Santa's Super Spy: The Elf on the Shelf
The Tradition
Santa’s elves are best known for their gift craftsmanship in his workshop in the North Pole. However, according to Elf on the Shelf lore, some are also sent out on missions to households across America. These Scout Elves make their observations and report back to Santa about which children are acting naughty or nice around Christmas. Such is the story behind the Elf on the Shelf, a type of toy Scout Elf adopted into homes across the United States that “appears” close to Christmas every year. Once it makes its entrance, the elf flies around each night and changes locations for the morning. The next day, the children within a household go looking for where the elf has moved overnight.
According to the story of the Elf on the Shelf, elves preserve their magic through silence and distance. The elf cannot speak to the kids and it cannot be touched by them. If touched, it no longer possesses the power it once held. However, once they are adopted, Scout Elves can be named and stay with families indefinitely. Each one also comes with a book detailing the elf’s Christmas story. Accessories for the elves can be purchased separately, including a candy cane golf set, parachute, swing, and cooking class items. There are even online games, interactive activities, and a blog available on the official Elf on the Shelf website.
The Origins
Fisbee was the first of its kind, the original elf on the shelf given to Carol Aebersold as a kid. After she became a mother, Aebersold said to her own children that the elf was an informant for Santa who would let Santa know whether kids were behaving around Christmas. Aebersold and her daughter, Chanda, later wrote the self-published book, “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition,” and created an elf doll to go along with it. The Lumistella Company, created by Carol, Chanda, and her twin Christa, now sells the famous Elf on the Shelf product and its related items.
Elf Pets and Elfmates, year round holiday playmates for kids, have also been developed by The Lumistella Company. The Elf on the Shelf concept is now a musical, an animated special, and a video game too. It has been advertised on American television shows like The Today Show, The Talk, and Rachel Ray and promoted by celebrities including the Kardashian family and Drew Barrymore. Scout Elf has even been a balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade .
Since its inception, millions of elves have been adopted and continually bring joy to many families. The Elf on the Shelf remains a thriving American holiday tradition.
Photo: The Lumistella Company
Vocabulary List:
Craftsmanship (noun): Talent in a certain skill
Naughty (adjective): Badly behaved
Adopted (verb): To bring into one’s family as a member
Parachute (noun): An object that allows a person to fall from high heights without harming themself
Informant (noun): Someone that shares information about other people
Possesses (verb): Having, owning
Indefinitely (adverb): Never ending or having no defined ending
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Phoebe McChesney is a student at Oberlin College in the United States, majoring in Politics. She has interned in the U.S. House of Representatives and served as a Page in the U.S. Senate. Phoebe would love to work in Congress, with a federal agency, or on foreign policy and international relations one day. She is a blogger for her college and is interested in America House Kyiv’s Ukraine-American work.
