The whole Elf on the Shelf tradition all came about when Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chamda Bell published the book titled The Elf on the Shelf. The story describing how Santa's scout elves hide in peoples homes watching over events throughout the day. When everyone is sleeping the Elf travels back to Santa to update him and report on the behaviour of the children, before the family wakes up the Elf hides around the family home in different places each day creating an ongoing game of hide and seek.
Fast forward and the Elf on the Shelf tradition has evolved into something some parents find exciting whilst others find exhausting.
The Elf on the Shelf original is a lovely story but it is often mistaken with the elves from Elves behavin' badly.... again it's the same kind of story as the original Elf on the Shelf but these Elves are mischievous and are sent from the North Pole each year to keep an eye on the children and to check they are being nice but whilst they are visiting they are also creating havoc and being super naughty whist the household sleeps.
In the UK parents often put the elf, whether it being the original Elf on the Shelf Doll or Elves Behavin Badly doll in all sorts of situations at night whilst the kiddies are sleeping and sometimes it can be quite competitive between mums and dads.
Here are a few ideas we have come up with this year so far;
This is how our Elf on the Shelf who the kids have name Mr. Elf came to us this year, trapped in a balloon
This one was a little traumatic, Mr. Elf was looking a little worse for wear and Mummy accidently ripped Mr. Elf open this night but after some quick thinking and a new Elf doll he had a wash in the washing machine and that's why he was look so sparkly and new