A New Yorker in Dubai

I first heard about the Elf on a Shelf on The Ellen Show back in 2013. As part of her opening monologue she did a set of jokes about the then brand new Christmas craze. I remember wondering “what is so great about this elf and why does it want to chill on my book shelf?” I mean I love the movie Elf, I like the Keebler elves, but what was so special about this creepy 1950’s looking elf doll with a glazed over stare that you’re suppose to put on display every year?

I did some research and learned that a woman from Georgia (the state not the country) named Carol Aebersold and her twin daughters, Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts are the creators. It’s inspired by a tradition that Carol’s family started back in the 1970’s and she continued with her daughters.

The idea is that the elf works for Santa. He’s a spy placed in houses around the world to make sure kids are behaving themselves and reports his findings back to Santa. These elves are like nanny-cams without the cams…or the nannies. They give the sense that someone is always watching you, like a gossiping auntie or CCTV that you welcome into your home. Basically, Alexa.

Parents can use it as a threat. “You better be good and listen to us or else the elf will tell Santa and you’ll get coal in your Christmas stockings!” I’m not sure if coal is still a threat these days, but it was a popular one way back when I was kid.

There’s also one specific rule. The kids aren’t allowed to touch the elf or else they’ll lose their magical powers! I think this rule was created to prevent kids from breaking, destroying, eating, throwing the elf into the toilet and anything else you can imagine. I have toddler twin boys and I know for a fact they would both attack the elf, fight over it, and end up ripping it’s head off. The same thing happened to poor Elmo a few weeks ago. Let’s just he’s now swimming with the fishes.

I hadn’t really thought much about this elf fad idea in years until I recently spotted celebrities doing their own 2020 parodies of it! Now that, I can play along with!

The first one I spotted online was at Drake’s expense. Drake on a steak!

Then the games really began! Memes started popping up everywhere on instagram. One of my favorites was Grease on a Reese.

A festive one; Carrey on a Carey.

Hasan’s Minaj on a Minhaj gave me a good chuckle. I think she was checking out his anaconda.

Though my favorite would have to be Billy Ray Cyrus’s Willie on a Billy. Now that one means something very different in the UK!

After an hour of scrolling through a slew of these memes I thought I should do one of my own! So I did!

Ladies and gentleman, Elf on a Shelf is so 2019, this year it’s all about Tina on a Mina!

And even though T.T. is simply the best and looks like my own private dancer, Tina Fey is really my comedic bae.

If you made one for yourself, what would it be?

Happy Elfin’ Holidays folks!