Elf on the Shelf - Sun City,CA

It is up to you.
But always remember how he came to be in your home.
And that, each family/child, will have a different story of it.
And when they are older, they may compare stories.

And some kids have an Elf. Some don't.
etc. so you may have to explain 'why' IF your kids ask that.

Ours, just showed up. And with the book.
Wow!
Then my daughter says "I saw this at Barnes & Noble....."
I say yes.
But, I didn't buy it. It just showed up!
But that some people do buy it.
It comes in different ways....
Ya gotta think on your toes...

Our Elf just showed up on Thanksgiving morning (or was it the morning after - I'll have to ask my husband and hope he remembers!!) on our kitchen counter with his book and a letter from Santa. Santa also left us (and still does each year) a new family Christmas movie and popcorn to enjoy during our family movie nights.

I wouldn't suggest wrapping him up since I'm pretty sure the book says that no one is to touch the elf or he'll lose his magical powers - the kids are only suppose to talk to him, not touch him.

My girlfriends and I have been doing this with our kids for years! Be sure to name your Elf, ours is Buddy, and yes, he just shows up one day (usually after Thanksgiving) in some silly spot with a letter from Santa introducing him and stating all the rules. The first year we did it, I waited until the kids woke up and then I said "Kids, look what happened last night! and then I read the letter to them" My kids take Buddy and his magical powers very seriously! They watch their behavior when they know he's watching. In fact one year, my son's friend convinced him that Buddy wasn't real and they touched him! My son was devastated that Buddy had lost his magical powers and was stuck forever on our shelf. He asked if he could make a phone call to Santa apologizing so Buddy could get his magic back haha. Have fun with it too. We put Buddy in all kinds of crazy places. Hide him in the xmas tree, hanging from the lights, peeking from behind picture frames etc. my kids love our adopted elf :)

Ours always "appears" near the top of our Christmas tree the morning after we put it up/decorate it. We always wait until the 5th of December (the day after my son's birthday) to get our tree.

The book is always laying under the tree the morning he shows up.

J.

Well..I returned mine...it was quite scary. It even scared me. I understand they are all a bit different..and the one I got had a real creepy face..lol..so no elf on the shelf for us...just sayin'

My mother sent us our elf on the shelf and the return address on the box said "Santa claus, north pole" hee hee.

For St. Pat's Day every year, I make little footprints (use your fingertips to create little toes) and leave a few notes to create a treasure hunt with a pot-o-something at the end. 4-year-olds can definitely understand the concept of a treasure hunt -- yours could end with the elf waiting in a cool hiding place. We started at pre-school ages, but now my high schoolers are sorely disappointed if they come home and the leprechauns haven't visited to leave a treasure hunt. My advice: always make it fun for yourself too!

"Barney" just showed up for us. He's out in our house already, moving regularly! My 3.5 yo totally notices and reports to me when he's moved! :)

Our Elf shows up Thanksgiving evening wrapped like a gift. The first year the package was sitting in the living room when we got home from Thanksgiving with family. Last year I put it on the front porch and rang the doorbell and ran back in thru another door. Not sure where he will show up this year. But they are always excited about it. Its lots of fun- (Until you forget to move him one night)

"Hooray for Elfie" - long before Elf on the Shelf comes out on Thanksgiving.
He just appears. Then every night he moves around the house so he can
spy on the kids. Christmas Eve before his journey back to the North Pole,
he leaves new PJs for the kids. Kids love looking for him every day.