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elfyourself.com

December 21, 2025

What ElfYourself.com Actually Is

ElfYourself started as a simple interactive holiday website you could visit during the Christmas season. It lets you upload photos — your face or friends’ faces — and then automatically places those faces on animated elves who dance in themed videos. Then you can save and share the result. (Wikipedia)

Initially launched in 2006 as part of an OfficeMax holiday campaign, it became a viral seasonal tradition. Since then, the basic idea hasn’t changed: it’s a playful tool to make short, goofy personalized holiday clips. Over its lifetime, billions of such elf videos were created. (Wikipedia)

Today you’ll find ElfYourself both as:

  • A web version (accessible through a browser) during the Christmas season.

  • A mobile app you can download on iOS or Android that does the same thing and adds a few extras. (elfyourself.com)

How It Works — Step by Step

Here’s what you actually do when you use ElfYourself:

  1. Open the site or install the app. The web version is seasonal (usually active only around the holidays). The mobile app runs through app stores year-round but the seasonal content is centered on winter holidays. (elfyourself.com)

  2. Upload faces. Choose up to about five photos from your camera roll, Facebook, or your device. You’ll adjust each so the face fits on the elf character. (App Store)

  3. Select a dance theme or video template. There are a bunch of dance routines — classic elf moves, hip-hop, holiday party styles and more — and the system merges your faces onto the dancing characters. (App Store)

  4. Generate your video. The software automatically creates your personalized clip with music and animations. Wait for it to render. (elfyourself.en.softonic.com)

  5. Save or share. Once it’s ready you can download the video, send it via email, or post to your social feeds directly — if you use the mobile app, sharing tools are built in. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)

It’s basically a video montage generator configured for holiday fun — no editing skills required, just pick photos and a dance. (elfyourself.com)

Web Version vs Mobile App

They’re similar in core idea, but there are practical differences:

Web version

Mobile app (iOS & Android)

  • Can access new features like Augmented Reality (AR) effects, personal greetings, and re-usable My Faces library. (App Store)

  • Lets you save to your device and share via apps easily. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)

  • Has in-app purchases: some dances are free, most are paid or unlocked with a Season Pass subscription that removes ads and gives full access. (App Store)

The app is basically the main way people use ElfYourself now because it’s faster, offers more options, and keeps your creations organized. (App Store)

Pricing and Payments

ElfYourself is free to download and some dances are free. But most of the good stuff — more dance routines and some sharing features — comes behind paid content:

  • Individual dance purchases let you buy specific routines. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)

  • Season Pass subscription gives full access to all dances and removes ads for a year. (App Store)

This model is common in seasonal entertainment apps: the base is free to try, but the best pieces require payment. (App Store)

Limitations and Things to Know

  • Seasonal access: The web version often shuts down outside the holiday window. Old videos might become unplayable after a season ends. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)

  • In-app content gating: Not all dances are free. If you hit a locked creation, you’ll need to either purchase it or use a free daily dance, if available. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)

  • Video rendering time: On the web, especially, it can take a minute or more to process and generate the video. (elfyourself.en.softonic.com)

  • Mobile features: App features like AR and greeting text are not always present in the web version. (App Store)

Why People Use It

ElfYourself isn’t a professional editing tool. It’s intended to be fun and silly, and it has become a holiday tradition for many because:

  • You can personalize it with faces of friends or family. (elfyourself.com)

  • The dancing elf videos are easy to generate and share. (elfyourself.com)

  • It’s light, seasonal entertainment — not serious content creation. (Wikipedia)

For years it turned into one of those yearly rituals where people send out elf videos as a digital holiday card. (Wikipedia)

Key Takeaways

  • ElfYourself.com is a seasonal holiday website/app where you upload photos and turn yourself into dancing elves. (Wikipedia)

  • It started in 2006 and has been a viral holiday tradition ever since. (Wikipedia)

  • You can make videos with up to five faces and choose different dance themes. (App Store)

  • The mobile app is the more flexible current version, with extra features and sharing tools. (App Store)

  • Some content is free but many dances and features come through in-app purchases or a subscription. (App Store)

  • The web version can vanish outside the holiday season and won’t hold old videos indefinitely. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)

FAQ

Is ElfYourself free to use?
Basic access is free. You can upload photos and make some dances at no charge. But most content and features are behind in-app purchases or a seasonal subscription. (App Store)

Can I use it any time of year?
The mobile app is available year-round, but the web version usually only works around the holiday season. (elfyourself.com)

How many faces can I add?
Up to five faces per video. (App Store)

Can I share my video?
Yes — you can share via social media, email, or messaging directly from the app or by downloading the video. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)

Do I lose my purchases if I change phones?
If you use the same Apple or Google Play account, you can restore past purchases on a new device without rebuying. (l-elfyourself.oddcast.com)



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