Decked from head to toe in red, the Elf on the Shelf has become a tradition children wait for as the holiday festivities begin. What originally began as a children’s book has now grown into a mini-empire worth an estimated $100 million, according to countryliving.com. Various versions of the elf dolls, pets, clothes, and accessories have now emerged, creating a cultural phenomenon for this generation.
The Elf on the Shelf story begins when a family adopts the toy elf and gives it a name. The elf’s job is to act as Santa Claus‘ eyes and ears, reporting children’s behavior back to Santa. Santa then determines which children make the nice list and which end up on the naughty list. Throughout the day, the elf stays in one spot, watching and listening, but when the sun goes down, the elf returns to the North Pole. Upon returning, the elf either relocates to a different spot or causes mischief around the house, according to countryliving.com. This serves as a reminder for children to be on their best behavior during the chaos and excitement of Christmas.
A mother daughter duo, Ms. Carol Aebersold and her daughter Ms. Chanda Bell, created the children’s book in 2005. The tradition originated during Ms. Aebersold’s, childhood when she received a pixie elf as a gift. As an adult, she preserved the tradition by telling her three children that the elf watched over them as a spy for Santa. Ms. Aebersold and Ms. Bell decided to turn this cherished family tradition into a children’s book in hopes to spread their beloved tradition to help families spark joy during the holidays. In 2005, they released the children’s book, “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition.” The book describes the Elf on the Shelf’s rules and purpose, but most importantly, includes a packaged toy elf, according to today.com.
Traditional publishers rejected the book originally, due to skepticism about its message and appeal to children. After three years of rejection, Ms. Aebersold and Ms. Bell decided to self-publish their book. They made sacrifices to produce the first units of the book and by the end of 2005, they held their first book signing. As they invested every penny they made back into the business, it took years for them to start making a profit, according to foxbusiness.com. In 2008, the book and toy began to gain recognition its growing popularity attracted investors and retailers, according to businessinsider.com.
Since the book’s debut, families around the globe have adopted more than 18 million elves, making this children’s book one of the most successful self-published stories, according to today.com. Due to the family’s hard work and dedication, the Elf on the Shelf business, now known as the Lumistella Company, has expanded in many areas and become a cultural phenomenon. In the past decade, the Elf on the Shelf has expanded its toy offerings with a variety of different dolls, a clothing line and pets. In 2012, the the elf appeared as a float at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Throughout the years, the elf has also had its own special on Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and made an appearance on Saturday Night Live. The company is also now developing an original series on Netflix, in addition to its existing popular Christmas movies and TV shows, according to cnbc.com.
Mrs. Bridgit Cahill, Lower School Second Grade Lead Teacher, incorporates the Elf on the Shelf in her classroom. Mrs. Cahill explained how she uses the elf in her classroom, and how it encourages good behavior and fun learning.
“The kids’ favorite thing is coming in and trying to find him every day and then watching and talking to him throughout the day,” Mrs. Cahill said. “It’s a reminder for the kids in here to be kind to one another and to try to do the right thing, which is especially helpful during this time of year.”
Featured Image by Lilia Newman ’27
