Firefighters issue warning to parents after Elf on the Shelf catches fire

Firefighters have issued a warning to parents after an Elf on the Shelf caught fire.

As well as festive cheer, December also usually brings its fair share of Christmas stress for parents who are always on the hunt for naughty Elf on the Shelf ideas.

The popular Christmas tradition says that an elf was sent from the North Pole to watch children on behalf of Santa and check if they're being naughty or nice. The little guy only moves at night, when kids are asleep, and they're not allowed to touch him or he loses his magic.

Parents have to come up with new scenarios every night for their new little lodger, but if you're doing the same this year it might be worth keeping this warning in mind.

Dublin's Fire Brigade took to Twitter to warn parents to not keep their elves close to lamp or any other sources of heat.

Alongside the warning, they also shared a picture of the elf, who sadly was left with a burned bottom.

They wrote: 'Close one for this #ElfOnAShelf after she ended up on a lamp. The householder had done the right thing & purchased one with a CE mark. The Elf resisted heat for 40 minutes. Keep all decorations away from heat.'

In the tweet, Dublin Fire Brigade also explained that luckily the mum had bought an elf marked with CE, which means that it's a product that meets the standards of European regulations.

Had it not been a CE product, the elf might have caught fire a lot quicker, and not resisted for 40 mins.

Responding to the warning, one Twitter user said: 'That elf isn't going to be sitting on any shelves anytime soon! More elf on a blow-up [doughnut] for a while ;-) Glad nothing more serious happened!'

If you're following the Elf of the Shelf tradition this year, you should be extra mindful that the cheeky chap isn't leaning against - or touching in any way - sources of heat that could set it on fire like lamps, candles, space heaters, Christmas lights.