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AIBU?

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Original poster

The Elves must go, 6yo looking for them at 2 am!

65 replies

Therandomtrekker1 · 18/12/2025 02:52

My two sleep soundly , never wake (both since 18 months) but since the Elves have arrived they are waking earlier and earlier.
This week youngest woke at 1.30am with an itchy foot ! Managed to get back to bed quickly and thought I broken night this week with all the early rises since 1 Dec 4-6 am instead of normal 6-7.30 whilst they both look for the Elves I was tired anyway.

Tonight is a new low, woke at 2.15am saw a light on and found the 6yo listening to an audio book while lying on the floor, been all over the house looking for Elves and lights on everywhere. Now upset because I took away her speaker and told couldn’t have nightlight as no one to switch it off later.

The Elves are a pain to do as I always forget until last minute (bought by my mum 2 years ago who didn’t realise what they were, she did apologise later) and while the joy on DC faces is heart lifting, the lack of sleep doesn’t justify them staying?

So
Elves stay it’s only for another week and the magic of Christmas is so fleeting for these little ones. AIBU

or do they get called back to the North Pole early, because little ones need their sleep and this is obviously disturbing them. YANBU

OP posts:
Notmyreality · 18/12/2025 07:10

Just stop doing elf on the shelf. Your kids will still have great xmas memories.
Never done it in this house. My kids aren’t traumatised.

gogomomo2 · 18/12/2025 07:09

The elves may disappear if the children are naughty getting up before 6am remember!

Checknotmymate · 18/12/2025 06:26

Tell the if the elf catches them out of bed he will invade their dreams like Freddy Kruger

ReadAllOver · 18/12/2025 06:25

Can they leave a note saying they are needed in the North Pole at night now as they are very busy and need extra help? And that they only come back when it’s light? You would need to be quick hiding them in the morning though 😂

dinesaurrawr · 18/12/2025 06:24

SelotapeChicken · 18/12/2025 03:11

Can they fall off something and break their leg? Oh dear can’t move now?
we heard you were waking up far too early! I had to run and now I’ve hurt myself? 🤣

Not me thinking you meant the kids 😆

InterestedDad37 · 18/12/2025 06:23

Sit them down, get a whiteboard (or prepare a PowerPoint) and tell them that the elves hiding things is a critique of bourgeoisie deception and capitalist hoarding, where the elves (representing the ruling class/system) control resources (gifts/magic) and maintain power by creating false scarcity and mystifying the source of production (Santa/North Pole), thus keeping the proletariat (children/working class) dependent and distracted from their collective power, fostering individualism (my gifts) over communal benefit, all while the elves themselves operate a highly secretive, authoritarian workshop (the "means of production").
That'll probably do the trick 😉

Flailingaroundatlife · 18/12/2025 05:29

Therandomtrekker1 · 18/12/2025 02:52

My two sleep soundly , never wake (both since 18 months) but since the Elves have arrived they are waking earlier and earlier.
This week youngest woke at 1.30am with an itchy foot ! Managed to get back to bed quickly and thought I broken night this week with all the early rises since 1 Dec 4-6 am instead of normal 6-7.30 whilst they both look for the Elves I was tired anyway.

Tonight is a new low, woke at 2.15am saw a light on and found the 6yo listening to an audio book while lying on the floor, been all over the house looking for Elves and lights on everywhere. Now upset because I took away her speaker and told couldn’t have nightlight as no one to switch it off later.

The Elves are a pain to do as I always forget until last minute (bought by my mum 2 years ago who didn’t realise what they were, she did apologise later) and while the joy on DC faces is heart lifting, the lack of sleep doesn’t justify them staying?

So
Elves stay it’s only for another week and the magic of Christmas is so fleeting for these little ones. AIBU

or do they get called back to the North Pole early, because little ones need their sleep and this is obviously disturbing them. YANBU

We had this last year. But with a 'magic calendar'. Refill pockets with usually an activity or occasionally a chockie in. They woke up earlier and earlier. So we had to say it doesn't appear in the morning, but 'sometime after lunch', and it all stopped, thank goodness! Now they're at school, it works quite well, too.

PullTheBricksDown · 18/12/2025 04:31

But even that would be going in the right direction. Write a note saying the elves want them to be good for mummy and getting up in the night isn't that?

Original poster
Therandomtrekker1 · 18/12/2025 04:04

I think even leaving early would take a few days to get back to sleeping slightly later, 6yo would think they are just hiding and missed them even with a note.

OP posts:
mathanxiety · 18/12/2025 03:40

'The magic of Christmas' is a great big pile of hooey.

Throw out the elves. Tell the DCs they visited for a while but they've now moved on. If you like, compose a note 'from the elves' telling the kids what sweethearts they are and wishing them a very happy Christmas, but it's time for them to return now to the circle of hell from which they came...

Never speak of them again.

Original poster
Therandomtrekker1 · 18/12/2025 03:26

I am so torn as they love them so much, the pre dinner thing may work but would require more planning which I don’t have the brain power for, plus I don’t get too much alone time so would be discovered if I went somewhere and the Elves had suddenly done something, 6yo would realise.
I don’t want to break the magic yet.

OP posts:
SelotapeChicken · 18/12/2025 03:11

Can they fall off something and break their leg? Oh dear can’t move now?
we heard you were waking up far too early! I had to run and now I’ve hurt myself? 🤣

lxn889121 · 18/12/2025 03:07

I've had earlier than normal mornings due to excitement over advent calendars... but not that early!

My personal compromise with the elves is that I'll do an "naughty elf" type thing... but just once on Christmas morning, which normally involves one of my son's presents being hidden, or hanging somewhere, or tied up, (or this year he has a key tied to his stocking for a chest that is hidden and he will need to find).

He loves it and gets very excited to see what the elves have done.. but it keeps it all to one night, and doesn't give me a month of work.

jill5676 · 18/12/2025 03:02

Could you compromise and say that the elves have extra work to do in the run up to Christmas so they will only be coming to visit for a couple of hours before dinner? Might keep the magic but reduce the waking?

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