Yuletide Pixies – [Folktoy|Charm?] –

Description

Yuletide Pixies. – [Folktoy | Fae | Charm? | Critter?] – AKA: Yuletide Jolly Pixies, Shelf Elves, Knee-hugger Elves, Felt Elfs, ‘Santas helpers’ , ‘Scout Elves’, (‘Snitch Elves’ , etc)

• About this critter: A Jolly ornamental pixie, here to celebrate yule and scout out who’s being naughty or nice for Santa! Oh~ You’d better watch out. You’d better watch out! You’d BETTER WATCH OUT!! YOU’D BETTER WATCH OUT!!!!!!

• History: These popular vintage, Xmas ornaments originate from 1950s-1960s USA occupied Japan, Most were manufactured & mass produced by the ‘Yuletide Company’ – (Though home crafted, knockoff & customized variants exist as well!) -Most have a rubber or vinyl face, a plush, felt body and are hung as Christmas ornaments come yule time.

[the standard vintage ornaments.]

[Mr Jolly Pixie by Yuletide, “Please behave Christmas is near!” ]

[a vintage hand made plush elf c/o Ryan Harmsen.]

[back shot showing off the tag and the ‘made in japan’ emblem]

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‘Elf on the Shelf’ Controversy & Criticism: I do feel that people give the ‘brand’ known for ‘Elf on the shelf’ (often known as Lumistella; hereafter referred to as “BIG ELF”.) perhaps a bit too much attention and waaaay too much credit for ‘coming up with the idea’ of shelf-elves. – Especially because the idea of these ‘elves hiding as ornaments and reporting back to Santa’,  predates their book as far back as the 1980s!! [One good example featured is below: ‘Elrod the elf’ features a ‘felt bodied’ elf who hides among ornaments in a tree, watching the kids unwrap their presents.] – Their book which came out in 2005, advertised itself as a ‘holiday tradition’  which caught on in a big way, Largely because of parents sharing their elves misadventures on both TikTok and YouTube.) – This often features the elves getting up to mischief and so, it’s become something of a parental meme to dress the elves up, move them about overnight on the days leading up to Xmas. (Often I see them in somewhat naughty or morbidly humorous situations.) The brand has faced a lot of criticism, mostly for the elves being ‘a little snitch who normalizes surveillance & paranoia.’

— I could go on; but i might risk sounding like a bit of a ‘humbug’ so, to each their own at the holiday time i suppose. – In closing, these elves have always been pretty sus (maybe because they’re actually ‘pixies’ which at their root, are quite pesky in nature, see my gremlin bios for more about that.) I’d say, its better to make your own elves and forge your own fun, have a warm and happy holidays everyone!! :o)

[Elrod the elf is one example from 1981, source newspapers.com]