The Elf on the Shelf A Christmas Tradition with Blue Eyed North Pole

This is a tradition that will carry on for generations!
This is a tradition that will carry on for generations!

HOW IT WORKS:
The kit comes with an elf doll and a book. The book explains that Santa has sent an elf to watch over the children and the elf reports back to Santa each night. The kids get to decide the name for the elf together - this is a touch decision! You read through the book with your child, it explains all the rules, then each night you move the elf to a new spot. One of the rules is that the children cannot touch him - this is a great rule because although he's a sturdy doll, I think he might get loved out much too quickly if they were allowed! The author was so thoughtful to think of all these helpful rules.

Rules:
* The children cannot touch the elf or he will lose his magic
* The elf can listen to what the children tell him, but cannot talk back, that's Santa's law.
* The elf flies back to the North Pole each night and tells Santa what he has seen - when he comes back he goes...
So much fun!
My kids just received this Thanksgiving day as a gift and I am now ordering them for every child I know. It is such a cute idea. Santa sends the elf to watch the children and then the elf reports to Santa every night and comes back to a different spot in the house. My kids wake up with a running start to see who can find the elf first. The kids must name the elf and they really enjoyed that as well. It is such a nice tradition to help make the Christmas Season even more fun and special. I know it will be with our family for a very long time.
Elf on the Shelf - VS - Christopher Pop-In-Kins
I have a 3-year-old and considered entering the insanity that is "Elf on a Shelf." In reading reviews, I discovered an alternative: "Christopher Pop-In-Kins" Our local library had a complete gift set of both mischievous elf stories and companion elves. Here is a comparison..

THE STORIES ARE INCREDIBLY SIMILAR
I am utterly stunned by the similarities in the two stories. In fact, I am amazed that the author of the "Christopher" book (written in 1985) hasn't sued the "Elf" author (written in 2005) for plagiarism.
* Both elves have been sent by Santa to keep an eye on their assigned child/children and report back to Santa
* Both elves relocate within their assigned home each evening
* Both elves are not to be touched by the children in the home
* Consequences for touching either elf is the same--he/she will have to go back to Santa for awhile
* Both elves are to return to Santa on Christmas eve
* Size of books are almost...
Click to Editorial Reviews