*Elf smiles warmly* Well, the first step is to find a cozy spot in your home where you can put your elf on the shelf. This could be a shelf, a table, or even a windowsill. Then, you can choose a name for your elf. Once you've chosen a name, you can introduce your elf to your family and explain the rules of the elf on the shelf. For example, you can say that the elf is magical and can move around the house, but it must always return to its original spot before morning.