What is elf on the shelf?

[SevenOnwardsAndUpwards]

I've seen this mention by a couple of posters. Can anyone elaborate for me please?

[Crutchlow35]

Our elf (others may do it differently) is called Adam and he arrives on 1 December along with the advent calendar.

Adam looks after DS during December. We started with watching DS but this freaked him out so Adam looks after DS for Santa and reports back any bad behaviour.

Adam gets up to lots of mischief in the house. Again, not every night as DS doesn't like the idea of Adam walking about the house at night so every now and then he climbs the tree, is found in the fridge, in the baths, eating chocolate etc.

On 24 December when Adam goes back to Santa he takes DS Christmas list away with him.

[DoubleLifeIsALifeOfSorts]

I like the idea of the elf looking after the children vs being a weird threatening spy in the house!

I've just bought one as I suddenly felt guilty I hadn't done this year (no idea why and now have buyers remorse!)...

Inly after buying did i read up in the story behind it and realise its wrkng for my ds - it's creepy and wrong in fact :)

. Maybe good for some kids/ older kids but mine would get v upset and scared at this elf coming into the house to watch his every move and has the power to make father Christmas cross with him.

[callmekitten]

DoubleLifeIsALifeOfSorts You don't have to follow the story the book gives. We wrote our own letter from Santa for ours and explains that our elf is here as a part of her elf training rather than to spy for Santa. This also explains why she gets into mischief as she is a younger elf, just learning the trade.

[TheRaniOfYawn]

Or elf is also training, and she's here to learn about children in our city celebrate Christmas and to give them some ideas for Christmassy things to do.

[Timeforabiscuit]

Ours comes when the star is on the Christmas tree.

I like the idea of an elf in training - ours was on the mischievous side last year