Behind the Scenes: How Elves Test the Toys

By Tinsel Tinkerfoot, Senior Toy Engineer & Workshop Wonders Reporter

Hello, merry makers! Tinsel Tinkerfoot here, reporting straight from the toy workshop floor — and let me tell you, it’s buzzing louder than a room full of wind-up robots! Have you ever wondered how Santa’s elves test the toys that they make?

Every December, the elves and I work double shifts to make sure every toy that leaves the North Pole is safe, sturdy, and filled with joy. But before a single teddy bear, toy train, or pogo stick makes it into Santa’s sleigh, it has to pass our very official Elf Testing Process.

What does that mean, you ask? Well… it means a lot of bouncing, zooming, clattering, and giggling. Here’s just a few examples of how the elves test the toys for you… I may have picked my favorites…

• Teddy Bear Squeeze Test — If I can hug it so tightly that glitter puffs out of my mittens and it’s still soft, it passes.
• Sled Zoom Challenge — We line up on the snowy slopes and race the sleds at top elf speed. (I always win, but don’t tell Sparklefoot.)
• Jack-in-the-Box Jump Scare — If it doesn’t make at least three elves yelp when it pops, back to the spring-maker it goes.
• Pogo Stick Bounce Marathon — My personal favorite! We test the springs until we’re bouncing higher than the reindeer stables.

Of course, everything is double-checked for safety before Santa loads it into the sleigh — but between you and me, we have the most fun job in the North Pole.

So the next time you unwrap a toy on Christmas morning, remember: an elf somewhere gave it the giggle, bounce, or squeeze test before it ever reached your hands.

Yours in glue, glitter, and joy,
Tinsel Tinkerfoot
Senior Toy Engineer & Workshop Wonders Reporter