![You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf... Shrek on a backyard deck](https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/mobile/000/023/933/shrek.jpg)
You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf...
Part of a series on Elf on the Shelf. [View Related Entries]
Featured Episode
About
"You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf" refers to a series of image macro in which the phrasal template "You've heard of Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for" captions an image of two things that rhyme with each other. The image serves as a punchline for the caption. In December 2020, a variant of the meme, in which the caption is removed and replaced with the hashtag #MyElf, spread on social media.
Origin
On December 3rd, 2016, Tumblr[1] user fuckin-rockets posted a variation with the phrase "You've heard of Elf on the Shelf." Under that caption, they posted a picture of an Ash Ketchum action figure in a garbage can (the implied rhyme being "Ash in the trash"). The post (shown below) received more than 53,000 notes within 10 months.
![The meme that started it all,Ash in the Trash The meme that started it all,Ash in the Trash](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/202/865/3d6.png)
Precursor
You've Heard of Bigfoot, Now Get Ready for Smallhand is a word play joke about an unknown rival to the cryptid ape creature Bigfoot. After circulating on Tumblr in July 2015, the joke inspired many variations on the microblogging site using the phrasal template "You've heard of X, now get ready for Y," typically contrasting two diametrically opposed terms.
![F----bono origin post You've heard of Bigfoot, not get ready for small hand](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/008/019/4f4.jpg)
Spread
On September 14th, 2017, Redditors /r/me_irl subreddit began posting "Elf on the Shelf" variants en masse. That day,[2] PM_ME_YOUR_CHEETOS posted an image with the caption "You've heard of Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for" and an image of Shrek on a backyard deck in the The post (shown below, left) received more than 19,000 points (19% upvoted) and 200 comments. Redditor[3] pebblesom posted the character Waluigi on a squeegee (shown below, center), garnering more than 20,000 points (93% upvoted) and 280 comments. Additionally, Redditor[4] Havokmin posted a picture of Link from The Legend of Zelda on a sink (shown below, right), receiving more than 5,000 points (95% points) and 85 comments.
![you've heard of Elf on a Shelf, not get ready for Shrek on a deck you've heard of Elf on a Shelf, not get ready for Shrek on a deck](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/294/507/099.png)
![you've heard of Elf on the shelf, now get ready for Luigi on a Squeegee you've heard of Elf on the shelf, now get ready for Luigi on a Squeegee](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/294/509/cb2.jpg)
![you've heard of Elf on The Shelf, get ready for Zelda's Link on a Sink you've heard of Elf on The Shelf, get ready for Zelda's Link on a Sink](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/masonry/001/294/510/94b.jpg)
On September 18, 2017 Twitter published a moments page regarding the recent popularity of the elf on the shelf images.[5] Several media outlets covered the popularity of the meme, including TIME,[6] New York Magazine,[7] BuzzFeed,[8] Polygon[9] and more.
On September 17th, Twitter[10] user @nsarmored frog posted a picture of a plush Pokémon Eevee on a TV. The post (shown below) received more than 27,000 retweets and 58,000 likes in two days.
![after Elf on The Shelf comes Pokémon Eevee on a TV after Elf on The Shelf comes Pokémon Eevee on a TV](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/295/970/059.png)
Airport Photoshop Battle
On December 10th, 2018, the Vancouver Airport in Vancouver, Canada sparked a photoshop battle, when the airport's Twitter account[11] posted a photoshop of rapper Lil' Wayne atop an airplane with the caption "You've heard of Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for…" The post received more than 1,000 retweets and 3,400 likes in two days (shown below).
![Lil' Wayne on a plane Vancouver Airport YMR @yvrairport You've heard of Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for...](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/440/169/b4c.png)
Shortly after, other airlines and airports began posting images of celebrities atop different vehicles and airport and airplane items to fit the format. For example, Tampa International Airport posted[12] a picture of Snoop on a Swoop (shown below, left). RDU International Airport tweeted[13] Taylor Swift "taking a lift" (shown below, center). Pheonix Sky Harbour Airport tweeted[14] Thor "on a Condor" (shown below, right).
The following day, Twitter[15] published a Moments page on the tweets.
![Ok, we see you... but what about Snoop on a Swoop? Tampa Intl Airport @FlyTPA Replying to @yvrairport @LilTunechi Ok, we see you... but what about Snoop on a Swoop?](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/440/175/95a.png)
![We here: Tay Swift taking lift 🛫 #airporttwitter RDU Int'l Airport @RDUAirport Replying to @yvrairport @Liffunech We here: Tay Swift taking lift #airporttwitter](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/440/177/eaf.png)
![Thor (@chrishemsworth) on a @Condor #AirportTwitter PHX Sky Harbor @PHXSkyHarbor Replying to @yvrairport @LilTunechi Thor (@chrishemsworth) on a @Condor #AirportTwitter Condo 75](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/440/181/afe.png)
#MyElf
#MyElf refers to a variation of the meme in which the caption is removed. In this variant, people must guess the answer without the preamble of the "You've Heard of Elf on a Shelf" prompt. Social media users categorize this version with the hashtag #MyElf.
