The Elf on the Shelf is getting its own reality competition series at the Food Network. “The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown” will premiere on Nov. 19, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
Hosted by celebrity chef Duff Goldman, best known for his reality show “Ace of Cakes,” “Sweet Showdown” will follow six teams of what the series is dubbing Sweetmakers for the chance to win $25,000 and the title of The Ambassadors of Confectionary Concoctions. Each week, teams will be challenged to create holiday-themed edible showpieces. Along with Goldman, who will help the Sweetmasters through the competition, “Delicious Miss Brown” host Kardea Brown and “Next Great Baker” winner Ashley Holt will judge the competition series.
The upcoming competition will incorporate elements from “The Elf on the Shelf” book and tradition. For example, Santa will appear in the series as will his scout elves, the titular elves who watch over families and report back to Santa on who’s been good and bad that day.
“’The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown’ is unlike anything you’ve seen before,” Goldman said in a statement. “Every episode is full of top-notch desserts, each telling a story about the scout elves, and, in order to win, the teams must go bold, take risks, show off their holiday spirit and be imaginative with surprises in every dessert they make.”
“The Elf on the Shelf has captured the hearts of families across the country and has become a holiday tradition, and now audiences will be transported into a baking world filled with scout elves,” said Betsy Ayala, head of content for food for Warner Bros. Discovery. “Both the young and the young at heart will be captivated and mesmerized by the dazzling creations and surprises that come alive in this showdown.”
In the baking competition series’ premiere, the six teams will enter the Enchanted Cottage and be given the chance to make and name their own scout elves. For their first challenge, teams will be required to make edible shelves that showcase the personalities of their scout elves. The two teams in the bottom will then have to face off in the Santa Showdown, a competition that will require them to impress the judges with snow globe show pieces that capture their favorite Christmas memory.
As the series progresses, contestants will be challenged to design edible backdrops for Elfie Selfies for their elves, runway outfits for an elf fashion show and an edible sleigh for Santa, just to name a few of the challenges to come.
“The Elf on the Shelf: Sweet Showdown” will conclude on Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. During the finale, the remaining three teams will face off in one last showdown.
Written by Carol Aebersold and her daughter Chanda Bell and illustrated by Coë Steinwart, “The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition” was first released in 2005. It described how Santa uses a system of scout elves to keep track of which children are naughty and nice in the days from Thanksgiving until Christmas Eve. The book quickly became a cultural phenomenon, selling more than 19 million books and elves as of 2021.
