Elf on The Shelf: A Christmas Tradition (Blue-Eyed Girl Scout Elf)

Good size. Cute and good quality

Our elf added so much fun and anticipation to the Christmas season for our kids.

Very nice for Xmas

Just as pictured. Price was good compared to other sellers. I’m happy with this purchase.

I finally ordered an elf this year b/c my son is finally old enough to understand the "magic" of the elf. The elf comes in a large, high quality storage box (so that you can store it in the off seasons). When you open the box, to the right, your elf will be sitting in a room covered with clear plastic. On the left, you'll find a book that you read to your children which describes the magical elf's journey & purpose. {The elf came from the North Pole, from Santa. The elf is magical & watches your kids during the day, travels to Santa at night to report their behavior, & then travels back home (which is why your child finds it in a different location when they wake up)}. Your child gets to name the elf; you write his/her name (depending on if you get a girl/boy elf) in the back of the book & you can also register the elf & receive a note from Santa. The book is a great starting point for the elf, but you can also create a little more "magic" as well. I told my son that the elf could see & hear everything he does. Whenever he's acting up I say "sshhh... Johnanna (the name he picked out for the elf) can see you & she's going to tell Santa that you're being naughty!" This elf actually gets my son to listen to me & that is TRULY magical!!! The funnest part of all is watching my son's face when he finds the elf's new location; he gets so excited that the elf moved. If you love telling your children about Santa, reindeer, etc., then I highly recommend this. PS: My son kept trying to play with the elf but it isn't exactly "high quality" material & it would've been a pain trying to locate the elf after he's done with it every night in order to relocate it in the AM... so i told him that Santa said we can't ever touch the elf, & if we do the magic that Santa gave to the elf will diminish & the elf will no longer be able to move (this is also why he believes in the elf's "magic" because if mommy can't move the elf then it really must be "Santa's magic" that's moving it.

If you have young children this is the perfect Christmas tradition! I was a little confused about the whole point of it before purchasing so let me fill you in - Your elf (you name it yourself) arrives some day after Thanksgiving. You introduce your elf by reading your kid(s) the story book, then you choose a name and the fun begins! Everyday your elf will watch your children to see if they're being bad or good, and each night your elf will use their magic to fly back to the North Pole to report their findings to Santa. In the morning they return and as usual get into a little mischeif in the house - this is where you place your elf in various places around your house. Search bing or google for great Elf On The Shelf ideas! On Christmas Eve your elf says farewell and returns to the North Pole until next Christmas.My 4 yr old daughter finds this fascinating. Shes on her best behavior everyday for her elf and loves searching the house in the morning for her elf, Snowflake. Shes amused by all the funny things the elf gets into. I also have an 8 months old so this tradition will be around for a long time in our house, until our kids out grow it. So cute and unique!(Packaging)The box set is sturdy and has a magnetic flap. Inside it holds your elf and has a sleeve for your book. Great as a keepsake and has good stability.(The Elf)The elf is a small felted doll, you can buy them in male or female. They're easy to clean and seem to be made well. You can buy an optional skirt for the female doll.

No skirt....

Seriously...Elf on the Shelf (Heartly at our house) changed our LIVES.IDK what's going on with my 4 1/2 year old. She's a ginger and has a good heart, but she is so pig headed stubborn and defiant I introduce her as, "my karmic debt". I heard about this magic Elf, and watched more and more families on Facebook post about it year over year. This year, OMG - I'd had enough. I was desperate for SOME kind of leverage, because the 'ole lump of coal threat didn't mean much. She doesn't know what coal is. :| So great, let's do it. I did all the research, watched a bunch of videos, and low and behold - every parent had the same review..."...it changed our lives..." "...can't live without the Elf..." etc, etc, etc. Oh, and I was a little late but not bad - this was the first week of December. We crafted this story about the weather "up north" delayed our Elf but apparently Santa felt that she was old enough and ready for her Elf. Good gracious, I was nervous!First, as soon as I ordered it; we started watching YouTube (b/c this generation doesn't comprehend life unless they see it on YouTube first). The most amazing thing happened, we found the dumbest video ever - with a bagillion hits called, "Proof that Elf on the Shelf Exists". Apparently, a bagillion other kids were looking for the same affirmation. This goofy little video sealed the deal - the Elf was real and he even used to toilet! "When does OUR Elf get here?!?!" I could see her melting at the opportunity to be good....this could actually work. No notes home from school? no incident reports? YES - a happy future! A break from the chaos!The Elf arrived and I couldn't wait. Let the games begin.We read the book; every day. We moved the Elf, and I did NOT make our Elf mischevious - NO SIR, no one that she could relate to! Absolutely not, our Elf (a female Elf named Heartly) was a SNITCH. That was her purpose in LIFE. I was convinced that my girl wouldn't be able to make it, that she would loose the belief, touch the Elf, something wasn't going to work. And then, one day - the notes stopped from school. She started cleaning her room (what?!?! Like, ALONE?!) It's true. It was working. And I knew it was going to work when she asked me one day if she, "...could have a stuffed Elf that she could touch and sleep with". !!!! YES!! YES YOU CAN!! My BFF got her one from Target, and that curved the separation anxiety that was headed our way Christmas Eve as well. I am a true believer in the Elf, if you've been holding out - take it from me! The Elf literally changed our lives - held my ginger accountable for her actions. Bravo good lady, bravo!