Original Elf on A Shelf Before It Was Popular

The Elf on a Shelf Craze

The Elf on A Shelf craze seems to be everywhere, but Santa’s little helper isn’t new.

My grandmother gave me a small knee hugger elf to hang on the tree in the 1960’s, it is one of the few things I have from my Dads’ Mom and I don’t even remember meeting her. All I know is the little pixie with the bell on top was one of my favorite ornaments.

My Mother in law really gets into the Christmas elves. About 20 knee-hugger Christmas elves in various poses sit around miniature Christmas trees in her window.

These little guys don’t get into mischief and they don’t tattle to Santa. They are just cute and whimsical.

They came in various sizes, the large ones were 14″ and designed to sit on a shelf, but the small ones were meant to hide on the Christmas tree and sometimes they moved around.

I love the faces on these vintage Elves, the new ones just don’t have the same personality. You can almost see the mischief in his eyes below.

Start an Elf on a Shelf Tradition in Your House

If you don’t have vintage knee-hugger Christmas elves in your house you can start a new tradition with your kids at Christmas. You can create your own story, your own version of Santa and how his elves help Santa with Christmas. Here are just a few options for the modern and up to date Elf on a Shelf Dolls.

Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition (blue-eyed girl scout elf)Elf on the Shelf Pets ReindeerElf on the Shelf Scout Elves At Play KitElf on the Shelf Pet Pack – Reindeer and Saint Bernard Elf Pets – Direct From North Pole in Official Santa Gift Box

Elf on a Shelf Craze

Retro is in, what is old is new again.

The famous fairy became popular again with the 2004 Elf on a Shelf book. The posable and posable red and white elf now reports to Santa if the kids in the house have been naughty or nice. All the time the Elf is creating mischief. Maybe its to show the kids what they “should not” do.

It’s more of the elf being naughty when he’s away from Santa. The internet is full of the pixie making a mess with cereal, unrolling the bathroom tissue, and getting in compromising positions.

The Real Life Elf on a Shelf

My friend Andrew gets into the holiday spirit not just during Christmas but his costumes are famous all year round on airplanes, hotels and out and about in Omaha Nebraska.

In December he dresses as a life-size Elf on the Shelf and greets by kids young and old at the airport as he flies around the country as a photographer. Parents take pictures of him with their kids, and he loves to hear the whispers and giggles as he hames it up.

Andrew takes selfies of himself as the naughty elf pushing all the buttons on the elevator and getting trouble with bubble wrap.  But mostly he’s just bringing smiles to people from the photo lab, to those in his condo. I really believe he just has fun dressing as an Elf and enjoys every day to it’s fullest.

Andrew also dresses as Cupid on Valentine’s day and is the Breast Cancer Awareness “Pink Man” on Delta flights during October.

I don’t know how popular this new craze of dressing as a life-size elf will become.

I’ve seen a post about “renting an Elf on a Shelf” for your party (I’m sure Andrew would do that), and I’ve seen the baby Elf posed in various places by his Father who is a photographer, but there will be only one true live Elf on a Shelf for me and that’s the one above with the oversized imagination and love of life.

Elf on a Shelf Costume

If you or your friends want to bring the Elf on the Shelf magic and fun to your Holiday season the costume can be found on Amazon. I would love to see pictures of your adventures, or even photos of a vintage elf from your childhood.