Where Did This “Elf on the Shelf” Come From?
Do We Love the Elf on the Shelf?
I had a conversation with my wife several years ago regarding the Elf on the Shelf. This was something she brought into our home when our kids were born. It seemed like a good idea at the time. You bring out Santa's little "informant," who does something naughty during the night and reports on your kid's behavior back to St. Nick at the North Pole.
Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas, but this Elf has become a job. Luckily my wife does the heavy lifting, but I hear this from our kids often, "Didn't the elf do this last year." There are only so many original things you can come up with on your own. Lucky for us, Pinterest and Facebook are rife with ideas you can swipe.
This Elf on the Shelf became a slow-moving phenomenon in 2005, which explains why I had no idea of its existence. Based on a book written by Carol Aebersold in 2004, the movement began to pick up steam. If you don't know the story, you can read more about it here in Woman's Day. Santa's elves were my parents growing up. They had Santa's direct line and could let them know of our misdeeds.
