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''The Elf on the Shelf'' is the name of a 2005 American picture book for children, written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter
Chanda Bell Chanda Bell is an American author living in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. Early life and Professional career In 2004, she collaborated with her mother, Carol Aebersold, on a book about their family custom of having a Scout Elf. She is author of ...
, and its accompanying toy elf. The book was illustrated by Coë Steinwart and tells a Christmas-themed story, written in rhyme, that explains how
Santa Claus Santa Claus (also known as Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Father Christmas, Kris Kringle or Santa) is a legendary figure originating in Western Christian culture who is said to bring gifts during the late evening and overnight hours on Chris ...
knows who is naughty and nice. It describes
elves An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda''. In medieval Germanic-speakin ...
visiting children from
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia, and unofficially in countries like Brazil and Germany. It is also observed in the Australian territory ...
to
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...
, after which they return to the
North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's rotation, Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distingu ...
until the next
holiday season The Christmas season or the festive season, also known as the holiday season or the holidays, is an annual period generally spanning from November or December to early January. Incorporating Christmas Day and New Year's Day, the various celebrat ...
. It came in a keepsake box that featured a hardbound picture book and a small scout elf. The story was inspired by a family tradition that started with Carol Aebersold when she was a child, in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and which she later carried on with her twin daughters, Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts, in Georgia. Early versions of the book were promoted at the end of 2004. The tradition described in the book saw wider adoption as a result of its publication, including being widely shared on social media.


Plot

The book tells the story of a scout
elf An elf (: elves) is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic peoples, Germanic folklore. Elves appear especially in Norse mythology, North Germanic mythology, being mentioned in the Icelandic ''Poetic Edda'' and the ''Prose Edda'' ...
who hides in people's homes to watch over events. Once everyone goes to bed, the scout elf flies back to the North Pole to report to Santa the good and bad activities that have taken 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 around the house each morning, the scout elf plays an ongoing game of hide and seek with the family. ''The Elf on the Shelf'' explains that scout elves get their magic by being named and loved by a child. At the back of each book, families can write their elf's name and the date 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. The book tells how the magic might disappear if the scout elf is touched, so the rule 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 are told not to touch their scout elf, they can speak to it and tell it all their Christmas wishes, so that it can report back to Santa accurately. The story ends on Christmas Day, with the elf leaving to stay with Santa for the rest of the year, until the following Christmas season.


History of publication

''The Elf on the Shelf'' was written in 2004 by Carol Aebersold and her daughter
Chanda Bell Chanda Bell is an American author living in Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia. Early life and Professional career In 2004, she collaborated with her mother, Carol Aebersold, on a book about their family custom of having a Scout Elf. She is author of ...
. Bell suggested they write a book based on their family tradition of an elf sent from Santa who came to watch over children at Christmas time. Aebersold's other daughter, Christa Pitts, was recruited by the family to share her expertise in sales and marketing. Together, the trio devoted the next three years to promoting their self-published book and attending book signings and
trade show A trade show, also known as trade fair, trade exhibition, or trade exposition, is an exhibition organized so that companies in a specific industry can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services, meet with industry partners and ...
s. ''The Elf on the Shelf'' won the Best Toy Award by Learning Express, a Book of the Year Award from Creative Child Awards, and a National Best Books Award sponsored by USA Book News in 2008. In 2013, the book hit the No. 1 spot on the ''USA Today'' bestsellers list. In October 2013, ''The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition'' was released. Written and illustrated by the same team that created the first book, it offers instructions for inviting a scout elf to visit for a child's birthday party and describes how the elf decorates a chair for the child.


