I don’t understand the elf.

[MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry]

I never did it for my DC but from what I see on SM the elf comes to keep an eye on children in December and reports back to Santa. But then the elf does loads of naughty things. So how can the elf be trusted to report back to Santa accurately when it is misbehaving too? It doesn’t make sense.

No, I’m not overthinking it

This was what I thought the first time I heard of them! Hardly a good role model is it - here to see if you're good whilst being naughty themselves... its like two ideas got melded into one toy

I think the Elf is a really shit idea and actually tells kids that being badly behaved / making a mess is funny and cute.

I've never done it but mainly because I think they are really ugly could have made them look cuter 😏

I know for sure my youngest would have been copying whatever the elf did. And then I would have to say “oh you have to be good or the elf will tell Santa”

I’ve never understood it either. Don’t be naughty but the Elf is naughty even though he’s reporting back to FC to make sure you’re not naughty . Who thought this nonsense up. Thank goodness it wasn’t a thing when mine were younger.

There's not a single way to do it, though. Our elf neither reports back or causes makes a mess. They do more around (like a hide and seek game) and there is evidence of it playing with the dc's toys etc.

I think they are terrifying! My baby is only 4 months but can’t see myself doing this when he’s older. I guess the hunt for them could be fun?

This thread reminded me of the attached though 😏

@Inmypjsagain I hope they weren’t showing their DC that!!

This is exactly what I think! If this happened in real life I would expect someone to call out his hypocritical behaviour

Our (three - got married and had a baby 🤦🏻‍♀️) don't report to the big man. It's just a bit of fun, one I wish we'd we'd never started but the kids love it and at them they still genuinely believe. I'm going to have to have a chat before they go into y7...

Our (three - got married and had a baby 🤦🏻‍♀️)

😂 they breed??!

@MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry 😂 well I suppose it’s one way to stop the tradition carrying on too long?!?

@itwasntapartyvf married with babies?! I actually quite like this idea…

@MaryAndGerryLivingInDerry

Our (three - got married and had a baby 🤦🏻‍♀️)

😂 they breed??!

Oh yes!!

@TurnUpTurnip

I've never done it but mainly because I think they are really ugly could have made them look cuter 😏

This made me laugh because it's what put me off the elf on a shelf demons 😂

I do have a cuter cuddly elf...I have no idea what I'm doing with it though ha. My son cuddles it at night and occasionally the elf will leave him a little note about something nice my son has done or leave the odd Christmas book/Christmas ornament etc. he definitely doesn't report to FC as I don't like to use FC as a 'threat' for good behaviour.

I've confused myself as I don't know whether my son believes the cuddly elf is the actual elf that comes to life at night or a cuddly toy that the real elf leaves for him to cuddle/play with 😅

By all means have an elf and move it all around the gaff every night but PLEASE stop posting pics all over Instagram and Facebook subjecting the rest of us to what “Barney” is getting up to. It’s tiresome, it’s old, it’s competitive, it’s boring, it’s absolute shite and NOBODY cares!

Ha ha that’s gas Maureen = I better comment on this gobshite’s stupid picture of the elf sniffing talc off Barbie’s tits.

Not funny, not clever, not festive.. please stop.

Ours isn’t naughty really, just a bit silly. I put a spiderman face on it the other day for example which delighted DS to no end. Today it’s turned the Christmas tree into a monster. They don’t have to be bad elves! It’s just a bit of fun, we’ve done it for about 8 years now.

One of my FB friends has a particularly naughty elf. A few days ago she took a photo of him sitting on the loo with a massive brown skid all over the bowl (made with Nutella). I couldn’t quite decide if this was hilarious or actually utterly gross. I probably sound like a total scrooge but I’m coming down more on the side of it being vile. My boys are a bit older now so we never did the elf, but DS1 has complex disabilities and is extremely sensory seeking and if I’d done that with an elf then DS would probably have licked inside the loo!

It's plain weird and irritating. Never had one here and never will. I don't get the love for it at all.

Stupid American gimmick.

Wasn't a thing when my kids were little and they are only teenagers now.

@CatkinToadflax

One of my FB friends has a particularly naughty elf. A few days ago she took a photo of him sitting on the loo with a massive brown skid all over the bowl (made with Nutella). I couldn’t quite decide if this was hilarious or actually utterly gross. I probably sound like a total scrooge but I’m coming down more on the side of it being vile. My boys are a bit older now so we never did the elf, but DS1 has complex disabilities and is extremely sensory seeking and if I’d done that with an elf then DS would probably have licked inside the loo!

I saw something similar today where the elf had a brown bum, a bit of brown smeared toilet roll and the two sleeping DC had brown lumps on their head. I think it was made from a kit Kat and peanut butter. Agree with you- it’s vile.