Are elves on the shelf alive?
Because the elf is supposed to be “alive” and watching children to see if they’re naughty or nice, this toy basically requires parents to move it to a new location every night.
Santa advises that no family member touch their Elf on the Shelf, but he does describe a few rare instances when an adult may use tongs or potholders to help an elf in an urgent situation. … If this happens, a parent can use potholders to help them back onto their post.