Why TikTok Could Destroy the Magic of Christmas and Elf on the Shelf for Kids

The Gist:

• TikTok and other short form video platforms feature lots of Elf on the Shelf content that could give away the secret of parents moving the elf.
• Those same apps could cause kids to learn the truth about Santa earlier than expected.
• Young kids find ways to use TikTok, even with an age limit in place.

If you're a parent and you've been sucked into the world of Elf on the Shelf, then you might have found some serious help from other parents on TikTok as they give you advice on how to make the most out of the task. As most know, every night, parents move their elves into harmlessly naughty antics so kids can wake up the next morning to see what their elf gets up to as they watch over them to report back to Santa.

But, because TikTok is getting in the hands of kids younger than the platform's 13 year old age minimum, they might see these same videos. And if that's the case, then could TikTok actually ruin Elf on the Shelf? And, not to be even more dramatic, but if TikTok could do that, then it also runs the risk of exposing the truth about Santa far earlier than some parents are prepared for.

Kids as young as 10 often still believe in Santa. And, in doing so, they also believe in the magic of their Elf on the Shelf who comes every year to watch for misbehaving as Santa's spy of sorts. But kids as young as 10 might also find themselves on TikTok. Whether it be through an account of an older sibling or even just as they play with their parent's phone, young kids might find themselves enveloped in that endless TikTok scroll.

And who is to say they won't accidentally find some of those parents on TikTok who give other parents ideas about how to position their elves each night? It is entirely possible and, for many parents, a pretty terrifying thought. Secrecy is key with the Elf on the Shelf, and it's all about keeping the magic of Christmas alive as long as your kid will accept it. Which, sadly, isn't usually that long past age 10 or 11.

But TikTok could be the thing to inadvertently give away the holiday secrets that parents hold near and dear to them. In one video, where a mom shared a trick to make a faucet appear as though sprinkles are pouring out of it, users comment about "finding out" about their elves from the video. One user wrote, "So they don't move on their own?" Another said, "Wait, my parents move my elves lol."

Sure, there is no guarantee that those users aren't just trolling the creator. And they could very well be adults. But what if they aren't? It's possible they are kids who believe in the magic of their elves, but are now incredibly confused because of the video. And, presumably, other TikTok videos like it.

The elf is supposed to be Santa's eyes and ears while the big guy gears up for his Christmas Eve trip around the world. So the idea is that kids will behave, while their elf gets up to all kinds of antics while they sleep. The one rule, however, is that no one is allowed to touch the elf, or it will lose its magic.

However, you can make your own rules for your elf. Some families allow parents to touch the elf. Others require that anyone who needs to move the elf wears a protective oven mitt. There are plenty of ways to tweak the Elf on the Shelf tradition. Let's just hope that social media apps don't ruin some of it for you.