Elf on the Shelf: Rules, History and 24 Easy Ideas
Elf on the Shelf is a Christmas tradition where a small scout elf "watches" the family during the holiday season, flies to the North Pole each night to report to Santa, and turns up in a new spot every morning. Kids may not touch it, and it heads home on Christmas Eve.12
It started with a self-published book from Georgia in 2005. Twenty years later, the company says families have "adopted" more than 30 million scout elves and pets.3 About a third of US parents with young kids have one at home.4
Below: where the elf came from, the official rules, what to do when someone touches it, and 24 easy Elf on the Shelf ideas, one for every morning until Christmas Eve.
What is the Elf on the Shelf?
The Elf on the Shelf is two things: a rhyming picture book and a small elf doll in a red suit. Together they tell kids that Santa sends a "scout elf" to each family to keep an eye on things until Christmas.1
Elf on the Shelf in numbers
Elf on the Shelf history: from a family elf to 30 million
The company tells it like this: in 1974 a little elf named Fisbee came to the home of Bob and Carol Aebersold and played hide-and-seek with their children every day before Christmas.5
Decades later, Carol and her daughter Chanda Bell wrote the story down. Publishers said no, one calling the book "destined for the damaged goods bin." So the family self-published 5,000 box sets in 2005.65 They held their first book signing at the Marietta Museum of History in Georgia.5
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1974 | An elf named Fisbee starts visiting the Aebersold family, according to the company |
| 2005 | Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell self-publish the book in Marietta, Georgia |
| 2005 | The first 5,000 box sets sell out, and twin sister Christa Pitts joins the business |
| 2010 | The book has sold nearly one million copies |
| 2011 | The animated special "An Elf's Story" airs on CBS to over four million viewers |
| 2012 | The elf floats down Manhattan as a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade balloon |
| 2025 | More than 30 million scout elves and pets have been "adopted" since 2005 |
After the first run sold out, Chanda's twin sister Christa Pitts left QVC and joined.5 By 2011, sales had reached $16.6 million.6 Today the company is called The Lumistella Company.5
Elf on the Shelf rules for kids and parents
The official rules are short. Here they are, with a practical tip for each:
| Rule | What it means | Tip for parents |
|---|---|---|
| Name your elf | Naming the elf "activates" its Christmas magic | Let the kids pick the name on the first morning |
| Don't touch the elf | A touched elf may lose its magic and can't fly to the North Pole | Keep the elf out of reach of toddlers and pets |
| It reports to Santa every night | The elf flies to the North Pole and tells Santa how the day went | Move it after bedtime, every night if you can |
| It lands in a new spot each morning | Finding the elf becomes a daily hide-and-seek game | A new spot is enough; a big scene is optional |
| It leaves on Christmas Eve | The elf rides home with Santa | A short goodbye note makes the ending easier |
Naming matters most: the company says that once your family names the scout elf, its magic switches on, so it can fly, report to Santa and "keep a watchful eye."1 The no-touch rule follows right after: if you touch your elf, it "could lose their magic and be unable to fly to the North Pole."1
When does the elf arrive and leave?
There is no fixed arrival date. Some elves show up on Thanksgiving night, others wait until December, and many land during the so-called "Scout Elf Return Week" around late November. The goodbye is the same everywhere: the elf hitches a ride home with Santa on Christmas Eve.2
Someone touched the elf! Now what?
