Every time December approaches, a magical blanket seems to envelop many families around the world; it’s the time of Advent calendars, where Santa Claus is once again the protagonist and Christmas lights invade the streets. In the variety of traditions that exist in this period, there is one has gained recognition in recent years: the mischievous elf.
Legend has it that these little creatures are responsible monitor the behavior of the little ones at home days before Christmas, being able to notify Santa Claus if they really deserve the requested gifts.
This tradition in Spain is becoming more and more popular, where parents and children have fun with dolls who start doing their things at home only after receiving a name. If you want to know more about the history of this global phenomenon and where to buy a mischievous elf, below We’ll tell you all the details.
This is the story of the bad elf
Although it can be said that these explorers have their origin in Scandinavian legends, where they were conceived as mythological beings that were linked to nature, the truth is that the globalization of this Christmas tradition came from the book The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, published by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell in the United States in 2005.
In this book we talked about elves as small informants. They were present in the house the days before Christmas to monitor the children’s behavior and check whether they deserved all the gifts they had asked for from Santa Claus. Having become a bestseller, the book sparked the production of all kinds of accessories and products related to this tradition Elf dolls are one of the most popular.
These are the characteristics of evil elves
They are defined as small creatures that hide in different parts of the house to carry out efficient surveillance work. His ingenuity and malice They are also a fundamental part of their essence, the elves leave their trail different tricksthat the children will have to discover the next day: they paint the eggs in the refrigerator, hide the toys, put stickers on different surfaces, etc.
These are the rules for having a bad elf in your house
Parents have a fundamental role, as they are the elves’ greatest accomplices. These are some of the rules to keep in mind and how the tradition works at home:
- You have to count on a mischievous elf: You can find these dolls in different stores, although we recommend the one available on Amazon. You can place it like a Christmas ball on the tree and change position every day.
- The elf must be given a name: It is essential, because these little explorers will only come to life and do their own thing after being adopted by the family and given a name.
- Children can’t touch the elf: Tradition says that if they touch it, the little beings lose their power.
- If a child finds the elf he should tell his parents: Otherwise you will have to write a letter to Santa Claus to apologize.
Where to buy a bad elf?
Although it can be purchased in different stores, we want to recommend one available on Amazon, being the best-selling e-commerce platform.
The number one best-selling mischievous elf on Amazon
This fun figure has dimensions of 30cm high x 7.5cm wide x 7.5cm deep. His body is soft and his face is vinyl. The best thing is that it has velcro on the hands, this makes it easier to recreate different types of pranks better.
On Amazon exceeds 12,000 ratings and has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. “Beautiful, with good finishing. They have velcro on the little hands to be able to shape them as if they were taking or clinging to something. Balls inside the body to give them weight or shape when left sitting”This comments one of the customers of the e-commerce platform.
Bad Elves FAQ
Why buy a bad elf?
This beautiful tradition, in addition to being fun, can have positive effects for the whole family during these dates:
- It can help improve the behavior of the little ones: By being Santa’s informants, children may behave better at home.
- Encourage creativity: The little ones will be busy finding the elves and discovering their antics.
- Promotes family unity: Children should tell their parents if they have touched the elf or found it, so an atmosphere of greater camaraderie can be created.
- Maintains the illusion of the Christmas season: The little ones must behave well, because they know that the elves will bring the good news to Santa Claus so they can receive the gifts they asked for.
Where can he hide?
There are several places, although it can serve as a Christmas decoration, what is really suitable is to hide it in places such as:
- The kitchen: by secretly eating candy, for example.
- Him Christmas tree: among the branches or playing the role of a star.
- In the living room: read a book or watch TV, for example.
- In the bathroom: in one of the drawers or brush your teeth.
- In the bedroom: in the middle of wardrobes or under pillows.
What is the main rule for having an elf in the house?
The child will never be able to touch the doll because it would lose its magic.
When should the bad elf appear at home?
From December 1st, from this date, the dolls will be the eyes and ears of Santa Claus at home.
When does the bad elf leave the house?
These characters must remain until December 24th, that is, just before Christmas. Tradition says that at this point they have already completed their surveillance work.
(Remember, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, all purchases come with free shipping. Amazon offers a free, no-obligation 30-day trial.)
*All purchase prices included in this article are as of November 11, 2025.
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