Parents are being warned about where they place their Elf On the Shelf after one got burned through its back.

The Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted the warning on 12 December as a reminder to keep all elves – and decorations – away from the heat.

“Close one for this #ElfOnAShelf after she ended up on a lamp,” they wrote alongside the photo of the elf.

“The householder had done the right thing and purchased one with a CE mark. The elf resisted heat for 40 minutes.”

Parents have the option to buy different elf toys if they’re taking part in the December tradition, so it’s worth checking whether yours has a CE mark.

A CE mark means it’s a product that conforms with health, safety, and environmental protection standards sold within the European Economic Area.

Barrie Fire Service in Canada tweeted a similar warning on 8 December, showing further pictures of scorched elves.

“We know that the #elfontheshelf is famous for getting into mischief,” they wrote. “Please make sure you keep it away from anything hot. Lots of burned/scorched damaged elves out there.”

So it’s probably best not to leave your elf like this for too long… 

HuffPost UK has contacted Elf on the Shelf in America, where the toy originated, as well as the UK distributor of Elf on the Shelf to find out whether the original elf has a CE mark and any further safety warnings they wish to issue.

We will update this piece upon their response.