If you barely touch your Elf on the Shelf, its magic weakens, meaning it might not be able to fly back to the North Pole to report to Santa that night, causing it to miss its crucial check-in, but its powers can usually be restored with belief and "elf dust" (like cinnamon or glitter) by an adult. While kids shouldn't touch it, adults can use tools (tongs, oven mitts) for emergencies, and a gentle touch might just mean a temporary magic lull, not a permanent loss, according to Parade and The Elf on the Shelf Australia.
Children who participate in this activity gleefully anticipate finding their elf each morning and seeing just what he's been up to while they are fast asleep. There is only one rule according to the story: if the child touches the elf, it will lose its magic.
Kids can touch the elf before it is named; naming the elf gives it Christmas magic and shouldn't be touched. If an elf is touched then it loses it's Christmas magic and can't fly back to the North Pole. As for a reason outside the story, for us it's a good way to model boundaries.
Maybe it's his favorite spot, just like we all have a favorite spot at the dinner table or on the couch watching TV. Or he has a primo view to watch you from. He slept in…and didn't want you to see him move and ruin the magic. He's entitled to a rest—the North Pole is a hike.
Every year our elves bring a bottle of magic dust (aka glitter) and a note saying that the kids are able to hug them goodbye on their last night. After hugs and thank you's, they set them by the tree on Christmas Eve and sprinkle them with magic dust for safe travels back to the North Pole.
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.
The three rules of the Code of the Elves from the movie Elf are: 1. Treat every day like Christmas; 2. There's room for everyone on the nice list; and 3. The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear, as explained in this Pop Culture and Theology article and this Facebook post.
The rarest Elf on the Shelf is considered the Yellow Elf, sometimes called the "Banana Elf," a special, ultra-rare edition with yellow skin that appears in very few special deliveries, making it highly sought after by collectors, alongside other variations like the Giant Red Chippy or the African American versions.
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.
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.
But even the existence of Scout Elf Return Week doesn't mean that your elf will return to your home like clockwork! All Scout Elves are different, which is why some return at the end of November and others may wait until the second week of December.
Parents, these Magic Elf Gloves are absolute lifesavers for your Elf on the Shelf tradition! We all know the rule - if someone touches the elf, the magic disappears. But let's be real, accidents happen! These special child-sized gloves are 100% Santa-approved for moving your elf without any magic loss.
Guilt-Driven Behavior
The elf is a “scout.” That means the reason why he's in the house is to spy on your behavior. If our kids' motivation for obedience is to get better Christmas presents, then behavior is just another expression of selfishness. Bribery and guilt are terrible ways to shape a heart.
Santa advises that no member of the family, adults included, should ever touch a Scout Elf. Their Christmas magic is delicate, and they need every bit of it to fly back to the North Pole each night and report on all the good deeds they've seen.
Once your Scout Elf has their magic, they must preserve it as much as they can. Your family can help by never touching your elf. If you accidentally touch your elf, they could lose their magic and be unable to fly to the North Pole. Luckily, Santa's thought of everything, so restoring the magic is simple.
10 Explanations for When You Forget to Move Your Elf on the Shelf
Bernard is Santa's number 1 elf. He was the Administrative Elf, but passed that to Betty when he became the Chief Elf in charge of Training. Bernard is still the Elf who is over all aspects of North Pole life after Santa.
Say, “Even though Santa is not a real person we can still pretend that he is because it's fun to use our imaginations and believe in magic.” Ask your kids: Do you want to write Santa a letter and tell him what you want for Christmas?
Santa advises that no family member touch their Elf on the Shelf, but he does describe a few rare instances when an adult may use tongs or potholders to help an elf in an urgent situation.
Everyone is going to have a different answer but, for elves, I assume this: The human equivalent is x5 up to 'mid-twenties' bracket. So, a '16yo' is 80 years while a '24yo' is 120 years. After that, the aging process essentially stops.
Archibald is the naughtiest elf in the whole wide world, who loves nothing more than doing extremely mischievous things, all with very good intentions.
If your elf wont perform, it's usually because the kids have handled it too much causing its magic to fade... the fix is to sprinkle cinnamon around it and leave it alone. It should regain all its powers within a day or two. Good luck.
If you get wind of anything, call me on my radio. Channel three, code word is "Santa's got a brand new bag".
Due to some of the violent scenes mentioned below, children under the age of 5 will need parental guidance to view this movie. Some children in this age group may still need some parental guidance. Children over the age of eight should be okay to see this movie with or without parental guidance.