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You are here: Home / Lifestyle / Elf On The Shelf Pets Add To The Magic Of Christmas

Elf On The Shelf Pets Add To The Magic Of Christmas

December 7, 2023 by Scarlet

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My kids just got a special gift sent straight from the North Pole!  In this box, they discovered Elf Pets: A Saint Bernard Tradition. They are so excited because we all love the holiday season and the St. Bernard puppy adds to the North Pole magic and Christmas spirit. This new addition to our holiday season will be a fun new tradition for our family with reading the book, snuggling with the puppy, and helping others. What a fun way to introduce the spirit of Christmas into the hearts of children! This post is sponsored by the creators of the Elf on the Shelf but all opinions expressed are my own. Please see below for additional disclosure.

elf on the shelf pets
Arctic Fox, 2 Saint Bernards (one for my son and one for my daughter with one dressed in an accessory outfit) and the snuggly reindeer

Elf On The Shelf Pets: Arctic Fox, Reindeer, And Dog (Saint Bernard)

If you are wondering, “What are Elf Pets?” They are a line of furry friends made by Elf On The Shelf that can be used in conjunction with the elves or by themselves. Each of the Elf On The Shelf Pets brings its own special tradition that adds to the magic of the Christmas season.

Elf Pets® are special North Pole animals your family can adopt and love. Sent straight from the North Pole, each Elf Pet® comes with a special illustrated storybook and an official adoption certificate.

How many elf pets are there? There are three. The Elf On The Shelf Reindeer, Elf Pets Artic Fox, and Elf Pets St. Bernard Dog. Is there a new elf pet for 2023? Nope, still just three- the Elf on the Shelf dog, fox, and reindeer, which is plenty!

How Do Elf Pets Work? What are The Elf Pet Rules?

Elf Pets are great for children of all ages. Here are some common questions and answers about Elf On The Shelf pets.

Do Elf Pets have magic?

Yes. There are 3 types of Elf On The Shelf Animals and each adds to the magic of Christmas.

Elf On The Shelf St Bernard or more officially, Elf Pets Saint Bernard Tradition, inspires Christmas cheer through kindness and good deeds. He helps collect enough Christmas Spirit!

The Elf On The Shelf Reindeer or more officially, Elf Pets Reindeer Tradition, inspires Christmas love and magic to help Santa’s sleigh fly.

Elf On The Shelf Fox or more officially, Elf Pets Arctic Fox Tradition, inspires Christmas hope and joy.

How To Introduce Elf On The Shelf Pet:

You can find Elf Pet adoption centers at your local stores or they can be ordered by mail. Either way, the box set includes a new best friend/ pet from the North Pole that can stay year-round so your child can help build the Christmas magic year round. They will love having their own Elf pets so they can help with Santa’s yuletide mission to grow and spread the true spirit of the Christmas season- hope, joy, love, and kindness.

In other words, the answer to how do elf pets arrive is that you can order them by mail or adopt them at your local store. They come in a box set with a book that helps you with how to introduce an elf pet. Just read and enjoy!

Can you touch Elf Pets?

Yes, absolutely. The Elf Pets are meant to be loved and cuddled (unlike the Elf On The Shelf Scout Elves).

Do Elf Pets move every night?

Since children are encouraged to love and cuddle with Elf Pets, they don’t need to move on their own as the children will move them. So, no, they don’t move every night.

Do Elf On The Shelf Pets leave? Do Elf Pets Stay all year?

While The Elf On The Shelf Elves do leave on Christmas Eve, Elf Pets don’t have to leave. Our Elf On The Shelf Saint Bernard stays for year-round cuddles and collects Christmas cheer year round.

Add To North Pole Magic With Elf Pets: A Saint Bernard Tradition

Elf Shelf Pets

The Elf Pets: A Saint Bernard Tradition are so much more than just a puppy and a book- they are a chance to start a fun new family Christmas tradition and way to add to the magic of the North Pole with your family. The Elf On The Shelf Saint Bernard is on a mission to collect Christmas cheer for Santa. Kids can help the Elf on The Shelf Dog by being nice and doing good things.

My kids had so much fun just unboxing the new Elf On The Shelf Pets: A Saint Bernard Tradition! Here is a short video so you can see how they reacted:

Most children know that Santa uses North Pole magic to make it around the world in one night and fit all of those presents in his sleigh. The beautifully written and illustrated Elf Pets®: A Saint Bernard Tradition book helps explain where this magic comes from and how kids and their Elf Pets dog can help create more North Pole magic by being kind and helping others. We really enjoyed reading the book aloud together. In fact, my son was so excited that he read it to us himself.

a saint bernard tradition

The Elf On The Shelf Animals Are A Great Conversation Starter

That night as I tucked my daughter into bed, she snuggled up with “Bernie Pie”, our new Saint Bernard pup, and I asked her, “Did you understand what that story was about?”

