Elf on the Shelf is now a favourite tradition at Christmas after the cheeky toy moved across the pond to the UK in recent years. The festive toy began as a children's book in the US in 2005, telling the story of how Santa sends a "scout" elf to check whether your children are being "naughty or nice". The book has an accompanying elf puppet for parents to recreate the story in their own homes.
UPDATED 09:45, 20 Dec 2025