Compilation and numeration from author channel. Elmo is self-described as three-and-a-half years old and his birthday is on February. Elmo characteristically avoids pronouns, referring to himself in the third person. Elmo wants this instead of, I want this. Sesame Street staff writer Nancy Sans once described Elmo's origins. There was this extra red puppet lying around and the cast would pick him up sometimes and try to create a personality, but nothing seemed to materialize.