Elf on the Shelf has become a worldwide phenomenon that kids and adults alike take much joy from during Christmas, but it led to a bit of a panic in one American household this week.
According to reports, police were called to a house in New Jersey after a seven-year-old girl rang them, fearing that she had ruined Christmas.
Seven-year-old Isabelle LaPeruta is said to have accidentally knocked over her Elf after hitting it with a ball. She was understandably worried when she recalled hearing that, if you touch the little guy, you lose the magic of Christmas.
Fearing that she had ruined the holiday for everyone, Isabelle called 911 in a panic and explained the situation. Although the operator calmed her and told her that everything would be fine, an officer was obliged to call out to the house due to the fact that an emergency call had been made.
When Officer Joseph Mandola found the little girl at home, she was in tears: “To her, it was an emergency when she touched the elf, and she was going to ruin Christmas, so that was her emergency. In her mind, she did right, and it was fine with us.”
Officer Mandola confirmed that Isabelle now knows only to call the police when there is a real and urgent emergency.
That poor little girl!
