Everyone seems to be all a buzz with the elf on the shelf game. Wondering what is an Elf on the Shelf? Here’s what the Elf on the Shelf games are and some Elf on the Shelf ideas to inspire you.

Elf on the Shelf Story

The Elf on the Shelf is a story written by Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell. It’s the little elf that keeps an eye on everyone in the house, and flies back to the North Pole every night to tell Santa who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. Traditionally, the Elf moves around the home every day from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve and then returns every year.

Every Elf on the Shelf is sold in a keepsake box with the storybook.

Elf on the Shelf Ideas

10 Creative Elf on the Shelf Placements

Make your own with this hand made elf on the shelf tutorial.

Photo courtesy of Beatrice.killam on Flickr.

Elf on the Shelf Group Photos on Flickr

My own thoughts on the new Elf on the Shelf Tradition…

Looking at it objectively it is obviously another marketing ploy to make more money on a product “tradition” for families to have every holiday season. It shows how we are over-commercialized and companies continuously market to children.

Looking at it personally, I don’t like lying to my children and saying that a make believe character is real. My children are aware of who Santa is, but I have never pretended that Santa is real or brings them gifts. He’s another fun make-believe character, just like Lightning McQueen or Cinderella.

With all that being said, I think the Elf on the Shelf idea is very cute and can be a lot of fun without any lying to my children. If it wasn’t for the inflated price, I might actually consider buying it just for fun. So I may need to break out the sewing machine and follow the above tutorial to make my own.

How do you feel about the Elf on the Shelf?  These are just my personal thoughts, and I do not judge anyone for the decisions they make.  I welcome all viewpoints and beliefs here to my blog, but please do keep the conversation respectful.