Why Having an Elf on the Shelf Is More Important Now Than Ever

For some families who have an Elf on the Shelf, it has become a beloved family tradition. But for its creator, Chanda Bell, this bit of holiday magic is something much more important than just a favorite Christmas tale — especially after the 2016 presidential election.

Because the Elf on the Shelf and pet friends focus on doing good deeds and promoting acts of kindness, this seasonal friend is an age-appropriate way to broach difficult subjects including acceptance, inclusion, and caring with kids.

"Some part of me wants to believe that this book and its timing is divine. There is such a feeling of divide, specifically here in the States. It's hard sometimes to know what to say to your kids and to talk to them about those types of hard subjects and hard issues — especially in a way they even care about," Chanda told POPSUGAR. "There's not a lot of ways to do that that are not psychological help books, but this is something fun that engages them."

Whether you're teaching your child that doing good deeds helps create Christmas magic, which in turn allows Santa Claus to bring smiles to families across the world, or using their relationship with Santa to explain philanthropy, the spirit behind Elf on the Shelf is encouraging kiddos to be kind to one another during a time when so many adults are struggling with this concept.

"It's important to me that as we build out this young generation's idea of what the North Pole is, that we're infusing it with faith, hope, love, and acts of kindness by arming parents with these talking points to help guide kids," Chanda explained. "Whether it's simply something like what are some of the things you can do that are nice? What are good deeds? Because sometimes kids hear words like that but don't know how to put it into action."

As parents spend time reading the stories of the elf, it allows them to introduce these topics: "That's how I'm able to talk to my kids about things like Saint Nicholas, how he was the first philanthropy and explain how he was generous before his time," Chanda said. "I want my children not to be so consumed with what they are getting for Christmas and I want them to first and foremost embrace the spirit of giving that is meant for the Christmas season — even though talking about it at first can be really hard."