Criticism

''
The Atlantic ''The Atlantic'' is an American magazine and multi-platform publisher based in Washington, D.C. It features articles on politics, foreign affairs, business and the economy, culture and the arts, technology, and science. It was founded in 185 ...
'' columnist Kate Tuttle calls ''The Elf on the Shelf'' "a marketing juggernaut dressed up as a tradition", whose purpose is "to spy on kids". She argues that one shouldn't "bully ne'schild into thinking that good behavior equals gifts." Writing for ''
Psychology Today ''Psychology Today'' is an American media organization with a focus on psychology and human behavior. The publication began as a bimonthly magazine, which first appeared in 1967. The print magazine's reported circulation is 275,000 as of 2023. ...
'', David Kyle Johnston calls it a "dangerous parental crutch", akin to what he terms the " Santa lie". '' Vox'' published a critique, warning that "the toy can breed competition (and potentially feelings of inadequacy)" and that it added "holiday stress" for parents, as well as calling it "a symbol of the surveillance state disguised as a children's toy". Many privacy organizations and researchers criticize the product for teaching children that involuntary, non-consensual surveillance is normal. ''Washington Post'' reviewer Hank Stuever characterized the concept as "just another nannycam in a nanny state obsessed with penal codes". Professor Laura Pinto suggests that it conditions kids to accept the surveillance state and that it communicates to children that "it's okay for other people to spy on you, and you're not entitled to privacy." She argues that, "if you grow up thinking it's cool for the elves to watch me and report back to Santa, well, then it's cool for the NSA to watch me and report back to the government... The rule of play is that kids get to interact with a doll or video game or what have you, but not so with the Elf on the Shelf: The rule is that you don't touch the elf. Think about the message that sends." Other experts have disagreed, suggesting elves encourage children to be kind and compassionate. "The elf is a visual cue to act nice", Judith Tellerman, clinical professor of psychology at the
University of Illinois College of Medicine The University of Illinois College of Medicine offers a four-year program leading to the MD degree at four different sites in Illinois: Chicago, Peoria, Illinois, Peoria, Rockford, Illinois, Rockford, and formerly Champaign–Urbana metropolitan ...
, tells ''Yahoo Parenting''. "It might remind kids not to fight with their brother". By 2022, sharing photographs on
social media Social media are interactive technologies that facilitate the Content creation, creation, information exchange, sharing and news aggregator, aggregation of Content (media), content (such as ideas, interests, and other forms of expression) amongs ...
of the elf toy in elaborate poses or situations had become a significant part of the Elf on the Shelf experience for some, with parents attempting to outdo one another's displays. Scenarios shared online included the elf using toilet paper to swing from ceiling lights or filling a sink with hot chocolate and marshmallows. In December 2024, the company released "The Official 24-day Ultimate Elf Ideas Kit" and "The Elf Ideas Super Set" to make the tradition less stressful for parents, which they acknowledge has been a growing concern. One academic noted that "The elf is increasingly being caught doing things a child would get in trouble for doing, which seems to contradict the point of it all."


Television


CBS animated special

On November 26, 2011, a thirty-minute animated direct-to-TV special, titled ''An Elf's Story: The Elf on the Shelf'', directed by Chad Eikhoff, aired on
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
. It featured the voices of
Brendan Dooling Brendan Dooling (born January 27, 1990) is an American actor. He is known for his portrayal of Walt Reynolds on The CW's teen drama series '' The Carrie Diaries''. Personal life Dooling took acting classes at the Gateway Acting School in Bellpor ...
and
Shameik Moore Shameik Alti Moore (born May 4, 1995) is an American actor and musician. He made his lead acting debut in '' Dope'' (2015), and is best known for voicing Miles Morales / Spider-Man in the animated film '' Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'' (2 ...
. ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'' criticized the quality of the motion-captured animation and dismissed it as "just a half-hour advertisement for a book and a toy", which it felt would not join "the
canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...
of
prime-time Prime time, or peak time, is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for television shows. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to b ...
animated Christmas specials that actually move the spirit". In contrast,
Common Sense Media Common Sense Media (CSM) is an American nonprofit organization that reviews and provides ratings for media and technology with the goal of providing information on their suitability for children.
called the special "a great addition to families' holiday TV traditions", although they warned parents about the consumer-driven nature of the story and made note of its lack of educational value.


Netflix deal

On October 9, 2020, multiple media outlets reported that
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
, in partnership with the Lumistella Company, was developing "series, movies, and specials" based on ''The Elf on the Shelf''. The content would be produced by
Roy Lee Roy Lee (born March 23, 1969) is an American film and television producer. His production company, Vertigo Entertainment, has a first-look deal with Lionsgate. Early life Lee was born in 1969 at Wyckoff Heights Hospital in Brooklyn, New York, ...
and Miri Yoon, "including original live-action and animated series and movies for pre-school audiences as well as families".


Food Network reality television show

On October 3, 2023, ''
TheWrap ''TheWrap'' is an American online news organization that covers the business of entertainment and media. It was founded by journalist Sharon Waxman in 2009 and is based in Los Angeles. The site features original reporting, analysis, and editor ...
'' reported that
Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, who manages and operates it as a division of the Warner Bros. Discovery U.S. Networks Group. The channel airs both televi ...
had developed a
reality television Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring ordinary people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 1990s ...
show titled ''The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown'', which premiered on November 19, 2023. Hosted by Duff Goldman, it follows "six teams of what the series is dubbing Sweetmakers for the chance to win $25,000 and the title of the Ambassadors of Confectionery Concoctions. Each week, teams will be challenged to create holiday-themed edible showpieces." Judges included Kardea Brown and Next Great Baker winner Ashley Holt.


