10 Interesting Facts About Santa Claus | The Elf on the Shelf (2024)

FAQs

What is a fun fact about an elf on the shelf? ›

The Elf on the Shelf is a global phenomenon. More than 13 million elves have been “adopted” in the U.S. and beyond ― from Mexico to the U.K. to Zimbabwe.

The elves who work in Santa's Mail Room Grotto fly at record speeds in order to sort the 57 tons of mail that arrives daily. How many languages do elves know? Scout Elves are adopted by families all around the world who speak different languages. In fact, Santa's elves know more than 6,000 languages.

When did Elf on the Shelf start? The book and box set launched in 2005. The tradition has gained in popularity over the years, likely because the Scout Elves' shenanigans have been well-documented on social media. Parents and kids love to show off all the wild ways elves return to their homes each morning.

Mrs. Claus looks after the elves to make sure they also eat fruits and vegetables. How long do elves live? Elves typically reach maturity around the same age as humans, however their lifespan is infinite.

A Scout Elf's heart is full of Christmas magic, and once your family names your Scout Elf, it activates the Christmas magic in your elf's heart, allowing them to fly, report to Santa and keep a watchful eye each Christmas.

Bernard Elf is Santa's Chief Elf. He pretty much oversees all the other elves at Santa's Village. Many of the elves at the North Pole call him "Big B" which, he doesn't mind; just don't call him Bernie. The last elf who did that was assigned to snow shoveling duty on the northern section of the village.

Nicholas as an elf. In the 1823 poem A Visit from St. Nicholas (more commonly known today as 'Twas the Night Before Christmas), often attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, Santa Claus himself is described in line 45 as follows: "He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf".

Depending on whether you want his birthday to be on the year of the poem's publication or the year of the first magazine publication, modern-day Santa is 160-200 years old.

How do elves age? Age: Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

The Elf on the Shelf tradition started back in 2005 when Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, self-published the book “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” along with a special box with a small Scout Elf inside.

What does The Elf on the Shelf actually do? ›

That's the term Santa uses for these elves because they literally “scout” out what you're up to during the holidays and then report their findings to Santa.

In the back of each book, families have an opportunity to write their elf's name and the date that they adopted it. Once the elf is named, the scout elf receives its special Christmas magic, which allows it to fly to and from the North Pole.

Although elves reach physical maturity at about the same age as humans, the elven understanding of adulthood goes beyond physical growth to encompass worldly experience. An elf typically claims adulthood and an adult name around the age of 100 and can live to be 750 years old.

Post-Tolkien fantasy elves (which feature not only in novels but also in role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons) are often portrayed as being wiser and more beautiful than humans, with sharper senses and perceptions as well. They are said to be gifted in magic, mentally sharp and lovers of nature, art, and song.