The Happy Elf (song)

{{Infobox song

| name = The Happy Elf

| cover =

| alt =

| type =

| artist = Harry Connick Jr.

| album = Harry for the Holidays

| released = October 28, 2003

| format =

| recorded = Capitol Studios,
Los Angeles,
May 13–22, 2003

| studio =

| venue =

| genre = Christmas,
Big Band

| length = 3:42

| label = Sony/Columbia

| writer = Harry Connick Jr.

| producer = Tracey Freeman

}}

"The Happy Elf" is a holiday song with music and lyrics by Harry Connick Jr.

It was first released on Connick's album Harry for the Holidays, which became the best selling Christmas album of 2003.{{cite news |last=Jones |first=Kenneth |url= https://www.playbill.com/article/harry-connick-jrs-the-happy-elf-a-milwaukee-hit-ends-on-christmas-eve-com-156370 |title=Harry Connick Jr.'s The Happy Elf, a Milwaukee Hit, Ends on Christmas Eve |work=Playbill |date=December 24, 2008 |accessdate=July 5, 2020}} When asked about the songs on the album, Connick described "The Happy Elf" as a "kids’ song", about "how cool it would be to work in Santa’s shop". It was also recorded for the Harry For The Holidays television special/DVD.

The song became the origin of an animated Christmas TV special, also named The Happy Elf, which aired on NBC in 2005,{{cite news |last=Ball |first=Ryan |url= https://www.animationmagazine.net/tv/happy-elf-sees-starz/ |title=Happy Elf Sees Starz |work=Animation Magazine |date=November 29, 2006 |accessdate=July 5, 2020}} and was released on DVD the same year. An animated music video of the song became available on the film's official website in 2005.

"The Happy Elf" reached #35 on the singles charts (adult contemporary) in 2005.