Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition® by Carol V. Aebersold and Chanda Bell became an almost-instant hit when it first appeared in 2005. Now, millions of families worldwide are involved in a hide-and-seek game with an elf who gets itself into some precarious situations as it determines who is on Santa's nice list. Here's everything you need to know about the ubiquitous elf and its holiday mischief.

What Is Elf on the Shelf®?

Mother-daughter duo Carol Aebersold and Chanda Bell wrote Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition® in 2005. The children’s book tells the story of a Scout Elf who comes from the North Pole to see who is on the naughty or nice list. The Elf on the Shelf® was something Aebersold did for her own daughters when they were children, and it was based on a Scandinavian legend about house elves who helped out with the chores and protected their families.

Where to Buy Elf on the Shelf® and Elf on the Shelf® Accessories

You can buy Elf on the Shelf® at Amazon or at Target, Walmart or Barnes & Noble. If you need accessories for Elf on the Shelf® or tiny props to set the scene, Elf on the Shelf's official storefront makes several outfits, costumes and accessories. Several makers on Etsy also have your back with props to bring your Elf on the Shelf® poses to life.

How To Play Elf on the Shelf®

You’ll need to “adopt” an elf from the store. Options include both male and female elves in different skin tones. Each elf comes in a keepsake box and with a storybook explaining why the elf is there and what he or she does during the Christmas season. Each family gets to choose their elf’s name.

There are few “rules” to the game. The biggest rule is that kids cannot, under any circumstances, touch the elf, or it ruins the magic, and the elf doesn’t move anymore. (Of course, if the elf does get touched, you can always suggest your kids draw a picture for Santa so he will restore the elf’s magic by morning.)

The second rule is that the elf must return to the North Pole on Christmas Eve to give its final report to Santa Claus. The next morning, kids on the nice list wake up to presents under the tree.

Some elves “arrive” at their homes right after Thanksgiving, while others don’t show up till Dec. 1 or a little after. You can write an elaborate arrival letter or just go with a tiny, DIY letter board.

Each night, after kids go to sleep, adults get to choose a new Elf on the Shelf® pose. Get creative! Elves can play tricks on the children and pets, get into mischief, or even appear with supplies for a family movie night. Some families go all out and even buy different clothes for their elves.

What should you do if you forget to move your elf? In short, tell a white lie. Santa will forgive you. Explanations include that the elf really loved yesterday's spot, the elf was busy all night helping Santa and didn't have time to move, or he or she is working on an extra-special surprise for the next day.

Creative Elf on the Shelf® Poses for 2023

The possibilities for elven shenanigans are endless, but we have compiled a list of our favorite Elf on the Shelf® poses:

1. Reap What You Sow

Use some felt to make your elf an apron and some veggies for a little off-season gardening in a flowerpot. Mix it up by having your elf farm in other containers, like a casserole dish on the kitchen counter or in somebody's boot.

2. Full of Hot Air

A wicker basket, a paper lantern and a few accessories make for an adorable elf scene. Hang the paper lantern wherever you like, and then secure the basket to the lantern for the hot air balloon effect.

3. Chain Reactions

Make some tiny paper chains so your elf can get in on the decorating game.

4. Charcuterie Elf

If elves made their own charcuterie boards, you can guarantee they would be made of candy. This elf scene comes with its own snack for grownups!

5. Knot So Fast

Set your elf up with some yarn for a tiny knitting session. Can't knit? No problem — have your elf hold the knitting needles and make a mess of the yarn for another mischievous elf idea.

6. Gift Wrap Elf

Santa's helpers have their own wrapping to do! Wrap up small boxes with wrapping paper to pile around your elf to show just how busy it has been gathering presents this year.

7. Cotton Candy Elf

This elf idea is super versatile — leave it very basic where your elf has a snack alone or set up an entire cotton candy store manned by your elf that offers human-sized portions of the real candy to your kids. Make the fake cotton candy out of pink cotton balls coated in glue and then covered in glitter.

