Candice Watters: Shelving the elf

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Tuesday, December 3rd. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Well, a lot of families are getting out the Christmas decorations and playing the special music. WORLD Opinions contributor Candice Watters says there’s one family tradition… we might want to leave behind.

CANDICE WATTERS: Since Thanksgiving, children around the world are anticipating the return of Elf on the Shelf. With “Scout Elf Return Week,” twenty two and a half million Elf dolls are resuming their work of watching the world's children by day, and flying nightly to the North Pole to report their good deeds to Santa. It began in 2005 with a mother and her daughters self-publishing 5,000 box sets of their tradition. Now their company is estimated to be worth $100 million annually. As one of what the Chicago Tribune calls “Santa’s most important helpers,” the Elf on the Shelf has become many parents' go-to for Christmas magic.

It's no surprise the little guy is such a hit. His makers say he provides daily fun, “inspires good behavior,” and “sparks holiday joy.” Each doll comes with a storybook that explains the elf lore, and the rules that keep the magic working. Most important: No touching! Apparently human touch ruins the elf’s ability to fly. But no worries. A sprinkle of cinnamon or singing Christmas songs loudly can give him enough boost to get back to Santa. The toy makers say even better is if the child “writes a sincere apology letter.” They encourage: “Being honest about your mistake creates a very powerful magic that will heal your elf in no time.”

Before you pull your Elf on the Shelf out of storage, or buy one for the first time, consider the downsides of teaching your children that if they try hard enough, they can be good. In the book of Romans the Apostle Paul tells us that “no one does good, not even one.” What children need most at Christmas, and every day, isn’t man-made magic but God-wrought mercy. Instead of Elf on the Shelf and other Santa Claus myths, consider Advent. Not the secular version of chocolate or LEGO countdown calendars, but the sacred observance of remembering Christ’s birth and anticipating His return.

Daily readings from Old Testament prophecies and New Testament fulfillments teach children about Mary and the angel who told her she would miraculously have a baby by the power of the Holy Spirit. They marvel to learn how the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and told him to name the baby Jesus because, as Matthew 1:21 says, He would save His people from their sins. This is what makes Jesus’ birth such good news.

The Elf on the Shelf is a silly, if slightly creepy, game. But what it obscures is deadly serious. Children have real troubles, fears, and guilt for their sin against God. They need big truths to understand their world, and why “the most wonderful time of the year” can feel so disappointing.

Advent means coming. It beckons parents to tell children about Jesus’ incarnation so they’ll set their hope in Him. It’s rightly sobering to confront the darkness of sin, the brokenness of the world, and the centuries spent longing for a Savior. It’s awe inspiring to read how the Creator of the Universe, in humility, took on flesh and was born a baby. And it’s life changing to realize He willingly died on the cross in our place to fulfill what God planned before the world began.

The creators of Elf on the Shelf advertise that their ever expanding products and digital experiences are—in their words—“worthy of the most enduring magic of all time.” But it’s nothing compared to the majesty and mystery of Jesus taking on flesh so that He could one day take the punishment we deserve.

Parents, don’t obscure His glory or squander another December telling your children stories that steal their affections. Why play along with a deception, hoping for a few weeks of fun and good behavior? Instead, teach your children the true story of Christmas. Lead them to the manger–to the miracle of the Bethlehem baby born to be King. And together, love His appearing, and long for His return.

I’m Candice Watters.

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