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.
The tradition comes from a children's book that explains the typical rules, which include a child being unable to touch an elf, lest it loses its magic, and the promise that it will return the following year after it leaves.
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.
Even though your kiddos probably want to embrace your Elf with tons of love before he leaves, he still has to fly back to the North Pole. So, just like the other 23 days, don't touch the Elf. If they touch him, it's possible he won't have enough magic to make it home.
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.
Lots of households have the rule that the elf can't be touched by anyone or they'll lose their magic, however in some houses parents can touch the elf, or parents/kids can touch the elf whilst using something special like a pair of tongs or gloves... the rules in your house will determine whether some of these excuses ...
For a few easy ways to fix this problem, here's what you need to do if your child touches the Elf: Have your child write a note to Santa or your Elf, saying “sorry”! Have them sprinkle a little cinnamon on their Elf. If you want to take it further, have the kids sing Christmas carols.
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.
Some people don't and some people do. The reason you would cut them would be to make your elf easier to position when placing him each night. I have also seen tutorials online that help teach you how to add wire to your EOTS's arms and legs, so you can bend them in fun positions.
Each night when Elf on the Shelf comes back, he/she is in a new spot. There are two rules with Elf on the Shelf. The kids cannot touche Elf on the Shelf or it will lose its magic. If they DO touch it, they need to write a letter to Santa, apologize and add some cinnamon beside the elf before bed.
One philosophy provides a compelling argument about the dangers of the Elf on the Shelf, namely that it is a lie, threatens the trustworthiness of parents, ultimately encourages gullibility in children rather than critical thinking and inadvertently teaches children that their behavior should be governed by potential ...
The Elf on the Shelf website recommends your Elf arrive between November 24 through December 1. This is also known as Scout Elf Return week, a.k.a. the time when Santa's little helpers flee the North Pole and head out to the houses they'll be staying at until Christmas.
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!
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 gloves protect your skin from touching the Elf, so that way your Elf will not lose its magic! Now the kids can touch their Elf! However, I suggest making the Elf Magic Gloves be something special that is only allowed some of the time!
According to the official "Elf on the Shelf" website, "Christmas magic is very fragile, and if scout elves are touched they may lose their magic." It doesn't specify that this only applies to kids, so we're guessing this applies to any humans.
Children are not allowed to touch them.
Elves are very fragile, and if they are touched by human children they lose their magic and ability to communicate with Santa.
A Scout Elf receives their Christmas magic after you name them, therefore it's safe to take your elf out of the box before they are named. If you have named your Scout Elf, don't worry! At night he or she will find their way out of the box using the Christmas magic they gained when you named them!
One MassLive staffer parent suggested picking up a fallen elf with oven mitts, to help minimize bumps and bruises. There's a YouTube video that shows an elf resting comfortably with its head on a soft pillow of Kleenex and staying warm inside a potholder.
Now the joke's on the Elf: “That's a wrap, folks!” Sometimes, the Elf -- and a friend or two -- leave a mark. The Elf can also leave a special present from Santa before finally departing.