Anyone else struggle with the momentous decision of whether or not to bring an Elf on the Shelf into your home? Okay, “momentous” and “struggle” are a bit dramatic. But, there are so many opinions and thoughts on the tradition and until now, we’ve been elf free. All that is about to change, thanks to Your Best Elf. If you’re lost and wondering, what even is an “Elf on the Shelf”, it’s a relatively new phenomenon that started to take off after the 2005 book was published by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, about their whimsical family tradition. The story goes that each year, from Thanksgiving to Christmas, magical elves visit children as “scouts”, returning to the North Pole each night to report their findings to Santa Claus himself. Each night, the elf moves around and is often found involved in hilarious hijinks like making “snow angels” in flour, for instance. “There’s only one rule that you have to follow, so I will come back and be here tomorrow: Please do not touch me. My magic might go, and Santa won’t hear all I’ve seen or I know.” Some elf households really lean in to the “naughty or nice list” aspect, and others are into it more for the merry mischief.
Personally, I’ve been torn between wanting to have one for our girls to enjoy and not wanting to add another thing to our holiday to-do list. The Advent season brings us lots of meaningful and special traditions that keep us plenty busy as we prepare for Christmas. For the most part, aside from a few pointed “the so-and-so family has an elf” comments, the girls have taken it pretty well that we’re an elf-less family. However last year, they tearfully explained to me that they thought we didn’t have an elf because “no elves want them” – cue my heart breaking. I assured them that an elf would love to have them as their little girls, and said we’d see what happens next year. Well here we are at “next year” and just in time, I’ve learned about a new-to-me small business, Your Best Elf, that makes me feel like I can actually manage to add some Elf on the Shelf magic to our holiday season. The founder and creator has kindly gifted me a kit so that I can share more about it. Whether you’re a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or any kind of caregiver, Your Best Elf can help you bring the Elf on the Shelf tradition to life with all of the joy and non of the stress during an already busy time.
What is an Elf on the Shelf Kit: Price, Props and Activities
Your Best Elf has created packages (from $99 – $149) that contains everything you need for a December to remember with your elf. You can select a package for up to 4 kids, that includes 24 days worth (plus 3 extra) of mischief, hilarious messages, creative activities, accessories and games, to keep the joy at the forefront. And you can always get another kit if you’re planning for more than 4 kids. The box is discreet (which helps keep the mystery alive) and your purchase includes additional digital resources on top of the comprehensive kit. Your Best Elf kits do all of the hard work, thought, and planning for you. They stand apart from many other Elf on the Shelf kits and guides that provide ideas, but the actual accessories and props are up to you to procure. There’s a little bit of everything including holiday crafts, custom Elf outfits, exciting games, clever messages, and daily surprises. Without spilling all of the beans, a few sneak peeks into some of these props include an embroidered apron and chef hat, a DIY photo frame, and elf-sized pickleball paddles! Each day is packaged individually, which helps stay organized. It has everything you need to pull of a fun and seamless Elf on the Shelf experience. While there are a few different Elf on the Shelf kits on the market, I cannot recommend the ones from Your Best Elf enough. Keep reading to find out what makes them so special!
In addition to the creative daily setups, there are also arrival and departure letters. The arrival letter introduces your elf and also goes over essential guidelines that your children will need to know. And the departure letter provides a festive farewell. Your Best Elf kits contain different letter options for new and returning elves, which is so thoughtful! You will also find a few “naughty or nice cards” inside the kit. I really appreciate this little bonus, as I think it’s such a fun way to point out the good deeds – our elf will be focusing on the “caught you doing something good” approach – and helps reinforce the best behavior. And last but not least, a big part of the fun is seeing what message your Elf “writes” each day. There is an easel inside the kit, along with ideas on what to write, once again, making it incredibly easy!
About the Founder
Founded by Rebecca Bell, a wife, mom of three, and self appointed “Christmas chaos coordinator”, the overarching goal of these kits is to create joyful, stress-free memories. And in my opinion, she knocked it out of the park! There’s so much more to this small business than might initially meet the eye and it all has to do with Rebecca. In her own words, “My arts and crafts business started in 2020 after going through a series of miscarriages and I was looking for a therapeutic endeavor to harness my nervous energy into creative expressions. I found peace and joy in the quiet moments while creating timeless keepsakes of ornaments. ” Over the years, Rebecca has expanded her business to create items that honor the many milestones of families and friends, including her Your Best Elf kits. 10% of Your Best Elf’s profits are donated to charity organizations that work on growing and fostering families in all walks of life, in honor of Rebecca’s two heavenly babies.
What Makes Your Best Elf Different?
In addition to how thorough and comprehensive the kits are, the intentionality behind them struck me right away. Rebecca’s background as a speech and language pathologist, shines through in this kit. Every activity is designed to support childhood development skills, in a festive and fun way! For example, it includes a basketball game that works on fine motor skills, the pencils are an age appropriate size to help with hand control when writing Christmas lists as well as hands-on crafts and activities with similar goals. There are even travel friendly activities, perfect for holiday trips. There is also a focus on kindness, featuring a “magical” tree that blossoms with kind acts. I am so appreciative that the days are filled with creative and meaningful activities that we can do together and because they’re planned out and organized ahead of time, Curtis and I can focus on the fun! As far as the age range for the Your Best Elf experience, activities are designed to span a wide range of ages. I would think that any child who is old enough to understand Elf on the Shelf and young enough to get into the spirit of the legend, would enjoy the games, crafts, and activities. Our girls are 6 and 9, and I am confident they will both love it!
When should I purchase an Elf on the Shelf kit?
While Halloween is on everyone’s mind, I would encourage you to consider adding this to your cart sooner, rather than later.
For one, the holiday season seems to go by faster and faster each year. Personally, I’ve come to learn that it’s much more enjoyable if I start planning and purchasing a few months in advance. This is not to say that I’ll ever be the girlie who has all of her holiday shopping completed by December 1 (although, that sounds quite lovely!) However, slowly easing into it and starting preparations early has been a game changer for my mental load around the holidays.
Secondly, most families who participate in this tradition have their elves join in the fun somewhere between Thanksgiving and December 1. Realistically that’ll be here before you know it! Plus, there’s always a chance that the kits might sell out, so now is the time to order!
Does it include an Elf?
The only thing the Your Best Elf kit does not include is an actual Elf, since they are so unique to each family! So be sure to make sure you have your own elf, along with the kit, if you don’t already own one. As a side note, I spotted these adorable little American Girl doll sized Elf on the Shelfs at the store in Nashville last month!
How many different types of kits are offered?
Your Best Elf has two different kits – a classic holiday-themed kit and a Texas-themed one called Texas Trails. The Texas-themed option includes all of the same fun-filled props and activities, but ten of the days are specifically built around the Lone Star State. The story line entails the elf journeying through the state of Texas for 10 days on his way back to the North Pole and brings back witty messages and things from his experiences during adventures, including a custom song of Christmas in Texas cities. The opening (including both Santa and returning elf) as well as the closing letters are uniquely tailored to the theme and story line along with 10 cards with Texas themed witty messages. This is especially perfect for families with older children or those who’ve explored the great state of Texas.
If you decide to take the plunge into the world of Elf on the Shelf, or you’re already an elf family and looking to make this year less stressful, Your Best Elf is the kit for you. And it is worth saying that between ordering gifts, wrapping, and organizing what seems like a constantly growing amount of holiday activities, saying no and opting out of things as needed is just as important as the yeses you say. I am so excited to be saying yes this year and feel set up for success, thanks to my Your Best Elf kit.
