These Are the Most Important Elf on the Shelf Rules You Need to Know (2024)

For some, Christmas traditions entail sipping eggnog, wrapping presents, and hanging stockings above a roaring fireplace, or in the Drummond’s case wearing matching Christmas pajamas and making cinnamon rolls. For others, holiday traditions look more like a little red doll with a pointed hat perched on the mantle, otherwise known as: Elf on the Shelf.

The Elf on the Shelf is a decades-long Christmas tradition that involves a special Scout Elf who is assigned to report back to Santa on the rights (and wrongs) of the children of his assigned house before the big holiday. The premise of this adorable holiday game is that each morning, the Elf takes on a new position around the house, which the kids scurry about in search of. The kiddos can even customize their Elf with a fun name, outfits, and accessories to add a layer of creativity to the holiday tradition.

Like any good game, this one has a set of rules that the kids must follow to ensure the Elf doesn’t lose his magic. If you’re unfamiliar with these rules, that’s not to worry, because we’ve compiled a list of the most important ones to ensure a smooth season with your family’s beloved Elf.

Your Elf should arrive during Scout Elf Return Week.

According to the official Elf on the Shelf website, Scout Elf Return Week usually falls between the end of November, when it's still Turkey time, and the beginning of December, when it's time to pull out all your Christmas decorations. In 2023, Scout Elf Return Week was from November 22 to December 1. But if your Elf happens to be late, don’t fret. Santa occasionally holds a few Elves back to help him with last-minute Christmas-related tasks at the North Pole before releasing them to their respective houses.

Don’t touch your Elf!

Let your family’s Elf be a lesson in “you can look, but not touch,” for the kiddos. This is the most important rule because touching the Elf leads to him losing his magic. If an Elf loses his magic, he’ll be unable to fly back to the North Pole to inform Santa of what’s been going on at home, which no one wants. If a gust of wintry wind, or perhaps Fido, knocks the Elf over, a parent can help put Santa’s little helper back in its place.

But again, kids must not touch the Elf! We know mistakes happen, though, so if an Elf is accidentally touched, there are ways to restore his magic. Performing a Christmas carol, sprinkling cinnamon on the Elf, or writing a letter to Santa are all ways that the kids can help restore the Elf’s magic (and keep them occupied while you’re busy making Christmas cookies).

Scout Elves can’t talk, but they sure can listen!

Children should be encouraged to confide in their Elf, whether that’s about their Christmas wish list, secrets, or what they did this year to be on the nice (or naughty) list. After all, your Elf makes the commute all the way to the North Pole each night to report on the kids to Santa, so it’s only fair to give him something to talk about!

Your Elf changes position every night.

It’s important to note that your Elf only moves when he isn’t being watched, so evading bedtime to catch the Elf in its act won’t do anything for the kids (other than putting them on the naughty list!) After a long night of reporting back to the Big Claus in the North Pole while the kids are sound asleep, your Elf makes its way to a new location around the house. Sometimes it's somewhere predictable, like the fireplace mantle, while other times it's somewhere more unexpected, like behind your stack of cookbooks. Either way, the kids will love searching the house every morning to see where the Elf is.

Elves must return to the North Pole nightly.

Each evening, between the first day the Elf makes its way onto your shelf and Christmas Eve, marks another journey that he takes from your home to the snowy North Pole. This is why the Elf takes on a new location around the house everyday. It’s simply his resting place after a long night of reporting to Santa. Again, this is a great opportunity for the kids to try their hand at penning a letter to Santa entailing their Christmas hopes, wishes, and dreams so the Elf can take it back to him at night.

Your Elf should leave on Christmas Eve.

Although the famous poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” states that on the night before Christmas, “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse,” your Elf is here to prove that statement wrong. On December 24, your Elf will make his final journey back to the North Pole to help Santa prepare for Christmas Day! After all, St. Nick needs all the help he can get to bring presents and Christmas cheer to everyone on the nice list. This is a great opportunity to teach the kiddos that if you love someone, you should let them go. And if it’s meant to be, then your Elf will be back on that shelf in a year’s time!