The Elf On The Shelf
Trademark: THE ELF ON THE SHELF
First Used: October 2005
First Registered: November 2008
Current Owner: CCA and B, LLC (The LumiStella Company) [1]
Trademark Type: traditional trademark; word mark;
Primarily Associated With: dolls and children's books [2]
Also A Trademark For: cosmetics [3]; blankets and clothing [4]; night lights, gift bags, costumes, and party games [5]; doll accessories and clothing [6]; mobile applications and online games [7]; and gift bags [8], among others
Brief (and likely incomplete) History [9]:
Happy Holidays! As 2024 winds down, we thank everyone for their support this year and wish you a fun-filled and relaxing holidays and end of the year! Let’s finish up the year with a few of our favorite holiday-themed trademarks.
The Elf on the Shelf® brand was born out of a cherished family tradition and entrepreneurial vision. Carol Aebersold, along with her twin daughters, Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts, wanted to share the special holiday ritual they had grown up with. Carol Aebersold had received a small pixie elf figurine, named Fisbee, when she was a child. In the 1970s after having children of her own, she told them that Fisbee was there to watch over them leading up to Christmas and would report back nightly to Santa about their behavior.
After decades of the family tradition, in 2005, Aebersold and Bell self-published The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition, a storybook that explained the elf’s role as a scout for Santa. Each book was sold with an accompanying elf doll, allowing families to adopt their own "scout elf," like Fisbee. The duo funded the project themselves and launched it with grassroots efforts, hand-delivering books and attending craft fairs to promote their unique concept.
The concept resonated with families, and the brand rapidly gained traction, fueled by word-of-mouth and the interactive nature of the tradition. Parents were encouraged to position the elf in a different spot each day, creating a magical experience for children during the holiday season. The LumiStella Company helped propel the brand to new heights, expanding its reach through partnerships, licensing agreements, and multimedia projects, including animated specials like An Elf's Story. The brand’s combination of nostalgia, creativity, and family engagement transformed The Elf on the Shelf into a modern holiday phenomenon, with millions of "elves" adopted by families worldwide.
Interested in learning more about other holiday trademarks? Check out our post on New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.
Copyright © 2024 by Illustrated IP, LLC. All rights reserved.
[1] The LumiStella Company, https://lumistella.com/.
[2] USPTO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3,533,459, available at https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=77368580&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
[3] USPTO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4,626,171, available at https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=86092146&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
[4] USPTO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4,813,953, available at https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=86276531&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
[5] USPTO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 5,020,389, available at https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=86688533&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
[6] USPTO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 5,323,651, available at https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=87412135&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
[7] USPTO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 6,000,073, available at https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=86688533&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
[8] USPTO, U.S. Trademark Registration No. 7,288,289, available at https://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=97307449&caseSearchType=US_APPLICATION&caseType=DEFAULT&searchType=statusSearch.
[9] What's the Elf on the Shelf story? Here's how the beloved Christmas tradition originated, TODAY, posted October 4, 2022, and available at https://www.today.com/life/holidays/elf-on-the-shelf-story-rcna44019; What Is The Elf on the Shelf and How Does It Work?, WOMAN’S DAY, last updated November 4, 2022, and available at https://www.womansday.com/life/a34601345/elf-on-the-shelf-history/; How the Elf on the Shelf tradition started, CNBC, posted December 18, 2020, and available at https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/18/how-the-elf-on-the-shelf-tradition-started-.html; The Strange And Sweet History Of The Elf On The Shelf, HUFFPOST, last updated November 29, 2023, and available at https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-elf-on-the-shelf-history_n_5a24c89be4b0a02abe920d71.