When you think of the word 'elf,' odds are Will Ferrell is going to come to your mind, dressed in a cheery, green get-up and chowing down on maple syrup-covered spaghetti as Buddy in 2003's Elf. But long before and long after Ferrell's famous elf character are plenty of other notable little helpers to Santa and beyond.
From Harry Potter's beloved house elf to Peter Bilingsly's Christmas character who isn't Ralphie Parker to that one elf who just wanted to be a dentist, there are countless other famous Christmas elves from movis who are just as merry and bright as Buddy the Elf.
15
Pepper
'Candy Cane Lane' (2023)
Image via Prime Video
Normally, Christmas elves are often considered to be cheerful, hard-working, and willing to help out Santa in any capacity. That's definitely not the case with Pepper (Jillian Bell), the antagonist of Candy Cane Lane. Pepper tricks single father Chris Carver (Eddie Murphy) into signing a receipt when he buys a decoration celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas.
Chris signs the receipt without looking at it, which is a bad move; the decorations start coming to life, and Chris learns that unless he gets the "five golden rings" mentioned in the song, he'll be transformed into one of Pepper's decorations. Bell makes Pepper come off as a spiteful, downright sadistic elf - but she's clearly having fun with the role. —Collier Jennings
Krampusis the second twisted take on a holiday that Michael Dougherty's cooked up over the years, especially when it comes to how he approaches the titular antagonist. Described as "the Shadow of Saint Nicholas," Krampus seems to bring a horrific take on Christmas traditions: his toys are twisted monsters that want to murder you, and his elves are just as horrifying.
They're cackling little monsters wearing inhuman masks who either scuttle about filling Krampus' sack with all kinds of unholy goods, or snatching up victims for their boss. It's enough to make you wish you weren't on the naughty list. —Collier Jennings
Krampus
Release Date
December 4, 2015
Director
Michael Dougherty
Runtime
98minutes
13
Callum Drift
'Red One' (2023)
Image via Prime/Karen Neal
Red One throws a lot at viewers during its attempts to build a mythology around Christmas traditions. But one of its more intriguing elements concerns Callum Drift (Dwayne Johnson), who's actually an elf. To be specific, he's part of the E.L.F. - or Enforcement Logistics and Fortification, who serve as security for J.K. Simmons's Santa (the titular "Red One").
When Santa goes missing, Callum gets to show off his actual elf powers: not only can he shrink, similar to Ant-Man, but he has a device that brings toys to life. The best use of this ability comes during a fight with Krampus (Kristofer Hivju), as Callum ends up bringing a pair of Rock-'Em-Sock-'Em Robots to life. —Collier Jennings
Red One
Release Date
November 15, 2024
Director
Jake Kasdan
CastDwayne Johnson
, Chris Evans
, J.K. Simmons
, Lucy Liu
, Kiernan Shipka
, Bonnie Hunt
, Kristofer Hivju
, Nick Kroll
, Wesley Kimmel
, Mary Elizabeth Ellis
, Wyatt Hunt
, Lanz Duffy
, Marc Evan Jackson
, Ashleigh Domangue
, Cody Easterbrook
, Jon Rudnitsky
, Morla Gorrondona
, Jenna Kanell
, Rod Maxwell
, Fedor Steer
, Octavia Grace
, Matthew Zuk
, Cora Kass
, Ahmad Ghafouri
, Jeff Chase
Disney's Noelletakes a similar tactic to its infamous Santa Clause franchise: Santa needs to be replaced! But instead of accidental murder, this Santa passed peacefully, and his daughter Noelle (Anna Kendrick) is seeking out her brother Nick (Bill Hader), who fled under the pressure.
Joining Noelle on her quest is her elfin nanny Polly (Shirley MacLaine). Polly not only acts motherly toward Noelle, but actually takes steps to push her to pursue her true goals: when sparks fly between Noelle and Jake (Kingsley Ben-Adir), the private detective she hires to track down Nick, Polly starts pushing the two together. It helps that MacLaine has excellent comedic timing; every wry observation is bound to get a chuckle out of viewers. —Collier Jennings
Sesame Streethas brought in plenty of well-renowned guests over the years, but it took this to a rather inventive level with Elmo's Christmas Countdown. Elmo's Christmas Countdown features an elf named Stiller... who happens to look and is voiced by Ben Stiller. Stiller ends up entrusting the countdown to Christmas to Oscar the Grouch, but Oscar, being Oscar, scatters the magical bricks used in the countdown - leading Stiller and Elmo to track them down one by one.
Stiller deserves credit for actually pulling through and saving Christmas.
Elmo's Christmas Countdown might be known for a Jamie Foxx-led scene-stealing musical number, but Stiller deserves credit for actually pulling through and saving Christmas. —Collier Jennings
It's in the second film in the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, that Harry meets Dobby, a lowly house elf abused by his former masters who befriend Harry rather than serving him.
A beloved character throughout the franchise, Dobby is set free from his servant duties thanks to his pal Harry and remains a trusted ally to the wizard-in-training during the films that follow. Despite meeting a fatal end in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dobby remains a fan-favorite character of the Harry Potter series.
The 2009 animated Christmas filmPrep & Landing stars two opposing elves when it comes to their festive job, and it's Wayne who lacks the much-needed holiday spirit. After working as an elf for over 200, he's bored with the job and ready for a promotion.
When Wayne is paired with a rookie elf instead, he learns the meaning of the season from his new friend Lanny, softening up to the rookie to the point where he turns down his long-awaited promotion in order to keep working with him.
