A new holiday helper, the elf on the shelf, is finding a place in homes everywhere; this elf is pushing children to be on their best behavior for ‘Ol Saint Nick. While this new little guy has raised much controversy between parents, it is the new mechanism to get children to behave around the Christmas season. This little elf comes straight from the North Pole and watches the children throughout the day, and then reports back to Santa at night to tell him who deserves to be on the naughty list and who does not. While some parents believe that the implementation of the elf is taking Santa’s job a little too far, I find that this elf is exactly what is needed to get children in the holiday spirit. This elf is the perfect solution to getting children to keep their belief in Santa Claus alive. The elf on the shelf helps children to believe that their good behavior will get back to Santa and they will receive all the presents they asked for. From sharing their toys to helping mom around the house, children everywhere keep their eye out for the elf on the shelf to notice their good behavior. On the other hand, there are parents that believe Santa’s little helper finding a place in homes everywhere is a bit invasive of Santa. By bringing a figment of imagination into physical representation, the idea of children using their imagination is hindered. Santa is supposed to be an innocent belief among children, but bringing a character of Santa’s into homes may prove to be too much. I find that the new elf on the shelf is no different than letting children ask Santa Claus at the local to bring them toys for Christmas. The new elf on the shelf is just furthering the belief of Santa Claus in children everywhere, and helping parents by getting their children on their best behavior as well.