It happens in every house with a toddler. The official site offers three calm fixes: write Santa an apology letter, sprinkle a little cinnamon next to the elf, or sing a Christmas carol together.7
24 easy Elf on the Shelf ideas (searchable)
Most take under five minutes. Type "easy", "funny" or "kindness" to filter the list:
| Elf on the Shelf idea | Setup time | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Hanging from the ceiling light by a ribbon | 2 min | easy |
| Sitting in the fridge with a "chilling out" sign | 2 min | easy |
| Reading a book to the stuffed animals | 3 min | easy |
| Wrapped up in toilet paper on the bathroom floor | 5 min | funny |
| Zip-lining across the room on a piece of string | 5 min | funny |
| Making a snow angel in flour on the counter | 5 min | funny |
| Fishing for goldfish crackers in the sink | 5 min | funny |
| Taking a bubble bath in a bowl of marshmallows | 5 min | funny |
| Drawing mustaches on family photos (with a dry-erase marker) | 5 min | funny |
| Leaving a note: "Do one kind thing for someone today" | 2 min | kindness |
| Bringing supplies to make a card for a grandparent | 3 min | kindness |
| Asking the kids to pick a toy to donate | 2 min | kindness |
| Holding a sign: "Please help set the table tonight" | 2 min | kindness |
| Arriving with a tiny hot cocoa and a winter reading list | 5 min | arrival |
| Flying in on a paper airplane with a hello letter | 5 min | arrival |
| Delivering a letter-to-Santa template for the kids to fill out | 3 min | activity |
| Setting up a coloring page and crayons at breakfast | 2 min | activity |
| Building a mini snowman out of marshmallows and toothpicks | 10 min | activity |
| Starting a cookie-decorating station | 10 min | activity |
| Hiding a scavenger hunt clue that leads to a small treat | 10 min | activity |
| Camping in a tissue box tent with a flashlight | 5 min | easy |
| Riding a toy car or train under the tree | 2 min | easy |
| Watching a Christmas movie with popcorn ready on the couch | 3 min | easy |
| Christmas Eve: a goodbye letter and a hug for everyone | 5 min | goodbye |
Tip: write your list of spots in November and keep it on your phone. Older kids also love it when the elf brings a letter to Santa to fill out, or a printout of Santa's reindeer names to learn.
Is the Elf on the Shelf a good idea? What parents say
Most parents think it's fine. In a 2020 YouGov poll of US adults, parents of young children were asked what they think of the tradition:4
| YouGov poll of US parents with kids 10 or younger (2020) | Share |
|---|---|
| Have an Elf on the Shelf at home | 36% |
| Of elf families: do it because it's "fun" | 61% |
| Of elf families: say it makes the kids behave better | 22% |
| All parents: it's a harmless tradition | 66% |
| All parents: it's harmful | 16% |
| Parents without an elf: it's "weird or creepy" | 32% |
| Parents without an elf: it's "too much work" | 18% |
The critics have a point worth hearing. In 2014, Canadian education researcher Laura Pinto and her co-author asked whether an elf that "watches" kids could get them used to being monitored.8 If that worries you, let your elf leave kindness missions instead.
Our take: the elf works best as a game, not a threat. When the questions about Santa start, Is Santa real? has ideas for that talk. And on Christmas Eve, after the elf flies home, follow Santa himself with our live Santa tracker.
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Elf on the Shelf: frequently asked questions
What are the rules of Elf on the Shelf?
Your family names the elf, which gives it its Christmas magic. Every night it flies to the North Pole to report to Santa and lands in a new spot by morning. Kids are not supposed to touch it, or it may lose its magic. On Christmas Eve it goes home with Santa.
When does the Elf on the Shelf come back?
There is no fixed date. Many families have the elf arrive around Thanksgiving, others wait until December.
What happens if you touch the Elf on the Shelf?
According to the official story, a touched elf may lose some magic. Kids can write Santa an apology letter, sprinkle cinnamon next to the elf, or sing a Christmas carol.
Who invented the Elf on the Shelf?
Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, who self-published the book in 2005 in Georgia. Chanda's twin sister Christa Pitts joined soon after. Their company is now called The Lumistella Company.
How old is the Elf on the Shelf tradition?
The book came out in 2005, so the tradition as most families know it is about 20 years old. The Aebersold family says its own elf, Fisbee, first visited them in 1974.
Do you have to move the elf every night?
That is the idea, but a missed night happens in every house. A note like "Santa needed me for an extra meeting" covers it.
Sources
- 1The Elf on the Shelf: Scout Elf magic (elfontheshelf.com)
- 2Country Living: When does the Elf on the Shelf come and leave? (2022) (yahoo.com)
- 3Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Elf on the Shelf, brainchild of Marietta family, celebrates 20 years (2025) (ajc.com)
- 4YouGov: Elf on the Shelf, what parents think (2020) (yougov.com)
- 5The Lumistella Company: Our Story (lumistella.com)
- 6Fortune: The Elf on the Shelf founders' sleigh ride to success (2012) (fortune.com)
- 7The Elf on the Shelf: What happens if someone touches the elf? (elfontheshelf.com)
- 8Ontario Tech University: What is the Elf on the Shelf teaching kids and parents? (ontariotechu.ca)