Whether you love sharing the Elf on the Shelf tradition with your family or you're reluctant to introduce it to your children, you can't deny the power of this one particular little elf.
Her name is Violet Christiana, she's 11 months old and she has the most adorable giggle this side of the North Pole.
"She laughs literally all the time. She's such a happy baby," says her mother, Brittany Christiana.
Knowing how much her daughters loved to dress up in princess costumes, Brittany decided to put Violet in an elf costume in common Elf on the Shelf scenarios. Then she asked big sister Lily to "find" her.
That video "blew up," said Brittany. It has 10.6 million views on TikTok to date. "I think it helps people get into the Christmas spirit a little bit," she said.
The video shows Violet the Elf giggling as 4-year-old Lily find her in the fridge with some whipped cream, in the corner sipping pancake syrup out of a straw and on the floor making a snow angel in flour.
It wasn't difficult to make Violet giggle for the video, according to her mother: "She's literally laughing all the time. So all we have to do is just look at her and she'll crack up normally. So I make my eyes big and then she looks at me she cracks up. And if that doesn't work, peekaboo always works."
Feeling inspired by the popularity of that video, Brittany, a middle school staff coordinator by day and content creator by night, made three followup videos that each have over 2 million views on TikTok.
"I barely sleep," Brittany says with a laugh.
Worried that Violet the Elf might topple over while perched atop the toilet or balanced on a refrigerator shelf? Don't be. Brittany's husband, Michael Christiana, is there to literally lend a hand (or induce a giggle) if needed.
The Christiana family does have their own Elf on the Shelf doll in their Granby, Connecticut home.
"We just got one from Santa Claus this year. His name is Crackle, and Lily is obsessed with him. She thinks he's magic," Brittany says.
The trouble of being the Elf caretaker is "worth it" to Brittany because of Lily's joy. "The magic is so alive for her," she says.
The Christiana family is looking forward to spending Christmas at home with their family of four.
Violet, who turns 1 on Jan. 3, isn't yet able to verbalize her Christmas wishes, but Lily has asked Santa Claus for a snow globe, a new puppy and a "big chicken."
