If the kids don't buy that Santa will skip them for bad behavior, try Elf on the Shelf. This rhyming children's book explains that Santa knows who is naughty or nice because he sends an elf to every home to watch the children and report back to Santa every night. By morning, the elf returns to its assigned home and hides in a different location, setting the stage for a lively game of holiday hide and seek — and ideally, some model behavior. The plush elf and hardcover book come packaged in a gift box for $29.95. It's charming, nostalgic and a hot seller this season at the Bibelot Shops.

— Allison Kaplan

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