Get on the List: Elf on the Shelf

For anyone who wants to make the “nice” list…

Elf on the Shelf really should have been our first holiday gift idea because the holidays just aren’t any fun without it, in my house at least. Starting on December 1st our elf, Baby Mondo, starts to wander around the house keeping an eye on who’s naughty and who’s nice. We started the tradition three years ago on my daughter’s first Christmas. She was around 10 months old at the time so we really couldn’t explain why he was there, but that didn’t stop her from falling in love.

Last Christmas however, was a different story. While she still loved Baby Mondo, she had her days when she’d kind of wish he’d go away. Why? Here’s the story…

The Elf on a Shelf set comes with a storybook and the North Pole scout elf doll. In the story, it explains to children how the elf was sent to their home from the North Pole to keep an eye on them so he could report back to Santa. To add to the whimsy factor, each night parents should put the elf in a new location be it a shelf, a window sill, a table or any nook. When your child wakes up and sees that the elf has magically relocated, the idea that he really might be watching them starts to set in, encouraging good behavior until Christmas Day, the day the elf is suddenly gone and beautifully wrapped presents seem to have taken his place.

While the Elf on the Shelf won’t solve your problems all year long, it’s definitely a fun family tradition that will be welcomed every year.

Available at elfontheshelf.com and other boutique shops for around $30

PS – We named our elf “Baby Mondo”, but your child will have the chance to name their elf anything they please. We just thought it was cute to have a new member of the family, Mondo Ibarrondo, which I joked about naming our daughter had she been a boy.