Father creates ‘real’ Elf on the Shelf photos with 4-month-old son

(WISH/WFLA) – By now you’ve heard of “Elf on the Shelf.” A father has started an adorable new holiday photography project. He’s dressing up his 4-month-old son in an “Elf on the Shelf’ outfit, taking daily photos and chronicling the photos online.

Alan Lawrence, father of six children, admits his family had never had an “Elf on the Shelf,” but got the idea for the photography project during a recent Christmas party when someone told him his son, Rockwell, looked like an elf.

Lawrence said he took the idea and created his own spin and let a real life elf into his home for Christmas.

“We have never had an “Elf on the Shelf” in our home but the idea has always intrigued me. Parents letting elves in their homes to watch their kids and cause mischief. Then one day someone told us that Rockwell looked like an elf and idea came to me. What if a real life elf came to live with us for the holidays and how would I react in real life to having it show up to live with us.”

In his blog he’s been keeping track of this elf that arrived from the Candy Cane forest by taking pictures each day.

One the first day the elf was perched on a mantel. Alan wrote, “He doesn’t talk much, just sits around watching us and eats all of our food.

By day three he was ready for him to go back from wherever came from, because for the second day in a row his son Wil missed his name as the elf told him Narwhal jokes. And on day nine the elf was ready to send a bad report back to Santa.

He explains that it is a family event. Everyone comes up with ideas for that day’s photo and then usually ends up taking that day’s picture before they go to bed.

“I usually set up the camera and my wife or one of the kids snaps the photo while I hold Rockwell,” Lawerence describes.

He then uses Photoshop to edit himself out of the photo.

Alan plans to keep posting updates on his real life Elf on the Shelf. You can watch for those on his blog , Instagram and Facebook account.