Eager and ready, when recent graduate Lanny begins working as an elf in Prep & Landing, his cheery demeanor is met with his new partner Wayne's dreary one, but that doesn't stop Lanny from idolizing long-time elf Wayne as they team up to prepare houses for Santa Claus' arrival.
Although he's still just learning and almost cost a kid their presents from Santa, Lanny is a loveable elf who even wins over his bitter partner with his Christmas cheer and determination to make it a wonderful holiday season.
The Santa Clause follows Tim Allen's Scott Calvin who inadvertently winds up becoming the next Santa Claus, being swept away to the North Pole where he meets Bernard, the head elf at Santa's workshop who is anything but merry.
Though he's strict and hardworking, Bernard tends to have a soft spot for Scott's son Charlie while also guiding Scott through the transformation process as he becomes Santa. Bernard proves most loyal to Scott, sending in the troupes to help bail him out of jail and assuring Charlie he'll get to watch his father take the reins as the new Santa Claus.
The Santa Clause
Release Date
November 11, 1994
Director
John Pasquin
Cast
Wendy Crewson
, Judge Reinhold
, David Krumholtz
, Eric Lloyd
, Tim Allen
Runtime
97 minutes
'Onward' (2020)
Pixar'sOnward takes place in a mythical world and follows elf brothers who go on a quest to spend a final day with their late father. Leading the pair is Ian Lightfoot, the youngest of the two teens with a sweet but unconfident nature who desperately wishes he could have known his father.
Despite not always enjoying his older brother's outgoing and wild personality, as the two adventure around and discover the magic of the world, Ian quickly realizes that it's the influence of his brother Barley that will remain with him when his fathers can't. He's one of the best Pixar characters from recent years.
Onward
Release Date
March 6, 2020
Director
Dan Scanlon
Runtime
103 minutes
'Onward' (2020)
Barley Lightfoot has a much bigger personality compared to his shy and nervous little brother, lucky enough to have known their late father, often consuming himself in his memory rather than living in the present with Ian and their mother in Onward.
Barley may have a big and burley exterior, but the teen remains sweet and caring on the inside as he comes to the conclusion that he's the mentor and father figure that Ian never had during their magical adventure with the magically back-from-the-dead lower half of their father.
The classic stop-motion Christmas filmThe Year Without a Santa Claus tells the story of that one Christmas when Santa decides to end his duties out of fear of no longer being believed in, forcing Mrs. Claus to snap her husband back into shape with some help from elves Jingle and Jangle.
Jingle and Jangle are tenacious and full of Christmas cheer as they cross paths with Santa Claus doubters, encountering the rival brothers Snow Miser and Heat Miser on their journey to convincing the world that Santa Claus is real.
The Year Without a Santa Claus
Release Date
December 10, 1974
Director
Jules Bass
, Arthur Rankin Jr.
Cast
Mickey Rooney
, Shirley Booth
, Dick Shawn
, George S. Irving
Runtime
51 Minutes
3
Bryony Shelfley
'Arthur Christmas' (2011)
Arthur Christmas follows Santa Claus' son Arthur, who embarks on a Christmas Eve journey to deliver a forgotten present to a child that was discovered by an elf named Bryony Shelfley.
With the only important female role in the film, Bryony is a badass elf with a skill for gift wrapping and throws around her Scottish accent as she joins Arthur on his adventure to deliver the missed present. Despite only ever working in the Wrapping Division of Santa's workshop, Bryony's determination gets her promoted to Vice-President of Packing when Arthur is crowned the new Santa.
Release Date
November 10, 2011
Director
Barry Cook
, Sarah Smith
Runtime
97minutes
2
Hermie
'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' (1964)
Image via Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment
As far as Christmastime elves go, Hermie from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer just might be the best known for his love of dentistry and earworm "We're A Couple of Misfits." In the stop-motion film that tells the tale of the Christmas song of the same name, Hermie is a brand new addition to the story.
Sweet and kind, Hermie doesn't judge Rudolph for his glowing red nose, accepting the young reindeer exactly how he is and even sharing what makes him different: his aversion to toy-making and desire to become a dentist.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)
Release Date
December 6, 1964
Director
Larry Roemer
Cast
Billie Mae Richards
, Burl Ives
, Larry D. Mann
, Paul Soles
Runtime
47 minutes
1
Ming Ming
'Elf' (2003)
Image via New Line Cinema
Buddy may be the signature elf in Elf,but he works among several other memorable elves at the North Pole, including Ming Ming, the elf played by Christmastime icon Peter Billingsly of A Christmas Story fame.
Ming Ming takes the job of an elf seriously, overlooking the elves as they make the toys and assuring Buddy he still has talents even if they aren't for making toys. Billingsly's elf character may not always be favorable for his judgment of Buddy but is easily the most loved elf in the film behind Will Ferrell's iconic character.
Release Date
October 9, 2003
CastWill Ferrell
, James Caan
, Bob Newhart
, Ed Asner
, Mary Steenburgen
, Zooey Deschanel
, Daniel Tay
, Faizon Love
, Peter Dinklage
, Amy Sedaris
, Michael Lerner
, Andy Richter
, Kyle Gass
, Artie Lange
, Leon Redbone
, Ray Harryhausen
, Claire Lautier
, Ted Friend
, Patrick Ferrell
, Patrick McCartney
, Jon Favreau
, Lydia Lawson-Baird
, Brenda McDonald
, Annie Brebner
Image via NBC
Image via Prime Video
Image via Universal Pictures
Image via Prime/Karen Neal
Image via Disney+
Image via Sesame Workshop
Image via Warner Bros.
Image via Walt Disney Pictures
Image via Rankin/Bass Animated Entertainment
Image via New Line Cinema
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