8. Sledding On In

This is a great option for your elf's arrival day. Make an old-fashioned sled out of candy canes and twine and write, "I'm back!" in fake snow. If this is your first year doing Elf on the Shelf, you could also write, "Hello!" Use this pose on other days with phrases like "Let's Sled," "Merry Christmas" and "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?"

9. The Last-Minute Shopper

With a set of printables, you can make your own tiny packing boxes to make it appear like your elf went wild with the credit card and ordered way too many Christmas presents.

10. Taking "Advent"age

Grab an advent calendar full of chocolates and let your elf "destroy" it by eating all the candy. This is a great chance to get some extra candy for yourself. A win-win in our book!

11. Rockin’ Around the Record Player

Set your elf up with a record player and a Christmas album. Press play and have your child walk in to find the elf spinning away.

12. Away in a Tangle

Tie your elf up in knots under the guise of "decorating." Getting snagged in the lights is a great last-minute Elf on the Shelf® idea if you forget to move the elf.

13. Elf-Sized Tree Decorating

Set up a mini tree decorating scene and let your child and the Scout Elf get in on the action. Colorful craft supplies like mini pom-poms make for perfect pint-sized decorations.

14. Crafty Christmas Card Station

Get the elf involved with Christmas cards! Simply set up a Christmas card writing station complete with stickers, stamps, cards and craft supplies. Let your child's imagination run wild under the supervision of the elf.

15. Hot Chocolate Party

On a chilly December day, nothing sounds better than a warm hot chocolate with all the fixings. Set up all the supplies and make a small marshmallow mess to blame on the elf. Don't forget a tiny cup so Santa's agent can enjoy their own hot chocolate!

16. Help!

Stuff your elf into a clear ornament to make it a bit more challenging to find. As an added bonus, it can't get tangled up in the Christmas lights if it's trapped in a bubble!

17. Magical Movie Night

Set your elf up with supplies for a movie night. Your child can't touch the elf, but he or she can settle in for a Christmas movie. Place a mini marquee nearby to make the night feel extra special, and the elf can settle into some comfy pajamas before snacking on popcorn.

18. Baking Christmas Cookies

Make a bit of a mess with flour and sprinkles so your elf can start a batch of sugar cookies. Then, you can come to the rescue as the super-parent who saves the recipe and makes cookies with your kids.

19. You Shall Not Pass

Tape some Christmas crepe streamers across your child's bedroom door to "trap" your child inside when they get up in the morning.

20. Gone to the Dogs

Get your dog in on the fun. You can set the scene so it appears that the elf planned to leave cookies for Santa Claus but only found dog bones. You can also take it as an opportunity for another instance of elven mischief that benefits nobody but the family dog.

21. sElfie Station

Your elf can snap a few "elfies" for keepsakes before returning to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. Set up an adorably festive background for the photos, and capture some Christmas memories with an instant camera.

22. Summer Dreams

Yes, elves live in the North Pole, but who's to say they don't love the beach as much as the rest of us? Find one of those drink floats you keep with the summer gear, and set your elf up for fun in the sun.

23. Bon Voyage!

Send your elf off to the North Pole with dreams of a tropical vacation once all the presents are delivered.

Elf on the Shelf® Alternatives

There are several alternatives to Elf on the Shelf® if moving an elf around each night doesn’t seem like your cup of holiday cheer.

Mensch on a Bench was a Hannukah character originally introduced on Shark Tank in 2014. Mensch is a Yiddish word for someone who has integrity and honor. The original mensch was packaged with a storybook, a bench and a menorah. It can be hard to track one down, but there are several Mensch accessories — as well as the book — available.

Santa’s Lazy Gnome is perfect for busy families or parents who are certain they’d forget to move Elf on the Shelf®. The gnome comes with its own book and chills on the mantel to keep an eye on things until Christmas Eve with nothing further required.

North Pole Ninjas is a book by Tyler Knott Gregson that includes a small sensei elf and 50 kindness tasks for newly recruited Christmas ninjas to choose from during the holiday season.

Shiraz on the Shelf is a tongue-in-cheek “game” for parents to play. It comes with a swear word-laden poem about the tasks that fall to parents during the holiday, as well as a wineglass so you can relax after you’ve set up another elaborate scene for your elf.