To not do 'Elf on the shelf'

My youngest is 11 now and we have never had an elf thank fuck. Ds asked a couple of times why we didn’t when his friends did. I told him we just never got one..his answer to that was but you just buy them in Easons!
I mean..what is the point in that? Each to their own though.

I completely agree, I hate the elf, I hate thinking of ideas and having to clear up any mess the "elf" makes.
I resisted until my eldest was about 7 and started asking why she didn't have an elf in her house when all her friends did, argh! Then the mum guilt kicked in and I got one.

My youngest is 9 now so I reckon this is my last year of having to do it. Thank god.
(I suggested she asked Santa not to send the elf this year....but no luck)

I think you can probably suck it up for a few years if the DC really want an elf.

We have a small Christmas soft toy. I get it out the night before Dec 1st and put it on a shelf somewhere. Child spots it, is pleased, goes about her day. Every night (if I remember) I pick the toy up, walk to another room and put it on a shelf or something in there. Child always happy to find it the next day but find it quite funny if toy hasn't moved at all! Toy is put away when child goes to bed on Christmas Eve.

I was not going to start the elf madness. I knew I didn't have the inclination to think up new scenarios each night and anyway, I don't believe in naughty elves. Santa's elves are kind and helpful! Why would they come to your house and cut holes in your pyjamas and decorate your Christmas tree with your pants?!

I am glad that we have something though as my daughter's two best friends talk about their elves so she can at least say we have a little toy that visits us and moves around at night!

This is exactly what my kids were always told. It explains stuff like this and also why some children may not celebrate chrsitmas due to religion or why one kid might get a huge pile of presents and another only something small.

You overlooked the new, 24 seat dining table and the new sofa we’re all apparently supposed to buy from SCS to accommodate those unexpected guests.
Unexpected guests at Christmas? We wouldn’t answer the door 😁

I know! It's ridiculous
As regards to Boo boxes they are Halloween related tat for your kids and apparently your BFF's to open and discard 5 minutes after. I know this because my 8 year old told me and he's never wrong😩😁

Please don't take on the peer pressure on your son's behalf. This is exactly why this sort of shit is so toxic. Women feeling they HAVE to take on more work. Just tell him different families have different things going on at Christmas and this is not one your family does.

Its not really my thing, more because of the effort of it but I absolutely cant bare the idea of my sons peers mentioning about the elf visits and my son questioning why he doesn't get them so I'll do it for him and i know he will absolutely love it

Point blank refused to do this and if they moan that their friends have an elf, I say that they may need a bit more supervision from Santa if they need an elf because Santa is happy with my feedback.

Not a chance am I doing bloody elf on shelf.

Never did it for my older two and have no plans to do it for my youngest. I find the elves creepy anyway and refused to agree when the nursery I worked at wanted to do this a few years ago..
I do love Christmas but some creepy elf watching us and having to think of mischief every night (and having to clean up every morning) isn't my idea of fun.

We started it last year but he doesn't do anything naughty and he doesn't report back. I just move him about the house each night and DS enjoys finding him each morning. It's just a cute little thing that we do but there's no angst or drama over what he's going to do. Just like everything, it is what you make it. You don't have to do it OTT.

@Singleandproud you sound amazing 😩 I have a husband and am a SAHM and I don’t have the energy to do half the gorgeous stuff you’ve listed!

Swanbeauty, I’d just assume that DH was unable to locate the Domestos, as usual…

Ok, I hate that damn elf, but that's just twisted 🤣

Aw it's a bloody pain but the kids love it.

The elf doesn't have to be naughty though. Sometimes I just do something really quick like have him climbing up the Christmas tree, having a movie night with the Barbie dolls, make some paper chains, etc.

I even bought some elf report paper from the poundshop. If I've had some bad behaviour the elf has gone back to the North Pole overnight and came back with a report card 😂

Wtf is magical about that? Jesus Christ. That there is a prime example of why I hate elf on the shelf.

The problem is in the past I’ve said no and even binned it. Then dh has gone and bought one and done the first few nights then I get left with it because the kids are expecting it

I don't think it's hypocritical! Given Christmas borrowed so much from Yule in the first place, in Western Europe at least, I reckon you can ascribe your lights and celebration to a far older tradition.

We have an elf.
He does not do crazy things every evening. He occasionally does something.
We have magical Christmas time and we do go all out, our house is like a grotto! But, I won't be stressing about an elf every night.

Boo bag? Similar to Christmas Eve box, I’m guessing?

Never have and never will do it. It only became a thing because people like to show off on social media. The same as the new boo bags that people are trying to sell as a thing.