We have seen a huge increase in kids who want to know where their “elf” is this year.

For many, the “elf on the shelf” tradition has run for years.

Every year, allegedly, an elf shows up in a home and plays tricks, moves around and does silly things until Santa comes. Some children claim more than one elf shows up – one for each kid in the house!

They are there one year and the next they either don’t show up or they show up late.

Sometimes the elf-stuff is fun, sometimes it isn’t. And for whatever reason, the elf-on-the-shelf, has become something of a stress and a pain for both kid and parent alike.

For some reason some think this stuff all has something to do with Santa. I have tried to be plain spoken about the Elf on the Shelf in the past. I’ve tried to explain that nobody here at the North Pole actually knows who these elves are, who runs that department or what they are supposed to do.

So, when people come to SantaUpdate.com to ask why “their” elf has not come back yet, just what are we supposed to do?

I’ll tell you what I’m going to do: I’m going to tell the truth and I’m going to give you some straight up advice: lose the elf. Bar the elf or elves from your home. Send them packing and don’t ever let them come back.

You don’t need an elf. You only need belief in Santa.

Look, we tell Santa’s story every year. For free. You read the news and listen to the North Pole Radio News reports and you track Santa here with us every year because, well, you believe in Santa. We do that for free.

We have elves here. Tons of elves. Santa needs us because he can’t be Santa without elves.

Why do YOU need an elf?

When has this elf done anything really good for you in your home? Go ahead. Make a comment or send me an email. I’ll wait.

But none of you are going to respond because the elf-on-the-shelf in your home is really a big zero. A REAL elf doesn’t waste time on your shelf. A real elf helps Santa. A real elf doesn’t have time to be playing games with you. That’s not what elves do.

Christmas – and Santa – is about a lot more than entertainment. Believe it or not, kids, you’re going to take your childhood belief in Santa with you when you are grown up. You’re not going to take an elf.

Go ahead. I’ll wait. Tell me how many adults you know have an elf-on-the shelf. Then tell me how many grown ups you know believe in Santa.

There’s a big difference and you want to know why? Because Santa is real. Your elf….well, how do we have any proof your “elf” is real?

Think about it.

Billions of people around the world say that Santa comes every Christmas. But how many of those billions say that about their “elves”?

Almost none.

Why is it that some children have an elf-on-the-shelf…and yet many others do not? What’s up with that? That doesn’t sound like something Santa would like.

Why do you need anything else?

Memo to parents: Why do your kids need anything else?

Don’t spend money on “elves”. Don’t waste time on a creature who invades your home, makes messes in the name of fun, and promotes anything less than the pure fun of Christmas.

Stop this elf nonsense.

Nobody here at the North Pole believes it. And why?

Because they aren’t the same.

In some houses, an elf is nice and leaves notes and explains things.

In the house next door, the elf is naughty and makes messes.

And here is the worst thing: It seems that for some kids the elf has become more important than Santa. Is that right? No. It’s not right.

If you had an elf and he or she is not coming back it’s time for you to consider the idea they were never right for you in the first place.

If you had an elf and now they seem different, maybe you should check their id. Find out where they are really from and why they are in your house. Maybe they aren’t really elves. Maybe they are someone who is just pretending to be an elf.

You see, believing in Santa doesn’t require much.

You don’t have to pay money. You don’t have to question if he is going to come. You don’t have to look sideways at what he does or why. You don’t have to do much of anything other than hang you stocking and just send a wish list so he knows what to put in it. Santa’s going to come on Christmas. You can count on it.

Your elf? Well, you can’t count on him or her.

And why? Because he’s not Santa.

He or she doesn’t even know Santa and Santa doesn’t even know them. Santa doesn’t need an elf in your house. Ever. In fact, he’d rather not have one there if you want to know the truth.

Santa’s a busy guy.

He doesn’t have time to mess with an elf and the trouble they cause in your house. When Santa goes to your house he needs to get in and get out without anyone standing in his way.

Won’t you let Santa be Santa – and just lose the dumb elf?

There. I said what I said. And I’m not sorry.