On December 1st, 2020, actor Garcelle Beauvais posted a version of the meme on Instagram[16] in which her image sits on the shoulder of music producer Pharrell Williams. The post received more than 22,000 likes in less than three weeks (shown below).
![garcelle on pharrell You've heard of Elf on a Shelf, garcelle • Follow now get ready for this... garcelle repost 1w www. 22,383 likes DECEMBER 1 Add a comment... Post](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/965/134/2b2.jpg)
Over the next week, celebrities continued to share the meme, slowly removing the "You've Heard of Elf on a Shelf" caption. On December 4th, for example, actor Mark Ruffalo replied to a tweet[17] of the game by actor Elizabeth Banks, writing, "I raise you a Stark on a Mark." The post received more than 10,000 likes and 590 retweets in less than two weeks (shown below, left).
Shortly after, the hashtag #MyElf began to spread, with people either guessing what the answer to the photo riddle is or just posting the answer. For example, on December 7th, actor Tracee Ellis Ross tweeted,[18] "I present to you The Boss on Ross… I just had to join in on the fun! #MyElf." The tweet received more than 3,600 likes and 160 retweets in less than one week (shown below, center). South Korean rapper CL tweeted,[19] "Adele on CL. #MyElf." The tweet received more than 25,000 likes and 2,000 retweets in less than one week (shown below, right).
![. @ElizabethBanks , I raise you a Stark on Mark. cc: @RobertDowneyJr Mark Ruffalo 000 @MarkRuffalo .@ElizabethBanks, I raise you a Stark on Mark. cc: @RobertDowneyJr CAVE YOS](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/965/143/7b7.png)
![I present to you The Boss on Ross... I just had to join in on the fun! #MyElf Tracee Ellis Ross 000 @TraceeEllisRoss I present to you The Boss on Ross... I just had to join in on the fun! #MyElf 6:00 PM · Dec 7, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/965/146/a31.png)
![Adele on CL CL 00 @chaelinCL Adele on CL. #MyElf Adele 2:02 PM · Dec 9, 2020 · Twitter for iPhone](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/965/150/057.png)
Various Examples
![You've heard for Elf on The Shelf, now get ready for My Little Pony on a Baloney You've heard for Elf on The Shelf, now get ready for My Little Pony on a Baloney](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/295/965/d19.jpg)
![You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf, here is RuPaul on a U-Haul You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf, here is RuPaul on a U-Haul](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/295/967/64b.jpg)
![You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf, we here is the famous Mensch on a Bench You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf, we here is the famous Mensch on a Bench](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/295/971/1a7.png)
![You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for Tom and Jerry on a Dictionary You've Heard of the Elf on the Shelf, now get ready for Tom and Jerry on a Dictionary](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/295/972/0ad.png)
![You heard of Elf on the Shelf, not get ready for Bane on the Plane You heard of Elf on the Shelf, not get ready for Bane on the Plane](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/295/976/a1f.png)
![you've heard of Elf on The Shelf, now get ready for Tide on the slide you've heard of Elf on The Shelf, now get ready for Tide on the slide](https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/295/978/5a2.png)
Search Interest
External References
[1] Tumblr – fuckin-rockets' Post
[2] Reddit – Invest in Elf on the Shelf Memes. Big rise ahead!
[5] Twitter – The Elf on the Shelf parodies are too much
[6] TIME – Hilarious Elf on the Shelf Memes Taking Over the Internet Are Christmas Come Early
[7] New York Magazine – You’ve Heard of Elf on the Shelf, Now Get Ready for This Meme With a Rhyme Scheme
[8] BuzzFeed – 20 Elf On The Shelf Memes That Will Make You Say 'I See What You Did There'
[9] Polygon – Elf on the Shelf rhyming competition-turned-meme started with Pokémon, Zelda
[10] Twitter – @nsarmoredfrog's Tweet
[11] Twitter – @yvrairport's Post
[12] Twitter – @FlyTPA's Tweet
[13] Twitter – @RDUAirport's Tweet
[14] Twitter – @PHXSkyHarbor's Tweet
[15] Twitter – Airports engage in Elf on the Shelf inspired photoshop battle
[16] Instagram – @garcelle's Post
[17] Twitter – @MarkRuffalo's Tweet
[18] Twitter – @TraceeEllisRoss' Tweet
[19] Twitter – @chaelinCL's Tweet
Top Comments
Vouiv596 (Nowi wins!)
Sep 19, 2017 at 04:51PM EDT
Nedhitis
Sep 22, 2017 at 06:44PM EDT in reply to