telling child Elf on the Shelf isn’t really

My DGD 7 has an elf at her house and one at mine but she just plays with them we don't do the naughty thing. The dog chewed one and has a big plaster on his face, poor thing!

Never did the elf. My eldest is 20 and it wasn't really a thing then. There's nearly a decade between my kids but by the time I had youngest our traditions were pretty embedded and elf wasn't included.

Youngest asked once why we didn't have an elf and I said I had written to Father Christmas and asked him not to send an elf as I didn't want the house being messed up. She was mildly annoyed with me and then forgot about it. No regrets!

I never did it, I told DC I had enough to do without moving an elf around each night. DS11 not remotely bothered DD14 will probably have a very extravagant elf for her own children.

My daughter did elf for our grandson so when he stayed with us over Christmas we did it too. I swapped ideas with my niece who has small kids and used the internet. It was good fun. He's now fully aware that Santa isn't real and I asked whether elf would be coming this year and he said yes because he finds it hilarious. I don't think it needs to be a big deal and if you don't like the idea don't do it. Christmas can be stressful enough

I’ve done the elf for 8 years now but none of my friends with kids do. It really isn’t as popular as social media makes out. Don’t sweat it! Plenty of people don’t do it.

Nope, nope, nope.
The only time this has ever come up with my children (11 and 8) they asked why they don’t have an elf, because their school asked them to bring in shoebox diorama of their elf. One per family.
It was an extra credit piece that “everyone can enjoy making a home for their elf” except we don’t have one and will not be getting one. I had a fit at the school and they cancelled the whole thing and don’t have elves now

Child: Mum, can we do elf on a shelf?
Mum: No!
Child: But whyyyyy?
Mum; Because he’s a twat.

Meanwhile, at school….

Teacher: Has the elf been to you at home?
Child: No!
Teacher: Why?
Child: Because my mum said he’s a twat.

We never did the elf. When my kids asked why I just said that we don’t need the elf because I’ve got Santa’s phone number and if they are naughty I just call him and tell him myself.

I've always told my daughter from the start, that Santa is not real or the tooth fairy etc, she is 7 now, and hasn't told her friends, I've just mentioned we will let there parents tell them when there ready, she is more then happy I have never lied to her, but still gets to many presents tho 😄

We never did it and my 2 never even knew about it

Fair enough 🤷‍♀️

I thought it was funny

Oh fgs, are you quite alright?

Are you mentally ill or a troll?

"The elf is a creepy capitalist scam designed to normalise surveillance. Also mum can't be arsed" works for me.

When my oldest was little we used to do elf on the shelf for her. When she was 8ish we stopped because she lost interest. I've not done Elf on the shelf with my boys.
But this year their sister has brought them a elf so she's in charge of the elf not me.

Do other people not do xmas its not a religious thing, but prefer spring and summer and holidays. Love to know if I am scrooge or what. I do send cards but that's it. Each to his own

There are multiple elves out there, some of them are very cute. There's even a jellycat one for those who want it 'naice'.

eu.jellycat.com/leffy-elf/

I’m doing it this year for the first time. My eldest is 4 and she hasn’t actually asked about it, but she just loves the idea of fairies and magic and elves, and she is so excited by Christmas, I know she’ll love it. There are so few Christmases that they believe in the magic of it all, so I’m just embracing it while I can. That said, the elf is not doing anything OTT (he’ll be hiding in the Christmas tree or having a teddy bear picnic etc). I think it depends on whether you want to do it, and your child’s personality. I can already tell my second wouldn’t be fussed, but my eldest will love it.

Id just say the elf is helping Santa this year but I wouldn’t say he’s not real. Why ruin it for other kids when you can give a reasonable explanation without doing so!

I’ve never done it- my youngest is 10. She did feel a bit left out one year so I moved one her cuddly elf teddy about three times just so she had a story to tell with the others. I absolutely was not buying one and moving it every night for it to be naughty while ‘spying’ on her behaviour. Weird and a little bit of a contradiction. Im sure most kids must know the elf isn’t actually real- they just want to believe. Like others say, they’re all in the shops.

Equally you just say 'that's not the real elf' or 'that's not our elf'.

Children's magical thinking around Christmas is lovely. I'm not sure it is ever possible to distinguish between what they really believe, versus what they want to believe, versus just playing pretend. And no need to either, it's all wonderful.

Who was boasting? I don’t see anyone boasting.

But I have seen posters tell OP that she can’t tell her child the elf is a toy because it will upset other kids. So it is impacting her.

have you never seen Toy Story? 😂

Sorry, I worded that badly. There is of course magic in the experience, and in the game and imagination of the people involved. But unlike Father Christmas whom you never really see*, the elf is literally this plastic toy right here. A ten year old may enjoy the game, and that is a wonderful thing, but surely nobody over the age of three really believes it?

*Yes, you see people dressed up in bad fake beards, but when inquisitive kids question that you can preserve the myth by saying "oh, they're not the real Santa, just grown ups dressed up for little children" etc.

There are also fake Santas absolutely everywhere, having badly disguised men doesn't mean the kids stop believing when they are little enough.

I don't know how many years the kids actually believe, but it's still fun after they don't. It can also become a lot more inappropriate as they get older, I know so many teens who still enjoy it, and those who have taken over to do it for their little siblings.

Who cares if people are not bothered, but there's nothing wrong in enjoying the elf for as long as you want. Day 1 they always bring the advent calendars, so that's already one easy day done 😂