Perhaps you have the rule that adults can move the Elf on the Shelf, as long as they don't use their hands. This means using kitchen tongs, two forks, a spatula, chopsticks or any other kitchen utensil in your arsenal.
If your elf didn't move, they may be trying to communicate an important message to you! If your elf is accidentally touched, they may have just enough energy to get to the North Pole but not enough magic to create a whole new scene in your home.
The truth is, Scout Elves only move when they are certain noone else is around. This is because when they're with you, they must fulfill their duty for Santa, watching and listening to every single thing that happens in your home.
If little ones find their Scout Elf sitting on something they need to use, like relaxing in their sink, lying on their bookbag or hanging on their clothes, then it is okay for parents to move the elf, so kids can complete their morning routine and elves can get back to their important job!
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 night before Christmas, the elf flies off one last time to spend the year with Santa until reappearing next season. Every night, a parent hides the elf in a new place.
Inside the box we have stamped the Welcome letter with the 'North Pole Elf Mail' postmark, so when you decide Elf arrives, your children will see it's authentic. Do I need one Elf per child or one per household? The choice is yours.
The Elf on the Shelf® is a Christmas tradition centered around Scout Elves who fly to the North Pole each night. Scout Elves arrive at homes in a keepsake box set that features a storybook. The book explains that elves love to report to Santa to tell him about each day's activities!
Elves need to wait until everyone is asleep before they can move around. If there was too much activity around the house last night, perhaps your elf only had time to get to the North Pole and back, but not enough time to find a new position. Make sure you get to bed early tonight to help them out!
Your Scout Elf may need an extra day or two to digest his or her holiday treats and get back into tip-top flying shape before returning. A snowstorm held them up. It's not easy to drive in the snow—much less fly!
40 Reasons your Elf on the Shelf didn't move: Someone got out of bed (if Elf hears movement he won't move for risk of being seen) It's too warm in your house compared to the North Pole, he's forgotten what to do! Elf would rather not report bad behavior, he saw what you did yesterday, you have one day to correct it.
According to elf legend, the elf moves each night. Some mornings, though, kids might find themselves asking why the elf is still in its same place. Here are a few possible reasons that Santa's helper may not have found a new position in your home.
According to The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, the night before Christmas, an elf's job comes to an end. On December 24, most Scout Elves say farewell to their families and fly back to the North Pole following Santa's sleigh. This way, they can help him begin preparing for the year ahead.
As the story goes, elves arrive around Thanksgiving and keep watch of children up until Christmas Eve. Every night during this time, elves fly to the North Pole to report to the big guy, ya know, Santa, about the kids' naughty or niceness, then return to a new spot each morning.
By age eight, kids begin to acknowledge the unlikeliness of one man travelling the world in a single night. The good news? If you started the tradition of Elf on the Shelf in your household, you can likely send the elf into early retirement around your child's eighth Christmas.
The Elf on the Shelf tradition can be started at any age, but most parents recommend waiting until your child is between the ages of 2 and 3. They claim it's the perfect sweet spot for children to appreciate and understand the elves' magic while establishing this family tradition at a young age.
Elf on a Shelf Rules
Christmas magic is very fragile and if a scout elf is touched, it may lose that magic and be unable to fly back to the North Pole. A scout elf cannot speak or move while anyone in the house is awake! A scout elf's job is to watch and listen.
An elf does not want to report a child's bad behavior to Santa. Instead of reporting naughty behavior, they will stay in their spot for a few days until there is something nice to report to Santa. If you want your elf to move, you better be good!
Decorating the house, rooms and toys
A great idea is to get the elf decorating. There are so many different ways that you can get fun decorating done in the house that will make the kids love the fun the elf did. From toilet paper, to wrapping paper, tinsel or streamers the possibilities are endless and super easy.
The adorable idea is that a mischievous Elf comes to visit your home leading up to Christmas, and reports back to Santa if the kids are being naughty or nice. Parents make it even more fun by setting up the Elf in funny scenes or hiding it around the house, waiting for the children to notice.
It could simply say "goodbye" or "farewell." A trendy elf might opt for "elf out" or "laters." Christmas poem: The elf could leave a personalized message for each child that includes a short Christmas poem and a note reminding the kids to be on the lookout for the elf to return next year.