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Tag: elf on the shelf

  • Elf on the Shelf Finds Himself on “Wanted” Poster in One Massachusetts Community

    That ever-popular Elf on the Shelf has landed himself in a bit of hot water. A familiar face this time of year, the Elf on the Shelf visits girls and boys in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Some even report back to Santa Claus about whether they’ve been naughty or nice.

    This particular Elf on the Shelf has been a bit naughty, it seems.

    Police in Bourne, Massachusetts say the Elf on the Shelf is wanted in “a string of gingerbread house invasions and is known to be a specialist in covert surveillance.

    Wanted Person: Use Caution. Wanted in a "string"of ginger bread house invasions. Known to spread Christmas Cheer and a…

    Posted by Bourne Police Department on Sunday, December 6, 2015

    Anyone apprehending the Elf on the Shelf is warned not to touch the little red-dressed being–because it can result in the loss of his magical powers.

    This Facebook post on the Bourne Police Department’s Facebook page has been “liked” almost 3,000 times as of Tuesday afternoon.

    Kudos to the P.D. for their sense of humor and grown-up fun with the Elf on the Shelf. They’ve no doubt made a wealth of adults smile.

  • Elf On The Shelf- More Than Just A Christmas Tradition

    Does your family have an elf on the shelf? If not, you may want to run out and get one before the Christmas holiday. For many families, the Elf On The Shelf is a fun Christmas tradition that both children and adults look forward to, but it is also a new parenting concept that is both fun and effective.

    The Elf On The Shelf is a scout elf that watches children to make sure they are behaving and then report their behavior back to Santa. In order to make the elf seem real, parents will move the little guy or girl around in different positions throughout their home and sometimes, the elf even leaves treats behind.

    Parents can find fun ideas for their elf on Pinterest, Instagram and other websites. The elf teaches children to be aware of their behavior and encourages them to behave better. Parents are less likely to scold or yell at children and children are less likely to throw tantrums when the elf is watching or listening.

    More importantly, the elf provided families with something fun to do together and look forward to every year. For almost everyone that buys an Elf On The Shelf, the story and activities quickly become a tradition that will likely be carried on throughout generations. Children who have their own elf may pass it down to their children and grandchildren someday.

    The Elf On The Shelf as published in 2005 and is available in most bookstores and online stores. There is also an Elf On The Shelf cartoon that is shown on several channels during Christmas. Do you believe the Elf On The Shelf is an effective parenting tool or just another fad that will fade away in a few years?

    Image from YouTube.

  • The Elf on the Shelf Has Jewish Cousin

    The Elf on the Shelf has a Jewish cousin. Now (or actually not until 2014, unless they find one on eBay) Jewish children can enjoy the same kind of holiday tradition as those who celebrate Christmas.

    The Mensch on a Bench was created by former Hasbro Toys employee and loving dad, Neal Hoffman. He felt bad watching son Jacob left out of a tradition his Christian friends were very excited about. Every morning Jacob’s friends eagerly searched for their Elf on the Shelf and reported where they’d found their exciting little friend. Hoffman claims he was driven by “elf envy” to create the Mensch on a Bench. He brought the plush character to life via a Kickstarter campaign.

    As with the Elf on a Shelf, the Mensch on a Bench comes with a story book about Moshe the Mensch. He was in the temple when Judah and the Maccabees celebrated their win over the Greeks. Moshe stayed in the temple overnight to watch the Menorah, because there was only enough oil for one night.

    Unlike the Elf on the Shelf, the Mensch on a Bench watches over the Menorah in each child’s home. The family can move the Menorah to different places within their home to add to the excitement of locating Moshe each morning.

    Neal Hoffman promotes his toy with the tagline “Add More Funnukah to Your Hannukah.” Twitter followers are helping spread the word, too.

