Can you convince me about Elf on the Shelf?

[curiousgeorgie]

I've read the threads... I love Christmas, I've taken so much from here that I put into our Christmas and visit this board daily a lot.

But this Elf on the shelf just doesn't sound very fun, I don't get it.

I'm very open to being convinced though

[Secretblackandmidnighthag]

I'm way too lazy to do it. I think the excitement gets ramped up anyway, what with advent calendars, Christmas parties etc etc. This blog post made me laugh: www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/2011/12/over-achieving-elf-on-shelf-mommies.html?m=1

[Secretblackandmidnighthag]

Try again www.peopleiwanttopunchinthethroat.com/2011/12/over-achieving-elf-on-shelf-mommies.html?m=1

[Brightbutchilly]

I personally don't like the whole notion of 'if you are naughty Santa won't come' - it's nonsense. It doesn't matter how dreadfully the child behaved on Christmas Eve (having been wound up to fever pitch by the Creepy spying Elf) they'll still get presents

OTOH I know lots of families that do it. Not for me though.

[BigBadWolefPlum]

We have an elf but he isn't a watchy elf- he just brings things and causes much hilarity for 3 year old dd when he is with the dolls etc. we can't touch him because he's magic but he often comes with an Xmas DVD or some Christmas colouring which means we can do that for the day. When he leaves he also brings our Christmas Eve hamper.

I reeeeally love Christmas and just find it a good way to bring more festivities into the run up. And a couple of nice treats along the way as if dd doesn't get enough :)

[notamonkeysuncle]

I dont do it as it should be done, we have lots of fun with it.
Our view is an elf comes to visit because father christmas has too many and he flys back to the North Pole to take DDs list.
Each night when DD is asleep, our elf gets upto mischief. It could be turning the milk green or drawing on the mirror. (Only basic ideas last year as DD was only just 3)
The original says no touching but we don't do that either.
It is a case of each to their own but we have had some real fun with it and im looking forward to this years visit.

[Timeforabiscuit]

Dd still remembers when jingle the elf tried to make the living room into the north pole by covering it in toilet paper.

We are incredibly childish though

Jingle turned the milk green
Had a movie night with their toys
Absailed the hallway lights
Got tangled up in the Christmas lights

And of course the dd's need to show jingle how good children behave otherwise jingle won't know how to help Santa with the naughty and nice list!

[dollybean]

That blog post made me giggle too scarlet.Thanks for the link I know a few people like that- they must spend so much time planning all those elf antics and of course it all has to be documented on facebook. Clutters up my news feed every December it's not for me I'm afraid and tbh I find it unnecessary- so much going on already.

[dollybean]

Sorry secret

[AtlanticDrift]

I bought it last year. But tbh I think I will give it a miss this year. I felt it lessened the believing in Santa. It was too much for the dc to take in.

[Secretblackandmidnighthag]

It just seems to me another thing to remember to do, which I don't care about that much and wasn't part of Christmas for me or DH growing up. I agree that it could take away from the excitement about other things, but it just depends on your kids and your family. I wouldn't feel bad that you're not doing it! (not that I think those who are doing it should feel bad either )

[Guitargirl]

This will be our third year with our elf, we have great fun with him. He is not a watchy elf. I am not on Facebook so don't post any photos anywhere. The DCs love seeing what he has got up to during the night.

Do it or don't do it. I am never failed to be amazed at how much the activities of a Christmas elf can cause so much angst on MN. The threads that have been over the years. Why don't people just do whatever they want?

[HermioneWeasley]

We did it one year and the kids loved finding the elf each morning and seeing what he'd been up to. It's just a bit of fun.

[dollybean]

We only tried it one year and in hindsight maybe our dcs were a bit old to be introducing this as it did lessen their belief in santa and took away from the main event. Maybe its just a 'try it and see if it works for you' thing?

[RumAppleGinger]

Don't let it the creepy bastard in your house, it will likely kill you whilst you sleep.

[jamtoast12]

We did it up until kids were 5&7. I'd avoid if possible if you haven't already started.