Other appearances and products

''Elf on the Shelf'' dolls are typically available with different skin tones and genders. In 2007, a photograph of
Jennifer Garner Jennifer Anne Garner (born April 17, 1972) is an American actress. Born in Houston, Texas and raised in Charleston, West Virginia, Garner studied theater at Denison University and began acting as an understudy for the Roundabout Theatre Company ...
carrying a product box led to a segment on the ''
Today Today (archaically to-day) may refer to: * The current day and calendar date ** Today is between and , subject to the local time zone * Now, the time that is perceived directly, present * The current, present era Arts, entertainment and m ...
'' show, driving an increase in sales. In 2012, ''The Elf on the Shelf'' made its first appearance in the
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual parade in New York City presented by the American-based department store chain Macy's. The Parade first took place in 1924, tying it for the second-oldest Thanksgiving parade in the United States ...
, alongside fellow parade newcomers Hello Kitty and
Papa Smurf Papa Smurf is one of the protagonists from the comic strip The Smurfs. Most Smurfs are said to be about 100 years old, but at the advanced age of 546 (553 in the 1980s series episode "The Littlest Giant"), Papa is the oldest Smurf and the leader ...
. In April 2014, two supplemental birthday products were released: the Elf on the Shelf Birthday Countdown Game and the Elf on the Shelf Birthday Chair Decoration Kit. These are examples of over 150 products licensed by the Lumistella Company, which as of 2023 had sold more than 22.5 million ''Elf on the Shelf'' dolls. In 2019, the ''Elf on the Shelf'' brand was extended to a live stage
musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...
,
Kellogg's Kellanova, formerly known as the Kellogg Company and commonly known as Kellogg's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational food manufacturing company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, US. Kellanova produces and markets con ...
food products, and activities at IHOP restaurants. In 2023, the Lumistella Company partnered with Beaches Resorts to offer "V.I.E." ("very important elf", a reference to VIP) packages, "butler-curated perks at all three Beaches Resorts in Jamaica and Turks and Caicos". As of 2023, ''Forbes'' estimated the Lumistella Company generated annual revenues of $100 million, while co-
CEOs Kea (), also known as Tzia () and in antiquity Keos (, ), is a Greek island in the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea. Kea is part of the Kea-Kythnos regional unit. Geography It is the island of the Cyclades complex that is closest to Att ...
Bell and Pitts were estimated to have a personal fortune of around $50 million.


Parodies

In 2013, Neil Hoffman created the toy and book ''
The Mensch on a Bench ''The Mensch on a Bench'' is a Hanukkah-themed book and doll set created in 2012 by Neal Hoffman, inspired by a joke he had made about the 2005 book and doll ''The Elf on the Shelf''. In 2013, the crowdfunding campaign was launched on Kickstarte ...
'', featuring a plush Jewish
mensch Mensch or mentsh () is a Yiddish word which literally translates to "person", and figuratively means "a person of integrity and honor".. Jewish American humorist Leo Rosten describes a as "someone to admire and emulate, someone of noble characte ...
character. Other rhyming jokes became popular in
internet meme An Internet meme, or meme (, Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''MEEM''), is a cultural item (such as an idea, behavior, or style) that spreads across the Internet, primarily through Social media, social media platforms. Internet memes manif ...
s in 2017, after a
Tumblr Tumblr (pronounced "tumbler") is a microblogging and Social networking service, social networking website founded by David Karp in 2007 and is owned by American company Automattic. The service allows users to post multimedia and other content ...
user named "dankmemeuniversity" shared an image of an action figure of Ash Ketchum from
Pokémon is a Japanese media franchise consisting of List of Pokémon video games, video games, Pokémon (TV series), animated series and List of Pokémon films, films, Pokémon Trading Card Game, a trading card game, and other related media. The fran ...
in a trash bin. It was captioned "You've heard of Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for...", encouraging other users to rhyme "Ash in the trash", an example of a
snowclone A snowclone is a clichéd phrase in which one or more words can be substituted to express a similar idea in a different context, often to humorous or sarcastic effect. For example, the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein's phrase "the mother of all bat ...
. The post was reblogged over 180,000 times. Another Tumblr user, "Kawaii Rain", built on the joke with a picture of an action figure of Link from ''
The Legend of Zelda is a media franchise, video game series created by the Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. It is primarily developed and published by Nintendo; some portable installments and re-releases have been outsourced to Flags ...
'' in a sink. Over time, the meme spread beyond gaming references to other genres and celebrities.


See also

* Dinovember


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Elf on the Shelf 2005 children's books American children's books Christmas children's books Elves in popular culture Christmas characters Fiction about mass surveillance American picture books Christmas traditions