The Elf on the Shelf

We started a new tradition with Alisa. We bought "The Elf on the Shelf" book and corresponding elf. Every year from December 1st-24th, we will read the book each morning and then she will get to find the elf somewhere in our house. The book tells about how the elf watches the kids each day to see if they are naughty or nice and then flies to the North Pole each night to report to Santa what he saw that day. Each morning he will be sitting in a different place in the house (as we parents move him after the kids are in bed) which gives the kids the impression that he actually moved in the night. The book explains that the kids can talk to the elf but he won't talk back. Once the kids name the elf, he becomes magic and they are not allowed to touch him or he will lose his magic. Also, that on Christmas Eve when he flies to the North Pole, he stays there with Santa until the next year.

So, Alisa is a little young but we decided to try it with her because my friend who told me about the book has a daughter who is about 2 months older than Alisa and really liked looking for the elf each morning (she named her elf "Cacawawa"). Alisa liked the book but didn't always want to read it or look for the elf and we couldn't get her to give him a name. She did randomly say "elf on a shelf" many times throughout the day so I know she was thinking about him. I know she'll be into it more next year.

These are all the Christmas books and ornaments we got for Alisa this year (you can see the elf and the corresponding book on the left):