Celeb Parents Who Are Winning at the Elf on the Shelf Gig
Disclaimer: This author is a Grinch in human guise. I would rather clip Italian greyhound toenails and do laundry full of stinking soccer uniforms 24-7 than come up with charming, imaginative tableaux every day for Christmas’ latest consumer “must”: the holiday’s now-omnipresent Elf on the Shelf.
Before you stab me in the eye with jabby little ornament hangers, hear me out: There were no Elves on Shelves or anywhere else when I was growing up. And we were all fine. Santa didn’t need a complicated espionage ring of creepy stalker elves to know when I was sleeping or awake, people. (Oh, hush. You say, “Scout Elf”; I say, “Stalker Elf.” Semantics.) Anyway, back in my day, Santa did his own damn scouting/stalking from the North Pole using his magical crystal snow globe or whatever. That’s all the stalking I need from the holiday that brought us “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”
But hey, creepy or nay, millions of people have embraced the Elf on the Shelf phenomenon — including tons of celebrity parents. So without further ado, we present to you celebrities who are completely slaying (or formerly slayed when their kids were younger) the Elf on the Shelf routine.
(A version of this article was originally posted in December 2018.)
Katherine Schwarzenegger & Chris Pratt’s elves are next-level
When Katherine Schwarzenegger and Chris Pratt’s elves came back in 2025, they showed up in a life-size gingerbread house that any kid would be amazed by!
Kylie Kelce & Jason Kelce’s elf is a ‘deadbeat’
When it comes to the Kelce’s elf “M&MY” (pronounced “Emmy-Nemmy”), it’s best to keep your expectations low. Kylie opened up about her family’s Elf on the Shelf on her podcast Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce. In 2024, she said, “I don’t think our chosen avenue of Elf on the Shelf will be a surprise to anyone,” she said. “We are the most low-maintenance Elf on the Shelf family you can find.”
The elf does move (most nights), with Kylie adding, “That’s it. M&MY is not leaving notes. She’s not bringing gifts. She’s not doing mischief. She’s not requiring any additional work.”
Then this year, Kylie said on her podcast, “Last year, I filled you guys in on why M&MY, our elf, is a deadbeat. Guys, she barely ever moves, we don’t get into the chaos that is the malarkey. All the little things that happen. She’s not doing pranks overnight. She’s not doing this, doing that. Homegirl, we’re lucky if she moves.”
She added, “I’ll keep you guys updated on M&MY’s goings-on. Don’t get your hopes up. And that’s how I elf. For any real ones who haven’t started this yet, f—ing don’t.”
Jessica Biel & Justin Timberlake’s elves get up to wild shenanigans
When Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake’s Elf on the Shelf comes to visit their kids Silas, 10, and Phineas, 5, he gets up to no good.
Jenna Dewan’s elves found themselves in a sticky situation
The Rookie star shared photos of her family’s elves in 2024, including one snap of elves playing in a first aid kit and being “trapped” one the wall with bandages. “Whoops! I found your bandaids and got stuck!” a note said.
Zooey Deschanel’s elves are crafty
In 2024, the New Girl alum shared a video of her elves hanging from pipe cleaners from an air vent. “but is it an escape or a break in?” she wrote over the cute video.
Jeannie Mai’s elf is ‘clean’
Rather than get into mischief, Jeannie Mai wants her daughter Monaco’s elf to be better behaved. She told PEOPLE in 2024, “I want the Elf on the Shelf to be known to clean and actually take care of some chores. The Elf is going to be by the dishes washed. That Elf is going to be folding Mommy’s socks. I’m going to be like, ‘Oh my God. Look how Elf on the Shelf put Mommy’s socks together. Monaco, can you put Mommy’s socks together so we all can help the Elf?’”
“And this Elf is getting paid,” Mai quipped. “I’m going to put dollar bills by this Elf. It’s going to be a whole different lifestyle at my house.”
Busy Philipps’ elves made an ice-skating rink
Busy Philipps is famous for her elaborate elf displays, such as building a huge ice-skating rink in the hallway.
Philipps told SheKnows in 2019 the inspiration behind her over-the-top Elf on the Shelf displays. “My elf has had articles written about them, my elves are really on the scene,” she said. “They really like to make all the magic happen. They do all kinds of stuff. I thought they just moved around the house and then it was actually Michelle Williams, my best friend, who said, ‘No, they can do all kinds of stuff. You should make them do stuff.’ That’s how it started. Then it just became a whole thing but because I love crafting and I love setting up little scenes and things, it is actually really fun for me to do.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar’s elves once TP’ed her tree
How creative is that?
Kourtney Kardashian’s elves were pool hustlers
Kourtney Kardashian has always shared creative pictures of her kids’ elves, like this funny pool shot.
The Lemme founder shared the cutest vides of her family’s elves in 2024, including one with an elf holding a fork and a candy cane inside a bowl with spaghetti, marshmallows, and mini chocolate chips with a sign that said, “Made you our favirite [sic] breakfast!”
They also had a huge gingerbread house in the background with snowy trees and more elves hanging out in the display.
Tori Spelling’s elves were into potty humor
Tori Spelling shared this gross picture of her elves in 2017.
A few years later, the Beverly Hills, 90210 star let her teen take over and things got really naughty.
She said her son Liam, now 18, created a “porn massacre” with elves “doing various things to each other, on her misSPELLING podcast in 2024. “[There were] mouths on different areas. Hands where they shouldn’t be. Some were upside down, all around.” Yikes!
Alyssa Milano’s elves auditioned for an action movie
Alyssa Milano’s elves are always up for an adventure. Just look at this high-flying photo below!
Another time, Milano shared a video of her then-10-year-old son Milo joining in on the Elf on the Shelf fun!
Kim Kardashian West’s elf met a cruel fate
Nobody does Elf on the Shelf like Kim Kardashian! In 2023, her elves filled an entire bathtub with hot cocoa! Another time, Kardashian’s eldest daughter North, now 12, made a hand-drawn grave for an elf after her little brother Saint, now 10, touched it.
North is a girl after my own heart!
Find out how our favorite celebs spend Christmas, Hanukkah, and more wintertime holidays with their families.