All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
Touting itself as a new Christmas tradition, The Elf on the Shelf has invaded the homes and lives of children across the country during the holiday season. If you’re not familiar with the elf, the story goes that he or she serves as Santa’s eyes and ears in the days before Christmas. The elf reports back to Santa each night and when your children wake up the next morning, they will find the elf in a new location after it returns from the North Pole.
The Elf on the Shelf obviously intends to add to the magic of the holidays. It seemed like a great solution to the unending questions about Santa Claus from my inquisitive daughter, who asked if she’d see Santa’s eyes poking out of the ceiling when he watches her. I anticipated she would like the elf, which seemed like a good alternative to Santa eyeballs (what doesn’t), but instead she reacted in even more shock after we read the book together. Does it watch her with that sideways glance all day? Why can’t she touch it? Will it move while she’s looking at it?
Eventually we confessed that it was just a toy that we would be hiding each night, and she accepted this with relief.
Some children enjoy the hide-and-seek with The Elf on the Shelf, and a geek’s vast collection of toys can lend itself well to fun hiding places and mischief for an elf to find itself in. If you’re a fan of the elf, or think your kids might enjoy looking for him each day, here are a few fun hiding spots I’ve come up with this month. The elf can try to be a superhero, play your family’s favorite games, or place information vital to the survival of the Rebellion into the memory systems of an R2 unit.
Does your family enjoy the elf on sitting on your shelf, or like some of the GeekMoms, do you find it creepy?