We had loads of fun with it but I feel the kids catch onto the fact elves don't come alive far more quickly than the whole Santa thing so I stopped it incase it spoilt Santa belief.

The eldest is 9 now and there's no way I would tell her an elf comes alive every night, ok when younger but if she said that in school she'd be ridiculed! She still firmly believes in Santa but then so do all her mates.

The elf is more confusing as most of their friends don't have them so they started to think they must be naughty if they've got one which is really not good!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

My EotS were a Christopher Eccleson Dr Who doll then a Liam Neeson A Team Doll (I'm far too mean to buy the proper one, making my own creepy little bastard is so much better)
Green and Red felt outfits sewed and glued on.
Then hidden round the house, but TBH, by Day 12 , I think I forgot about him. (We have an Advent Tree too )

My DC are preteen/teen so it;s not about Naughty/Nice with them, it's where to find the most outlandish hiding spaces.

CE doll was only 4" high so easier to hide

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Ooh yes the A Team Doll had guns. I wretched them out of his sweaty little plastic hands before I humiliated him by sewing felt trousers onto him.
Just in case, all this coming alive and running round the house was true.
I'm clumsy with a needle

[AliceDoesntLiveHereAnymore]

I bought a small door and fastened it to the skirting board by the tree on 1st December. Then the dcs never actually SAW the elf. There was a little scroll (made by me) attached to the tree that first day, introducing the elf, leaving a little treat for the dcs, and some days he left treats, some days he'd been up to a bit of mischief, other days an encouraging note or a note saying they'd been very good that day and that he'd be sure to mention it to Father Christmas. The door was "magic" and could only be used by the elf to go back and forth to visit with Father Christmas to report back.

Door was about £6. Much cheaper than the doll. And no doll to "pose". Dcs have already been speculating on whether we're going to get the same elf "assigned" to them again this year or if it'll be a new one.

They still laugh about when the "elf" toilet papered the christmas tree while they were sleeping one night.

[Crutchlow35]

We don't have a watchy elf either. He just causes mischief and not every night (I can forgot).

[JillJ72]

I did this last year for my then 12 year old DS. Rudi the furry teddy puppet Rudolph came to stay and did all sorts of things, including draping loo roll on the Christmas tree, taping up DS's bedroom door, wrapping papering the loo, coming with me to work and being nicely strapped in on the back seat when I picked DS up from school, and then he made marshmallow snowmen with his friend who also came to stay - Frosty, a snowman soft toy. They also photocopied themselves, one I particularly liked.

I had fun doing this; I made a list in advance of ideas and so spent 5-10 mins max each eve setting up and sniggering my way to bed.

I got some eye rolls at first but we all had a laugh.

And nothing about it was menacing. I do think the elf is a bit scary!

[WiggleGinger]

We have done this for the past two years, DD is 4.
Our elf brings advent calendars & gets up to mischief each night. Its harmless fun & my DD loves him.
He will report to Santa should he need to but doesn't fly back every night.
He is magic though and can't be touched!
Its effort if you think of it as effort, but if you like to have fun & get in the festive, fun spirit then you too will enjoy it along with your kids!

[MamaPizza]

We have done it for two years and DS is 5 now.

He loves his elf and the mischief he gets up to.

I enjoy coming up with new mischief for Jingle pinterest is my friend but yes there were evenings when I just thought "fuck that elf, he is just going to sit in xyz spot".

I have a blog somewhere, but need to find it first. Got a new computer and it's not bookmarked here.

[MamaPizza]

Found the blog

[JustAShopGirl]

just don't do it.... I love Christmas myself, but it is just yet more "stuff" to keep going with the kids.

I love the way that people who do it sort of likes the idea of the elf on the shelf, but do not actually implement it as in the book, and finds the real elf on the shelf to be creepy, so create substitutes - yet STILL feel it is a good thing to do.

no ta..

[MollyBdenum]

I love our elf. She is small and tasteful and is a trainee who comes to observe how our family celebrates Christmas and to suggest ideas.

I find that things like choosing old toys to give away and tidying up are much easier to make fun when suggested by an elf.

I think that she is the children's favourite part of Christmas. They talk about Lumi during the rest of the year.