Elf On The Shelf Takes Over Twitter [Photos]

The Elf on the Shelf officially took over Twitter this Sunday, making us wonder about the internet’s sanity. While the original idea for the kid’s toy is cute, social media users ways of turning that cuteness into creepiness.

According to the toy’s website, the elf “is a special scout elf sent from the North Pole to help Santa Claus manage his naughty and nice lists.” The family “adopts” the elf and “gives it a name.” From then on, the elf essentially spies on the family and reports back to Santa every night, telling whether they have been naughty or nice.

If the photos on Twitter are any indication, we’re guessing that Santa will be doling out lumps of coal to more than a few households this year. Either that, or some of the little elves have gone insane after their long vacation spent away from their adoptive families.

This is why elf on the shelf should not exist. pic.twitter.com/zXqvD1H6Hx

— Jordan Xanders (@jordanxanders) December 1, 2013

True Life: My elf on the shelf killed himself pic.twitter.com/Dwg1WNUjNI

— ♛ smoothie queen ♛ (@Kellyn_griffin) December 1, 2013

Elf on a Shelf…gone terribly wrong. Better call the Wolf. #blow @notjjones @MarklenKennedy pic.twitter.com/7ln3EwhmUo

— Charlie Sheen (@FunSheen) December 1, 2013

There’s nothing wrong with the “Elf On The Shelf” fun. My neighbors started theirs off today. #elfontheshelf pic.twitter.com/lUcwfmYgUA

— TOFUTTI KLEIN (@Martiya_Johnson) December 2, 2013

WARNING!: Elf on the Shelf is DANGEROUS! pic.twitter.com/z2zCJMf9O2

— Mathieu Schneider (@NHLSafetyMatt) December 1, 2013

Of course, there were some non-creepy Elf on the Shelf tweets.

So Deb just started Elf On The Shelf for the first time for us at the ages of 16 and 15… pic.twitter.com/Mq5g69j6tD

— Lindsey Cunniff (@lindseycunniff) December 1, 2013

OH MY GOD. HE’S BACK. THE ELF ON THE SHELF IS BACK.. ON TOP OF OUR CHICKENS. pic.twitter.com/yR4plQfoli

— Madi McCann ➳ (@madimccannn) December 1, 2013