    It would be very interesting to learn what Elf on the Shelf creators, Carol Aebersold and daughter Chanda Bell, think of the Mensch on a Bench. It shouldn’t ire them in the least, as Jewish children certainly deserve their holiday fun, too. Sales of the Elf on the Shelf, its clothing and accessories, Christmas ornaments, a video and books is certainly keeping Aebersold and Bell rolling in ample dough, so hopefully they don’t mind sharing a bit of the holiday wealth.

    Sadly, the Mensch on a Bench has sold out until 2014. Perhaps a search on eBay or other resale sites could render a Mensch in plenty of time for Hannukah.

    Photo Source: Wikipedia

  • Elf on the Shelf: A Sequel to the Popular Book is Released

    With Christmas just around the corner, get ready for your Facebook feed to be taken over by pictures of the Elf on the Shelf. In case you aren’t aware of what The Elf on the Shelf tradition involves, parents use them to encourage good behavior during the month of December. Parents tell the kids that their Elf on the Shelf is one of Santa’s helpers who watches the kids during the day and goes back to the North Pole each night while the kids are sleeping to file a report for Santa’s “Naughty or Nice” list.

    A spy elf that is used to scare kids into behaving might sound like it takes away from the Christmas spirit a little, but most parents aren’t too hardcore about the behavior part and mostly use the elf to get the kids more excited for the holidays. Kids get to name their elf and when they wake up each morning, the elf is usually in a different location (if the moms and dads remember to move him, anyway). Plus, there is a book called The Elf on the Shelf that families can read together, although the focus is more on finding the elf each morning.

    Now that The Elf on the Shelf has been so successful, the authors of the book, Carol V. Aebersold and Chanda Bell, have decided to release a sequel called The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition.

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    The elf is supposed to leave for good on Christmas Eve, which leaves a lot of kids disappointed (mine included–we usually break the rules and let our elf drop in throughout the year for visits). Per the new book, the elf will get to return on the child’s birthday. The sequel book kit for The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition includes the book and a birthday outfit to dress the elf in when he drops in for birthday visits for $19.95.

    That’s really cool and all, but with December just a couple weeks away, let’s talk about some of the best ideas you’ve come up with or have seen for placing the Elf on the Shelf. Post your ideas in the comments section below. Pinterest is full of Elf on the Shelf ideas (both naughty and nice), in case you need any inspiration:

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    [Images via Elf on the Shelf (1), (2) and Pinterest]

  • Elf On The Shelf Birthday Tradition

    Elf On The Shelf Birthday Tradition

    For all of you that participate in the “Elf on the Shelf” tradition…how many times have you forgotten to move that pesky elf before your kids woke up in the morning? For me, it’s a daily challenge to remember to help my elf get into mischief.

    Creator and author of the popular “Elf on the Shelf”, Carol V. Aebersold, gives parents a tip on how they can remember to help their elves get back to the North Pole and back before it is time for their kids to discover him again. It’s simple really, just use post it notes.

    “I tell parents to put a blank sticky note on the bathroom mirror every night so that they can remember to check whether their elf has flown back to the North Pole,” says Aebersold.

    Aebersold released a new book back in October called, “The Birthday Tradition”, which is where Santa will allow the child’s elf come back for one special day each year: their birthday.

    “What other more special family tradition is there than your own special holiday, your birthday,” says Aebersold. “We heard so many requests from kids saying ‘Can my elf come back?’ that we decided to talk to Santa, and he said, ‘This is how we celebrate birthdays at the North Pole, and kids might want to do it, too.” Aebersold says she has gotten a great response from the new book, with thousands of kids writing letters to Santa to have him send their elf back for their birthdays.

    “Elf on the Shelf” was more than just a creative idea Aebersold thought up. It was a tradition that her family started years ago, and once she had kids of her own, she decided to write a book to share their tradition.

    “It was a tradition we had in my family; you adopt your elf for a lifetime. So when I got married, he came with me and my children grew up with my elf. When they grew up they told me what a wonderful family tradition that was and said ‘Mom, we should write a book and share it with the world,’” she said.

    Image via Twitter