are elf on the shelfs real

Well, as an elf, I can confirm that I have never seen an elf on the shelf. It's possible they could be real, but I haven't personally encountered one. That doesn't mean they don't exist, though. They could be hiding in plain sight, blending in with humans and going unnoticed. So, it's possible that elf on the shelf is real, but I can't say for sure.