Back in the day Santa used to just know if you’ve been naughty or nice, but now he’s got a new method of deciding who’s naughty and who’s nice: he sends one of his own elves to come and live with you during the holidays!

Around Thanksgiving most homes with young children gain a family member for the Christmas season, their Elf on the Shelf. The elf comes all the way from the North Pole to find out if the kids are being naughty or nice. Each elf comes with Christmas magic that allows them to fly back to the North Pole to report on how the kids were that day to Santa. On Christmas Eve the elf flies back for good until next year.

After flying to the North Pole each night, the elf decides to sit in a different spot than it was the night before. When the kids wake up it’s their job to find out where their elf is hiding this time. There are two sacred rules that need to be followed at all times with The Elf on the Shelf: you cannot touch the elf and the elf cannot speak or move while anyone is awake. If one of these rules is broken, then the elf may not be able to fly back to the North Pole that night.

This is becoming a very popular tradition in many households. Kids love the idea that one of Santa’s elves is living with them. It helps the parents too because their kids are trying to be on their best behavior while the elf is there!

You can purchase an Elf on the Shelf for around $30 at many toy stores, or online at elfontheshlef.com. You can buy accessories for your elf online as well. You better watch out because with another pair of watchful eyes Santa will definitely find out if you’ve been naughty or nice, so be good for goodness sake!