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The Elf on the Shelf
The Elf on the Shelf is a 2005 children's book written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. Based on a Christmas tradition that started in Aebersold's family when she was a child, it describes the role of an elf who is assigned by Santa Claus to monitor children's behavior. The book is packaged with a toy elf, and families are encouraged to name it and act as if it is genuinely watching them. Since its introduction, The Elf on the Shelf has become part of Christmas festivities in North America.
The narrative of the book is presented from the viewpoint of an elf sent by Santa Claus to children's homes to observe their behavior during the holiday season. Upon receiving a name, the elf is endowed with Christmas magic. Each night, after the children have gone to bed, the elf flies to the North Pole and reports to Santa on the day's events, helping Santa to determine if the children are naughty or nice. Before the children awaken, the elf returns and assumes a new position within the household, engaging the family in a game of hide and seek. While children are not permitted to touch the elf, as doing so would compromise its magic, they are encouraged to share their Christmas wishes with it. On Christmas Eve, the elf's mission is complete, and it remains at the North Pole until the next season. The book concludes with a page designated for families to document their elf's name and the date of its adoption.
The Elf on the Shelf was written in 2004 by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. Bell suggested they write a book based on their family tradition of an elf sent from Santa who came to watch over children at Christmas time. Aebersold's other daughter, Christa Pitts, was recruited by the family to share her expertise in sales and marketing. Together, the trio devoted the next three years to promoting their self-published book and attending book signings and trade shows.
The Elf on the Shelf won the Best Toy Award by Learning Express, a Book of the Year Award from Creative Child Awards, and a National Best Books Award sponsored by USA Book News in 2008.
In 2013, the book hit the No. 1 spot on the USA Today bestsellers list. In October 2013, The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition was released. Written and illustrated by the same team that created the first book, it offers instructions for inviting a scout elf to visit for a child's birthday party and describes how the elf decorates a chair for the child.[citation needed]
The Atlantic columnist Kate Tuttle calls The Elf on the Shelf "a marketing juggernaut dressed up as a tradition", the purpose of which is "to spy on kids". She argues that one shouldn't "bully [one's] child into thinking that good behavior equals gifts." Writing for Psychology Today, David Kyle Johnston calls it a "dangerous parental crutch", akin to what he terms the "Santa lie". Vox published a critique, warning that "the toy can breed competition (and potentially feelings of inadequacy)" and that it added "holiday stress" for parents, as well as calling it "a symbol of the surveillance state disguised as a children's toy".
Many privacy organizations and researchers criticize the product for teaching children that involuntary, non-consensual surveillance is normal. Washington Post reviewer Hank Stuever characterized the concept as "just another nannycam in a nanny state obsessed with penal codes". Professor Laura Pinto suggests that it conditions kids to accept the surveillance state and that it communicates to children that "it's okay for other people to spy on you, and you're not entitled to privacy." She argues that, "if you grow up thinking it's cool for the elves to watch me and report back to Santa, well, then it's cool for the NSA to watch me and report back to the government. ... The rule of play is that kids get to interact with a doll or video game or what have you, but not so with the Elf on the Shelf: The rule is that you don't touch the elf. Think about the message that sends."
Other experts have disagreed, suggesting elves encourage children to be kind and compassionate. "The elf is a visual cue to act nice", Judith Tellerman, clinical professor of psychology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, tells Yahoo Parenting. "It might remind kids not to fight with their brother".
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The Elf on the Shelf
The Elf on the Shelf is a 2005 children's book written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. Based on a Christmas tradition that started in Aebersold's family when she was a child, it describes the role of an elf who is assigned by Santa Claus to monitor children's behavior. The book is packaged with a toy elf, and families are encouraged to name it and act as if it is genuinely watching them. Since its introduction, The Elf on the Shelf has become part of Christmas festivities in North America.
The narrative of the book is presented from the viewpoint of an elf sent by Santa Claus to children's homes to observe their behavior during the holiday season. Upon receiving a name, the elf is endowed with Christmas magic. Each night, after the children have gone to bed, the elf flies to the North Pole and reports to Santa on the day's events, helping Santa to determine if the children are naughty or nice. Before the children awaken, the elf returns and assumes a new position within the household, engaging the family in a game of hide and seek. While children are not permitted to touch the elf, as doing so would compromise its magic, they are encouraged to share their Christmas wishes with it. On Christmas Eve, the elf's mission is complete, and it remains at the North Pole until the next season. The book concludes with a page designated for families to document their elf's name and the date of its adoption.
The Elf on the Shelf was written in 2004 by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell. Bell suggested they write a book based on their family tradition of an elf sent from Santa who came to watch over children at Christmas time. Aebersold's other daughter, Christa Pitts, was recruited by the family to share her expertise in sales and marketing. Together, the trio devoted the next three years to promoting their self-published book and attending book signings and trade shows.
The Elf on the Shelf won the Best Toy Award by Learning Express, a Book of the Year Award from Creative Child Awards, and a National Best Books Award sponsored by USA Book News in 2008.
In 2013, the book hit the No. 1 spot on the USA Today bestsellers list. In October 2013, The Elf on the Shelf: A Birthday Tradition was released. Written and illustrated by the same team that created the first book, it offers instructions for inviting a scout elf to visit for a child's birthday party and describes how the elf decorates a chair for the child.[citation needed]
The Atlantic columnist Kate Tuttle calls The Elf on the Shelf "a marketing juggernaut dressed up as a tradition", the purpose of which is "to spy on kids". She argues that one shouldn't "bully [one's] child into thinking that good behavior equals gifts." Writing for Psychology Today, David Kyle Johnston calls it a "dangerous parental crutch", akin to what he terms the "Santa lie". Vox published a critique, warning that "the toy can breed competition (and potentially feelings of inadequacy)" and that it added "holiday stress" for parents, as well as calling it "a symbol of the surveillance state disguised as a children's toy".
Many privacy organizations and researchers criticize the product for teaching children that involuntary, non-consensual surveillance is normal. Washington Post reviewer Hank Stuever characterized the concept as "just another nannycam in a nanny state obsessed with penal codes". Professor Laura Pinto suggests that it conditions kids to accept the surveillance state and that it communicates to children that "it's okay for other people to spy on you, and you're not entitled to privacy." She argues that, "if you grow up thinking it's cool for the elves to watch me and report back to Santa, well, then it's cool for the NSA to watch me and report back to the government. ... The rule of play is that kids get to interact with a doll or video game or what have you, but not so with the Elf on the Shelf: The rule is that you don't touch the elf. Think about the message that sends."
Other experts have disagreed, suggesting elves encourage children to be kind and compassionate. "The elf is a visual cue to act nice", Judith Tellerman, clinical professor of psychology at the University of Illinois College of Medicine, tells Yahoo Parenting. "It might remind kids not to fight with their brother".