When Is ‘Elf On The Shelf’ Supposed Start?

It's a time honored tradition (or is it?) for most families across the country. The arrival of the beloved Elf on the Shelf.

I remember the first year we got the Elf on the Shelf. It was magical. My wife and I purchased him for $25 at Target, brought him home and surprised my oldest son, who was 6-years-old at the time, with the elf.

My child named the elf Harry. Since then his name has gone back and forth between Harry and Buddy. So who knows what the actually name of the elf is now and to be perfectly honest I could care less.

Why? Because Elf on the Shelf is a complete nightmare. The race to do something creative with the doll and share on social media is beyond tiring. By Christmas, it's "just stick him in the Christmas tree and be done with it."

However, the reason why I despise the Elf on the Shelf might be based on his arrival. It could be that Harry or Buddy or whatever his name is right now might be arriving on the scene a bit too early.

So when should the Elf on the Shelf show up? According to Babble:

Wait for the tree

This is the beacon to signal your Elf to arrive. Our first year getting the Elf, we were too excited to share with the kids and unleashed him in mid-November. That meant a full 40 nights of finding hiding spots and things for that Elf to do. Too much. Now, if you’re a Christmas freak and put up your tree the day after Halloween, I’m guessing you’ve got enough Christmas spirit to make it through the marathon."

That's really the perfect amount if you plan to leave your tree up two to three weeks.

When does your Elf on the Shelf arrive? Tell us!

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