People were horrified when they saw what he did to the elf, albeit accidentally.

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Maddie (@maddieeeee311) shared the video with over 16,000 TikTok followers.

The content creator is a big Elf on the Shelf fan, making sure to feature Santa’s helper in her home’s annual festivities.

In previous years, a large Elf on the Shelf was a proud centerpiece on their tree.

This year, however, Maddie was appalled when she discovered what ended up happening to an Elf on the Shelf that was left under her husband’s watch.

“When your husband is in charge of the Elf on the Shelf,” she said, turning a light fixture around to reveal a deformed figurine.

Her husband, it seemed, had indeed left the Elf on top of a shelf, leaving its face blackened and disfigured as it rested against a hot light.

Although Maddie wasn’t expecting coal to arrive in the form of an Elf on the Shelf’s face, many tried to look on the bright side of things.

“You can use that for a little break. Elf had to go back to Santa to be fixed,” quipped one commenter.

“I want to see the kids’ reaction to this, my kids would’ve had a fit! So funny,” said another.

Turns out, the experience was a common one: “Mine did that a few years ago, it was his legs though, thankfully,” said one commenter.

“He spent the rest of the season in a ‘cast’ and then retired.”

“Yes! I told my husband not to put it on the light! Elf is now a double amputee,” joked another.

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