little jokes or hide around the house, ready to make an appearance whenever someone least expects it. Elves have a sense of humor so it could be that your elf was playing a trick or hiding somewhere.
No matter what the cause, it is always fun when Elf on the Shelf “magically” reappears.
Do Elf on the Shelf eyes move?
No, the eyes on Elf on the Shelf do not move. This is because the Elf on the Shelf is a stuffed doll and the eyes are made from felt or plastic, so they are not able to physically move. However, the Elf on the Shelf does have an interesting backstory that involves the elf’s eyes changing color when it is sent to watch over the children in a home.
The Elf on the Shelf is said to have bright blue eyes when it arrives at a house and is then able to observe the children’s behavior while they are there. If the children are found to be good, the elf’s eyes turn to green.
Should the children act out, however, the elf’s eyes turn to a deep red, alerting Santa as to their behavior.
How does elf on Shelf work?
Elf on the Shelf is an interactive Christmas tradition where a mischievous elf visits the home of a family and is said to report back to Santa on whether each family member has been naughty or nice. Each night, the family who owns the elf must “feed” their elf with a delicious snack and water and move the elf to a new place in their home.
In the morning, the children are left to find the elf in a new spot, and that is where the fun – and mayhem — begins. The shape and size of the elf can vary, but it usually looks like a small, elf-like puppet dressed in a festive outfit.
As the elf mysteriously moves from place to place each night and day, families create all sorts of rituals and fun activities around their elf. Children and parents alike take part in a variety of games, enjoy seasonal activities and indulge in delicious treats.
The elf serves as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas and that Santa is keeping an eye on whether everyone is being nice.
Does each child get their own Elf on the Shelf?
No, each home only gets one Elf on the Shelf. The Elf is sent to a household to oversee and report back to Santa on the behaviors of all of the children in the home. The Elf is the eyes and ears of Santa and helps him make his nice list and naughty list.
Even though only one Elf is sent to each home, the Elf is sure to keep all of the children in the home in check. However, if a family has two or more children in the home, parents may choose to tell them that the Elf will share his observations for each child between him and Santa.
What does Elf on the Shelf teach kids?
Elf on the Shelf is a tradition that was introduced to the public in 2005, and it encourages children to be on their best behavior throughout the holiday season. The idea is that Santa is watching and the Elf acts as a Scout Elf, traveling back to the North Pole to report on the child’s behavior each night.
The Elf then returns to take on a new position in the home and repeat the process.
This tradition encourages kids to be on their best behavior out of the work that their Scout Elf is doing. As the Scout Elf is making its report back to the North Pole, children are reminded to do their best in order to maintain a positive relationship with the Elf and in turn, stay on Santa’s “nice” list.
In addition to teaching kids the importance of good behavior, the Elf on the Shelf tradition has also been known to promote excitement, responsibility and creativity. Kids look forward to uncovering, each morning, where the Elf is hiding, and will often create imaginative activities to keep the Elf entertained.
This encourages kids to use their own creativity, explore the world around them and tap into their skills of problem-solving.
Some families also use the Elf on the Shelf tradition as a way to teach kids about the importance of giving, by donating presents in the Elf’s name to those in need. This helps children to think about others and encourages the spirit of the holidays.
Overall, the Elf on the Shelf tradition helps to teach kids the importance of good behavior, responsibility, creativity, and giving. It’s no wonder why this tradition has become so popular!
Does elf on Shelf bring gifts?
No, Elf on the Shelf does not bring gifts. The Elf on the Shelf tradition is designed to be a fun way to bring a bit of playfulness and Christmas magic into homes during the holiday season. The Elf on the Shelf tradition is based on a children’s book that tells the story of how Santa’s Scout Elves visit throughout the holiday season to watch and report on the behavior of children, who in return earn rewards on Christmas morning.
The Elf on the Shelf is a bit of a mischievous scout elf that helps to create anticipation for Christmas day and gives families something fun to look forward to each day leading up to the big holiday.
The Elf does not bring gifts, but it does bring holiday fun and is known to think of creative games and activities to keep children entertained and looking forward to Christmas all season long.
How does Elf on the Shelf arrive for the first time?
Elf on the Shelf traditionally arrives sometime between Thanksgiving and December 1st, typically with a special address from Santa Claus. It usually arrives in a package found either near the Christmas tree or in another festive area of the home.
In the package is the Elf, plus a small storybook that explains how the Elf is a scout from the North Pole and is sent to help Santa prepare for Christmas.
On the night the Elf arrives, it is said that the Elf grants their wish of being adopted by that family and will report in to Santa each night. To kick off the tradition, it’s recommended that families explain the story to their child and introduce the new Elf to their family.
This is a special moment that many families like to photograph or record, just as a way to remember the experience.
The Elf doesn’t require any special care or maintenance, but does ask that it’s not touched or moved. The Elf is usually found in a different part of the home each morning, a testament to its magical ability to “travel back to the North Pole” each night to report in.
Children are encouraged to tell the Elf about the good things they’ve done all day, which in turn gives the Elf something to tell Santa when it returns each night. It’s a fun way to give children accountability and encourages positive behavior during the holiday season.
How do I get my Elf on the Shelf to come on my birthday?
The best way to get your Elf on the Shelf to come on your birthday is to give them a special mission. Depending on your family’s traditions and the age of your children, you may want to find creative ways to involve your Elf on the Shelf in the birthday celebration.
For example, you can ask your Elf to bring your birthday presents or special holiday decorations to the party. You may even want to give your Elf a special costume or disguise to wear while on their mission.
As your Elf is travelling, they can keep a journal of their journey and take photos or videos to share with your family and friends. To make their journey more fun, you can leave out small treats or surprises that your Elf can find along the way, such as little cards with riddles for them to solve.
Lastly, when your Elf does arrive, be sure to have a big celebration to welcome them and thank them for their service.