The Elf on the Shelf Gift Set is a cute rhyming storybook with an accompanying Santa’s elf. The elf is a scout for Santa Claus, and every night he returns to the North Pole to report on who’s been naughty and who’s been nice. When the kids wake up, he’s hiding in a new place each morning. The book has been around for a few years, but I recently learned of it and bought the set based on positive reviews on Amazon.

One parent said, “After hearing from friends and reading reviews how great this was, we bit the bullet and got it. I cannot say enough about how cute this was for our two boys (age 6 and 3). They bolted downstairs every morning to find the elf, and the oldest cried when he touched it accidentally because he thought it would lose its magic. The story and elf was the sweetest thing. Note, however, that parents have to remember to move the elf around every night, or come up with creative excuses for why the elf decided to come back from the North Pole into the same spot! .”

Yes, indeed, if you buy the Elf on the Shelf gift set, be prepared to come up with a new hiding spot every night!! This has been my biggest challenge, as the holidays are a busy time already, and remembering to move the elf every night can be difficult if you don’t make a habit of it. But it’s definitely worth it if you want to bring a little Christmas magic into your house.

More on the Elf on the Shelf Gift Set and Other Elf Toys and Books.

There are a lot of animal lovers in this world, and during the holidays, a great gift for pet owners are products featuring cute Christmas animals. They’re not difficult to find. From cuddly Christmas teddy bears to cute donkeys in a manager, animals are on all kinds of gifts, from mugs to shirts, and mousepads to calendars.

Here are some cute Christmas animals I like on Zazzle and CafePress. The products shown are just samples of what’s available. Like all designs at Zazzle and CafePress, these Christmas animal images are also available on dozens of other gifts. Check the sites for more details.

Santa cat Christmas cards
This cat Christmas card features a cute kitty in a Santa hat. Sure to please any cat lover!

Chinese Shar-Pei T-shirt for Christmas
Funny shirt shows a wrinkled Chinese shar-pei saying “Pah, Humbug!” Great gift for the dog-loving Scrooges in your life.

Christmas Cow Sweatshirt
Who says a cute Christmas animal has to be a housebroken one?
Here’s a shirt to celebrate the farm animals in your life.

Dog Christmas Cards: Chihuahua

If you loved Beverly Hills Chihuahua or just love little chihuahuas, these Christmas cards are for you.