The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition - Boy Scout Elf with Blue Eyes - Includes Artfully Illustrated Storybook, Keepsake Box and Official Adoption Certificate

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While Bell says that "no Scout Elf 'idea' is too big or small," The Lumistella Company has created many resources to help busy families “inspire” their elves for a fun and happy season, everything from the Claus Couture Collection of elf apparel to the Scout Elf Ideas app. Elf on the Shelf rules Using the elf in public school classrooms has been criticized for making children feel excluded if their families do not celebrate Christmas or Santa Claus. [11] The Elf on the Shelf was written in 2004 by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. Bell suggested they write a book about an old tradition of an elf sent from Santa who came to watch over children at Christmas time. [2] 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 shows.

The Atlantic 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 [one's] child into thinking that good behavior equals gifts." [9] Writing for Psychology Today, David Kyle Johnston calls it a "dangerous parental crutch", with much the same reasoning as what he terms the " Santa lie". [10] An Elf's Story". The Elf on the Shelf. Archived from the original on November 7, 2013 . Retrieved December 4, 2013.

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I cannot support the idea of extrinsic motivations for moral development. If children are being decent, kind, generous citizens just because a tiny humanoid is watching their every move, then they're not thinking critically about their actions and their effects on others. Children don't internalize the value of altruistic behaviors from this book; they are left with no need to be good for the sake of being good. Instead, children are presented with an insincere meritocracy as tempering their otherwise irresponsible and sociopathic tendencies. This book is a disservice to children for insisting that they are incapable of compassion and responsibility, and a disservice to parents for assuming that they cannot imbue their children with any sense of personal accountability. Kavilanz, Parija (November 21, 2017). "Elf on the Shelf phenomenon is 11 million elves strong". CNNMoney. a b c Hank Stuever (November 24, 2011). "CBS's 'Elf on the Shelf': Unwarranted Christmas surveillance techniques". The Washington Post . Retrieved August 25, 2013. [ dead link] Christmas Eve" ( Noch pered Rozhdestvom, 1832) by Nikolai Gogol (from Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka) Children can talk to their special visitors, though Scout Elves can only listen and never speak to humans. Only parents are allowed to touch them or else they’ll lose their magic — and what's the fun in that?

Yost, Russell (September 22, 2021). "The History of Elf on the Shelf" . Retrieved October 30, 2023. Obsessed would be an understatement,” she says of her household in December, when Ken their “main” Elf is visiting. That’s right, Ken doesn't fly solo — he’s married with two adorable baby elves. “The wife and children only come on special occasions,” Rouse tells TODAY.com. “My kids are always so ecstatic when they do.” Ken also writes personalized notes to the kids, which are a big hit.

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A Visit from St. Nicholas" (also known as "'Twas the Night Before Christmas", 1823) attributed to Clement Clarke Moore Le Père Martin" (1888) by Ruben Saillens and unwittingly plagiarized as " Papa Panov's Special Christmas" by Leo Tolstoy Elf on the Shelf is a book the whole family will enjoy. Each set comes with a book and a cute little Elf. Each Elf will gain his magic once he/she has been given a name. The names are as individual as the kids that the elves belong too and naming them is half the fun. 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. The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story". commonsensemedia.org. November 18, 2011. Archived from the original on April 15, 2014 . Retrieved April 14, 2014.

Kids of all ages enjoy the spirit of Christmas that the Scout Elf brings. Stew and Regina Huminski from Aberdeen, Maryland, pair their Scout Elf, Claude, with a stuffed Stitch from the Disney movie “Lilo & Stitch” and, as expected, hijinks ensue. My granddaughter will be three in a couple of months and she received her elf this holiday season. Naming our Elf was an adventure. Every name we suggested she said “No” to so we asked if she wanted to name is “No” and she said YES!! So our Elf’s name is Knowie. He travels home every night and finds a new place to perch the next morning. Each morning it’s a game to find out where he is sitting and she loves it. We have to tell him goodnight every night and make sure that she knows he’s watching and will report to Santa so she’d better be good. All of us have enjoyed [The Elf on the Shelf] tradition, no matter how old or young we are,” Malarkey tells TODAY.com. “When my kids wake up, I cannot wait to show them my elf masterpieces and all the creative trouble that will ensue.”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. I heard of this last year via a relative who was talking about how her co-worker had bought this for their household. She explained the basic gist of the elf on the shelf, and I found it creepy. There are years where we don’t always feel the holiday spirit so strongly and even a couple years where we didn’t decorate, but Stitch and Claude are always making mischief,” Stew tells TODAY.com. Each night the elves travel home to the North Pole so they can report in to Santa. Will their child be on the naughty or nice list? With the help of their magic, they return each morning and find a new place to sit and watch. It’s important that the children don’t touch their Elf or he will lose his magic. I want my kids to behave ALL year, not just Dec 1 to 25 or whatever. I love Christmas, seeing family, visiting, having Christmas dinners, touching base with relatives I don't get to see often, and just having a good time and relaxing around this time. To me, this is the most enjoyable aspect about Christmas. This is what I want to reinforce in my children, not behaving merely to get more gifts because they think some elf/Santa is watching them. Good behavior should be its own reward, and if you need to use a toy (and the threat of constant surveillance) to improve your children's behavior, something is very wrong here.