All Out of Elf on the Shelf Ideas? Check Out This Ultimate Elf Cheat Sheet (2024)

FAQs

How does Elf on the Shelf arrive for the first time? ›

Position the elf so it looked like it wrote the letter, or have Santa 'write the letter'. Make sure you introduce the elf and it's name in the letter. It should be something Christmas-like. Also, mention that it'll be making sure you belong on the nice list for Christmas.

The idea is simple: A family adopts a Scout Elf, who has the important job of being Santa's eyes and ears during the busy Christmas season. The Elf heads back to the North Pole each night to report on the children's behavior, then returns in the morning where he will perch in a new spot in the home.

“Elf on the Shelf” undermines a child's natural motivation to try hard and do her best. For example, if a child cleans up her room in the hope of getting more presents at Christmas, she'll be less likely to clean up her room at other times of the year, because there's no incentive.

Unfortunately, Elf isn't available on almost all Netflix libraries, including the US. Luckily, with a robust VPN, you can change your virtual location to where Elf is available on Netflix. In this case, it's only available in Australia and Switzerland.

Every night, a parent hides the elf in a new place. The children wake up each morning and search the house to see where the elf has reappeared—becoming a daily, holiday-themed hide-and-seek game with a sneaky elf.

The first rule in the Code of Elves is to “treat every day like Christmas”, and that, in a nutshell, is Will Ferrell's comic style. At 6ft 3in, he's almost always the tallest actor on screen yet his instinct is to play even bigger, with an ungainly exuberance that tends to set the tone for whatever scene he's in.

Even though your family can't talk to your elf directly while they are at the North Pole, you can keep in touch and let them know you're thinking of them – talk to your Elf on the Shelf® either online, by post, or keep up to date with their magical adventures!

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.

When can kids touch their elf? ›

The Elf Must Not Be Touched

Considered the most important rule, the Scout Elf must never be touched (of course, apart from when the parents move them around) as that will cause them to lose their magical powers. In some cases, they could also disappear when touched, such as when a dog might get a hold of them.

Well living and working at the North Pole is fun most of the time, but in their spare time elves like to sing and dance. Some like to dance the cha-cha, just like Norris Figgyworth.

As an avid elf fan, you already know the number one rule about having a Scout Elf: no touching! This helps Scout Elves keep their Christmas magic so they can complete their important Christmas duties.

For those looking for the easy way out, simply write your goodbye on a post-it note. Grab some textured snow spray and write a message on a window of your house. Have your elf sitting in the Christmas tree holding a goodbye sign or sitting on a paper airplane.