The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition

This gift is more than just a toy. It will create memories that will last forever. Children only get one childhood. And this product is a memory. Not a gift. Priceless

This is our first year using Elf on the Shelf. Our boys are almost 2.5 and 10 months old. Our toddler LOVES to look for Jingle every morning. Its so fun to see how excited he gets. He loves his little elf. We read the story during bed time every night as well (along with several others). I loved that the book mentions children saying their prayers. I feel like its a great way to merge the fun Christmas traditions with our Christian beliefs and offer the Children a special tradition they will hopefully pass on one day. The elf is adorable and the perfect size for hiding and posting. We kept his hands sewn together because its easier to hang him in different areas. Im glad we waited until our son was big enough to enjoy the Elf and am looking forward to next year when we can play with both boys. There are lots of cute ideas for Elf posing on Pinterest and Ive come up with a few on my own as well. We take our nightly picture of our son with Jingle before bed so we can keep track of all the hiding places. It will be fun to look back on as well each year. Great idea and love that this product started as a family tradition with sisters and they shared their tradition with all of us.

I would give this 5 stars, but I ordered back in October and just put it on top of my closet til the night of the 30th of November. And when I got it out I noticed it was a girl and not a boy like I ordered. Still using the elf and just calling it a boy, but my kids cousins have pointed out to him that his elf is a girl. And Ive assured him either is fine, its just here to report back to Santa each night. Just wish since boy is advertised that thats what I wouldve got sent.

I have always wanted a elf on the shelf growing up so we decided to start the tradition with our 3 year old! He doesn’t know yet but I think he’s going to be so excited! Exactly like pictured.

This was a big hit this year with our daughter. She is 8 and we were not sure she would enjoy it. We were very wrong. We brought this out after Thanksgiving, read the book and have been enjoying the crazy and weird things this elf does every night. On a few occasions, our daughter swore he moved when we were not home and even left it a picture and notes. It is nice to see her wake up happy and ready to find the little rascal. The elf itself consists of a typical stuffing material and is pretty bendable and strong. We have had him bend-hung-flattened and he is like new with no signs of any issues. The box it comes with is very solid and makes for a great sturdy storage for in between seasons. Great idea that once you buy it, will provide years of enjoyment. Highly recommend. Might even be adding the girl version in the future. I took one star away as the hands lacked an important feature. They come stitched together which limit the function for positions, etc a great deal. They should put strong magnets in the hands so that you can separate them and use them for metal object ideas, etc.

This creature possesses dark magic. I thought I was going to have to move him around like other people say they do but I didnt. He was always in a different place in the morning. At first the things Jingle did were pretty cute; making the toilet paper into a snow man, writing notes to my child in cute backwards handwriting...but then things started to get strange. The first morning that I became concerned was when I found him in my daughters bathroom in front of the mirror that had writing on it. I expected it to say something cute like Its almost Christmas or Happy Holidays! but what I found was REDRUM. Being horror movie fans, I just chalked it up to him trying to mess with my husband and I and told my daughter that he was just being silly. But then the next morning, I found something VERY disturbing. Jingle was sitting in my daughters floor with one of her barbies in A NOOSE. After this occurred I told my daughter I thought it was time to send Jingle back to the North Pole and ask Santa for a new elf. She was confused but said okay. So I took the elf and tossed him in the dumpster at our apartments and went to Target to purchase a new one. Due to being freaked out over the elf I had received I purchased a girl one this time. That night I showed my child her new Elf on a Shelf and she named her Lulu Bell. That evening I placed Lulu Bell in the Christmas tree and the next morning she was still there! I was elated that I had finally gotten a normal elf and that Jingle was gone. I went to bed that next night after putting Lulu Bell on the couch with a book on her lap and the next morning I woke up to my daughter screaming. I ran into the living room to find Lulu Bell on the floor with what I assumed was ketchup on her neck and there beside her was Jingle, with a butter knife in his hand and ketchup on it as well. I quickly called Amazon and informed them of the situation and then I found out, they had never sent me an elf because the one I wanted was on back order.... (This was a fictional story for the amusement of myself and others. My true review is that my daughter loved her elf and we had a lot of fun with it!)

I cant believe the price! This is the same thing the local stores were selling at over double the price here. It is the same box, same book, same elf, everything! This is really an awesome find! I bought it after Christmas and am putting it away for next year but even so, the stores still had it over double the amount. I took it out the box and inspected it, read the book and found nothing wrong with either one. My grandchildren already have one of these, the same one in fact so I know what it feels like and does and I cant find any difference in them. They both feel the same. Although I never seen their book, this one tells the story about the elf and what to do. It even has a place for you to name and register it. (How cute is that!) So I am assuming it is the same book as all the others because I do remember them mentioning that with their elf plus when I looked locally, you can see the book in the box and it looks the same. The little grandkids will have fun next year because they dont know *I* have it and when they come over they will think their elf (they have the same boy scout) is really watching them. Theyll wonder how they left their house and saw it there and came here and walked in to see it waiting for them. It will just a little wonder, magic, fun to the holiday season.Remember, the elf leaves Christmas Eve (goes with Santa) so this is one decoration that isnt out Christmas Day or after. (Dont understand? The book explains everything!) I cant wait to see the expressions on their faces!

My son loves this whole thing....I have been going nuts every night making his elf that he named Spikey Hattie do strange things all over the house. There are two things that I would complain about though....first, that the elf doesnt have bendable arms and legs. You would think that this company would know what people will be doing with it and would make the elf capable of holding onto things and staying in certain positions, instead of just being all floppy and really difficult to make it stay in whatever position you are trying to get it to stay in. I ended up having to do middle of the night emergency elf surgery, and opened up the ends of his arms and legs to put wire inside and them sew it back up, so that I could get him to the point where he was able to do more than just sit awkwardly. Also, the price is pretty outrageous, especially for a floppy and not so well made toy elf. I mean, cmon....thirty bucks is ridiculous for something like this....Its taking advantage of the fact that parents want to make their kids christmas special by doing things like this. If I knew how to sew better than I do, I would just make my own, and just buy the book or something.

I was a little hesitant purchasing The Elf on the Shelf, because I dont try to focus Christmas entirely on the Santa aspect, but more on the giving aspect. I broke down and got one this year figuring if I really didnt like it or thought it put too much emphasis on gifts that I could tell my son that Santa decided he was good enough he didnt need to send the elf for following years. The night after Thanksgiving our Elf landed on our mantel. I called my son (almost 4) and daughter (22 months) in the room and my husband and I read the book to them and explained the process and rules of our new house guest. I never couldve imagined how interactive this little guy would be. My son insisted that his name is Elfey, and is so excited to talk to him every morning. He is genuinely concered about how is trip was and if he got too cold. I absolutely love listening to their one-sided conversation. He knows that if he is naughty Elfey will have to tell Santa and that he may not get his Santa gift this year. The only downside I can see is that my son is already sad at the thought that Elfey will go back to the North Pole with Santa on Christmas Eve and will be gone for an entire year...Hopefully the gift Santa leaves will alleviate this dreaded time. This doll is a great size big enough that my kids can spot him no matter where he decides to land for the day, but small enough that he can fit in/on anything, he even decided to perch on our Christmas tree one day. He has a great little face that adds a lot of character and life to the little doll. The book says the kids arent allowed to touch the elf, which is why its okay that Elfey isnt the most durable toy around. I have no doubt he will be more than able to survive the years of perching around my house for my kids and possibly even grandkids.

I got this for my nephews first christmas and my sister loves it. I cant wait to see what she does with him and how hell love it.