Parents, it's that time of the year again. Christmas music [1] will be playing in the grocery stores, kids will be writing letters to Santa, and if your family partakes in the beloved (and somewhat out of control [2]) Elf on the Shelf tradition [3], your scout elf will be making their grand debut. But when exactly should you bring Elf on the Shelf [4] back? Well, it might be a lot sooner than you think.
According to the official Elf on the Shelf website [5], you should bring back Santa's little helper sometime during Scout Elf Return Week, which is no earlier than November 23 and no later than December 1.
On page 3 of The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition [6] book, the scout elf says, "At holiday time, Santa sends me to you. I watch and report on all things that you do." On page 4 of the book, the scout elf can be seen hiding [7] behind the turkey during Thanksgiving dinner. So if your kids have the book and know the story well, they're going to expect their scout elf to have arrived by Thanksgiving!