Okay, personally, I think the idea of an elf on the shelf is just super-creepy. Creepier than the idea that one old man knows when you’re sleeping and when you’re awake. I mean, it’s an apparently inanimate object that’s spying on you all day and then going off to report on you at night. How is that not creepy?
But, here you go. A perfectly nice, ordinary, non-creepy, elf spy on the shelf.
Karen B. Jones - Illustrator 
I’d rather have an elf on the shelf than one of those (creepy) ventriloquist dummies (like the one they show in a certain insurance commercial, lately). I’ve rarely seen a scary or bad elf.
I suspect your idea of creepy involves a lifelike face. And, maybe Toy Story scared you a bit.
Well, to each their own. I definitely get a creepy-ventriloquist-dummy vibe out of this tradition. But I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with others enjoying it. 🙂
I don’t know anyone who follows this “tradition.” There may have been one former coworker who mentioned the film/story. But, I can’t recall if they did keep an elf on a shelf.
And, if it creeps you out, what made you draw one?
In my kid’s school, some families do this. It was trendy for awhile.
I drew it because it was part of the rough for a commission I did. The elf wasn’t ultimately used in the piece, but I still had the rough sitting there. I liked how the body turned out, so I decided to finish it off. Just because it’s creepy doesn’t mean it’s not fun to draw. 🙂
Hmm. Maybe that school has some connection to the source/author? Or, one teacher had a strong enough interest in the story that her/his influence/interest spread.
It was part of a rough draft for a commission but not used later why?
I suppose. I’ve drawn a few creepy things when the mood strikes. But, I tend to steer away from that sort of thing lest some creep come to life.
It was illustrating a magazine essay and the elf, among other things, was mentioned. After the rough, it was decided to simplify and cut the elf.
Ah, so it was part of an assortment of “famous” holiday decorations…but not important enough to include in the final… ookay.
No. It wasn’t an assortment of “famous” holiday decorations. It was specifically described in the article I was illustrating.