Are Elves on the Shelves Real?

It’s December, and you wake up to a crisp and snowy day already feeling that exciting tingling that all kids feel when you enter the Christmas month. When you race downstairs you see the Christmas tree and on top of it…an elf! These are no ordinary elves! They are Elf on the Shelf elves, and to the people who carry out this tradition they are some of the highlights of Christmas.

How did Elf on the Shelf start?

The Elf on the Shelf began back in 2005 when Carol Aebersold and her daughter, Chanda, penned a book together called The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. As the story goes, Santa Claus would send an elf from the North Pole to watch how well a child was behaving in the days and weeks before Christmas. Santa needed some help making his naughty and nice lists, after all. The elf would then return to the North Pole and report to Santa if the kid was good or not, and then return to the child’s home before they woke up in the morning. The cool part is that each morning, the Elf on the Shelf would be a different spot, but the child wasn’t allowed to touch the elf for fear of losing their magic.

Is Elf on the Shelf real?

Because the Elf on the Shelf “moves” each night, belief can sometimes be suspended into thinking that it is real. And for all intents and purposes, the Elf on the Shelf is real. It’s a real doll, after all. The real question is, though, do you think the Elf on the Shelf is real? And I’m here to tell you that, yes, it is.

Personal Experiences with Elf on the Shelf

Many children have personal experiences with the Elf on the Shelf. Some believe in its magic, while others have their doubts. Trevina Valliere, 10, firmly believes in the Elf on the Shelf and shares her experience of finding the elf watching a movie on her iPad, which she believes is evidence of its existence. On the other hand, Ronan Evans, 13, questions the elf’s abilities and attributes it to a potential government plot to sell more elves.

Parental Deceit and the Elf on the Shelf

When parents purchase the book for their children, it comes with a small plush elf that they are invited to use to reenact the events of the book. It’s an opportunity for parents to put their lying skills to the test, to see if they can convince their kids this elf is real, lives in their home, and communicates with Santa. This can lead to added holiday stress for parents and potentially feelings of inadequacy.

Parenting Benefits and Controversies

As a parenting tool, the Elf on the Shelf is controversial. Some parents use the elf as a way to discipline their children by reminding them that the ‘elf is always watching.’ However, the pressure to move the elf around and create elaborate scenarios can lead to added stress for parents.

In conclusion, the Elf on the Shelf is a beloved tradition for many families, but whether it is real or not ultimately depends on individual beliefs and experiences.