The Elf on the Shelf is a special Scout Elf sent from the North Pole to help Santa Claus manage his nice list. When a family adopts a Scout Elf and gives it a name, the Scout Elf receives its Christmas magic and can fly to the North Pole each night to tell Santa Claus about all of the day's adventures. Each morning, the Scout Elf returns to its family and perches in a different place to watch the fun. Children love to wake up and race around the house to look for their Scout Elf each morning.