She said she sure did and that “It was about doing nice things and being helpful to help grow the North Pole magic”.

“Exactly”, I nodded at this wise answer. “What do you think you can do?” I asked.

“I can stop chasing ‘Squish’ around until he screams,” she said. (Squish is a nickname she gave her brother.)

“Oh”, I said wondering if she really got the full message of the story.

Then she said, “And I can stop calling him ‘Squish’.”

“Yes,” I said. “That would be a good start!”

elf pets dog

As you can see, the Elf Pets®: A Saint Bernard Tradition book and pup will be great conversation starters for helping them think what they can do to help others, spread holiday cheer, and make more North Pole Magic all the way leading up to Christmas. My son says the more good deeds he does, the more magic he can collect for Bernie.

elf shelf pet

Elf On The Shelf St Bernard Tradition includes:

  • Children’s storybook
  • Plush Saint Bernard Puppy with a barrel featuring a magical heart charm
  • Keepsake Box

Visit elfontheshelf.com to learn more or find an adoption center near you.

Conclusion

Elf Pets: A Saint Bernard Tradition is a great addition for families that already have The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition. However, it is also a stand-alone product. My kids can’t wait to introduce their new pup, Bernie Pie, to their Elf on The Shelf, Stewart. They asked when their Elf on The Shelf will return. I told them they should probably expect him to return between Nov. 25–Dec. 2, this year’s Scout Elf Return Week. In the meantime, we will all get to enjoy interacting with their new Elf Pet.

Do you think your child would like a special North Pole friend? Which of the Elf On The Shelf Pets do you think would be their favorite?

CCA and B partnered with bloggers such as me for The Elf on the Shelf® brand ambassador program. As part of this program, I received compensation for my time. CCA and B believes that consumers and bloggers are free to form their own opinions and share them in their own words. CCA and B’s policies align with WOMMA Ethics Code, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines and social media engagement recommendations.

I originally published this post on November 4th, 2016. Since then we have grown our Elf Pets Collection. For this reason, I added a photo of my son with our enlarged collection and republished the post.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? How do you help spread holiday cheer and add to North Pole magic with your family?

Related Posts:

Elf on the Shelf Story and Ideas

Must-Have Elf on the Shelf Accessories

Elf On The Shelf Can Help Get Your Letters To Santa

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amy Galyon says

    November 25, 2016 at 2:33 pm

    Ok with the reindeer elf pet, it uses the cheer and love to help Santa deliver his presents, but what does the pup do after Christmas? Do the kids keep him year round or does it go back to the north pole with Santa?? Anybody have any ideas?????

    • Shawna says

      December 4, 2016 at 11:21 pm

      My kids are wondering the same thing… does it go back with the scout elf and Santa??

      • Scarlet says

        December 6, 2016 at 2:13 pm

        Hi Amy and Shawna,

        Our Saint Bernard puppy, Bernie Pie, is much too loved and snuggled with to return to the North Pole. We need him to stay and see good deeds all year long.

        However, the official answer from Elf On The Shelf is, “Most Saint Bernard puppies stay with your family to see all the good deeds you do year ‘round! Each puppy is different!”

  2. Christina Moore says

    December 5, 2020 at 12:30 pm

    My granddaughter would love the reindeer elf pet. Thanks for explaining how to introduce elf pets. Also for answering, can you touch elf pets and do elf pets move at night? It is good to know they can be handled by the kiddos and I don’t have to move them!

  3. Christin says

    December 7, 2023 at 3:25 pm

    I love this concept. This is the first time that I’ve heard of Elf Pets! Such a great way to bring awareness to pet adoption and to start a new Christmas tradition! It looks so cuddly too.

  4. Jake says

    December 8, 2023 at 1:26 am

    Really this Scout Elf Friends concept is so good. Kids always love this kind of story and pet books and I do too!

  5. vastu says

    December 8, 2023 at 1:39 am

    The elf on the shelf pets concept that you have posted was something new i have not heard of before. Such a beautiful photo in the book. The elf pets sound so fun!

  6. Tom says

    December 8, 2023 at 4:01 am

    Really this so superb gift form north pole. Kids going to live this thanks for sharing with us.

  7. Sheldon says

    December 8, 2023 at 11:06 am

    Great review of Elf on the Shelf Pets! Informative and engaging, it clearly conveys the magic and wonder these furry friends bring to Christmas. The inclusion of FAQs and details about the different pets is helpful for families seeking to add to their holiday traditions.

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Thanks for reading Family Focus Blog, a parenting and lifestyle blog that provides tips, advice, and inspiration for families. It covers a wide range of topics, including parenting tips, family-friendly recipes, eco-friendly living, family travel, home decor, and family activities. The blog was created in 2010 by Nashville mom blogger, Scarlet Paolicchi. She shares her personal experiences and practical advice for raising children and maintaining a balanced family life. Scarlet Paolicchi is the author of four books, available through her affiliate link on Amazon.

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