SANTA OFFERS VIRTUAL TRIP TO TH E NORTH POLE W ITH THE ELF ON THE SHELF ® With Just a Click of the Mouse, Children Enter the Extraordinary World of Santa’s Elves THE NORTH POLE — Traveling to the North Pole can be a difficult and rather chilly journey, but with The Elf on the Shelf’s 3-D interactive North Pole Web site, www.elfontheshelf.com, families can head straight to Main Street and visit Santa’s wonderland. In conjunction with the popular children’s book, The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition®, Santa has asked his elves to take children on a magical tour of the North Pole through this award-winning Web site. Children enter an extraordinary world that, until recently, has been the stuff of legends. “For centuries, children have wondered and imagined what the North Pole is like,” explains Carol Aebersold, co-author of The Elf on the Shelf. “In this day and age, kids are so hi-tech and we now have the technology to give them a window into Santa’s world.” With the help of an elf guide, children can choose which area of the North Pole village they want to explore. Some of the locations Santa has opened to visitors include: • Santa’s Workshop, where visitors can build an elf-sized table, make an Elf on the Shelf clock, play elf hide and seek or color Santa and his elves. • The Reindeer Stables. Here children can check in on Rudolph and his friends, color Santa’s sleigh, create an ornament and gumdrop tree or learn how to make reindeer food. • Mrs. Claus’ Kitchen. If you are hungry, this is the place to visit. Mrs. Claus shares some of Santa’s favorite recipes from her cookbook including Santa’s secret hot chocolate. Visitors can also decorate a Christmas cookie for Saint Nick or print out the cookie and share it with mom and dad. -more- Page 2 of 3 • The Town Square. Also known as the North Pole’s Main Street, stop by the Christmas tree in the town square to make your own gift tags, help decorate the giant tree, test your knowledge with a quiz on decorations from around the world and even watch a special video. • The Hall of Registry. It’s here that visitors from around the world can register and name their own elf, learn the top 10 elf names, ask an elf a question, quiz themselves on how well they know their own elf’s personality, and even upload their favorite elf photos for Santa’s picture wall. • The Elf Schoolhouse. Kids will go to the head of the class after they join the elves in the new virtual schoolhouse. Launching October 2009, teachers will find activities including math and language skill games and music for grades K-5 to integrate the holidays into their lessons. Classrooms will also be able to register their elves’ names online and receive a special note from Santa Claus. Children of all ages will have fun throughout the holiday season with the dozens of interactive games, puzzles, printable online coloring pages, recipes and fun facts available on the North Pole Web site. About The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition was written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell, both former teachers. Illustrated by award-winning illustrator Coë Steinwart, the book answers the age-old question, “How does Santa really know who’s been naughty or nice?” The Elf on the Shelf is based on an old tradition Aebersold began with her children when they were young. Here’s how it works: Sometime during the holiday season, Santa sends a scout elf to each home to watch over the children’s behavior. The elf gets its Christmas magic when the family gives it a name of its own. Each night, after the children are safely tucked into bed, the elf flies to the North -more- Page 3 of 3 Pole where it reports to Santa who has been nice or naughty that day. Before the children awaken, the elf has returned to their home but is observing them from a new post in the house. The children race out of bed to discover the elf’s new location. There is one important rule: children should not touch the elf or it might lose its magic and jeopardize any good reports the elf may have planned to give to Santa. For $29.95, this hardbound book is creatively packaged and comes with its own pixie-elf seated on a shelf in an attractive keepsake box. Children can register their elf’s name at www.elfontheshelf.com and receive a special letter from Santa Claus. In addition to the awardwinning, interactive North Pole Web site, the company offers The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Activity Book™. The activity book helps keep little hands and minds busy with games, puzzles, crafts, a sing-a-long music CD, coloring pages and more. This year, the company introduced two new products: Plushee Pals™, plush versions of their REAL scout elf counterparts, made of the softest material Santa’s toymakers could find, and the very first piece from the Claus Couture Collection™, an ice-white, pleated skirt embroidered with holly berry red snowflakes. To find an “elf adoption center” near you, purchase online or learn more, visit www.elfontheshelf.com. ### Media C o ntac ts: Claudia D’Avanzo, 404.374.5893 [email protected] Nancy McCardel, 770.363.3721 [email protected] Key Words: The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, Elf on the Shelf, Interactive North Pole Web Site, Carol Aebersold, Chanda Bell, Holiday Gift Ideas, Children’s Holiday Books, Family Holiday Traditions, Holiday Web Sites, Interactive Games 7/09