Elf Pets: Santa's St. Bernards Save Christmas

How Elf Pets: Santa’s St. Bernards Save Christmas Brought the Elf on the Shelf Universe to Life

The Elf on the Shelf franchise has spent over a decade turning holiday mischief into a cultural phenomenon, but in 2018, it expanded its reach beyond books and dolls with Elf Pets: Santa’s St. Bernards Save Christmas. Directed by Chanda Bell—co-creator of the original Elf on the Shelf—this 26-minute animated short marked the brand’s first foray into film, blending the whimsy of Christmas elves with a new twist: rescue pups tasked with saving the holiday.

**From Page to Screen: The Elf Pets Expansion**

Chanda Bell, a former middle school English teacher turned entrepreneur, built the Elf on the Shelf empire by tapping into the magic of interactive holiday storytelling. By 2018, the brand had already introduced Elf Pets—a line of plush animals tied to the lore of Santa’s workshop—but the leap to animation was a bold move. The short film, Santa’s St. Bernards Save Christmas, was designed to deepen the mythology, introducing a team of giant, lovable dogs who help elves restore Christmas cheer when Santa’s sleigh runs into trouble .

Unlike the original Elf on the Shelf book, which relied on children’s imagination to bring the elf to life, the Elf Pets short film gave the franchise a visual identity. The animation style was bright and playful, aligning with the brand’s family-friendly aesthetic. While details about the production process are scarce, the film’s existence suggests a strategic push to make Elf Pets a standalone holiday tradition—one that could rival the original elf in popularity .

A Star-Studded (But Low-Key) Cast

The film’s voice cast included Brad Hyland, Kendyl Bell, Lauren Revard, and Tommas Oden, among others, though none were household names at the time. This aligns with the Elf on the Shelf brand’s approach: the focus has always been on the characters, not the celebrities behind them. Still, the inclusion of recognizable voice actors hinted at an effort to elevate production value without overshadowing the story .

One standout detail? The film’s runtime—just 26 minutes—positioned it as a bite-sized holiday special, perfect for families looking for a quick dose of festive cheer. This format mirrored classic animated holiday shorts, making it an easy fit for streaming or TV airings .

Behind the Scenes: A Universal Pictures Connection

The film’s distribution was handled by Universal Pictures, which hosted an exclusive private screening in 2018. The event, captured in a behind-the-scenes clip, showed the film’s premiere as a polished affair, complete with red-carpet energy. While the snippet doesn’t reveal much about the creative process, it confirms that Elf Pets was treated as a legitimate holiday release—not just a glorified commercial for the plush toys .

The screening also hinted at the franchise’s ambitions. If Santa’s St. Bernards Save Christmas succeeded, it could pave the way for more Elf Pets films, expanding the brand’s universe beyond the original elf. Whether that happened remains unclear, but the 2018 short proved that Elf on the Shelf could thrive in new formats.

The Verdict: A Niche Holiday Hit?

Reviews for Elf Pets: Santa’s St. Bernards Save Christmas were mixed but leaned positive among its target audience: families with young children. Some viewers praised its charming animation and catchy musical numbers (including the song "Christmas Cheer is Near"), while others found it overly simplistic . Critics, however, were largely silent—likely because the film was seen as an extension of a toy line rather than a standalone cinematic event.

Still, the short’s existence is a testament to the Elf on the Shelf brand’s staying power. By 2018, it had already sold millions of books and dolls, and Elf Pets was a natural evolution. Whether it became a holiday staple or a footnote in the franchise’s history depends on who you ask—but for fans of the original elf, it was a fun, if brief, expansion of Santa’s workshop.