Elf on a shelf

I have to admit that I have only learned about the Elf on the shelf tradition a few days ago, when we were thinking up this strip. It’s a funny idea! I guess everybody has played the “hide item X in a different spot every day” game at some point in his/her life.

But honestly, the German “Adventkalender” custom is not that bad either, is it? I’m surprised that American chocolate manufacturers haven’t climbed on the bandwagon yet!

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12 comments on “Elf on a shelf
  1. Deathknyte says:

    Elf on a shelf? What?

  2. Omega says:

    Wait, the US doesn’t have Advent Calenders? We’ve had them since the Victorian era, along with Christmas trees, Yule log, etc. It’s handy when the queen marries a guy from a country with a billion different Christmas traditions!

  3. vetitice says:

    They do sell advent calendars up in Seattle. Not sure where my wife got my son’s this year. probably a dollar store – overpriced for the quality of the chocolate.

  4. Leia says:

    Oh you don’t have advent calendars? You should absolutely start that tradition. We have them in the UK too, you’re missing out!

    Nom.

  5. John says:

    There are advent calenders. Some have chocolate, some just have holiday pictures, etc. They just aren’t got big here in the States.
    Don’t feel bad. We had an elf on the shelf while I was growing up, but my parents never did the hide it every day thing. I simply thought it was another (but dumb) Christmas tree decoration until after I got married and my wife started doing it for the kids.

  6. Deathknyte says:

    I eat chocolate every work day, i don’t need an excuse to eat more. I really do not get this elf on a shelf thing.

  7. EvilKiru says:

    Elf on a Shelf isn’t so much a tradition as it is a crass commercial idea that that started in 2005 with the publication of the book “The Elf on the Shelf”.

  8. mike says:

    Oh wow! So it’s not even as old as Chicken Wings then?!?
    I guess “Chuck, is that you?!” is more of a tradition than the Elf on a Shelf….

  9. Deathknyte says:

    Well, I did some research. Some people who I have already forgotten decided to write a book about a tradition I never heard of. Something about snitch elves for santa. Anyway, something that wasn’t really widespread or even popularized until ten years ago is not a tradition. If it is widespread in about 15 years, I will consider it might be a tradition.

  10. Arby says:

    We Colonialists have always had advent calendars and they aren’t just chocolate. One year, my daughters had Lego Advent Calendars. Each day was a Lego Christmas ornament that you had to assemble.

  11. Robert says:

    “Cultural Imperialist” LOL Big words from Chuck…!

  12. Val says:

    I’ve bought a Kinder Egg advent calendar every year for the past 45 years, until now. The last local market that sold them went out of business a couple months ago and a Whole Foods went up in its place. ;(

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