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Original poster

We've got Father Christmas, we have Elf on the Shelf. But what new magical ideas can you bring to the table for children to believe in at Christmas?

108 replies

cakeorwine · 09/12/2023 09:56

Father Christmas (as we know him, a person in a red suit bringing gifts to children with reindeer) has been around since the 1840s.
Elf on the Shelf. An elf watching you and reporting on your behaviour, has been around since 2005.

So it's time for some new ideas. Just something magical for children to believe in at Christmas. No idea too outrageous.

I'm going for a magic woodcutter who cuts down a small tree and brings it to your house when the children are asleep. In the morning, it appears in a special container. He does this as he knows that a tree symbolises eternal life and he wants everyone to have one so they can decorate it in a house.

Parents are still free to buy their own tree of course.

OP posts:
3peassuit · 09/12/2023 14:16

There’s no end to the possibilities. I think shops are selling themselves short, mind you, I see m &s have a fairy dawn French tree ornament for sale. We need more of this stuff.

OP posts:
girlfriend44 · 09/12/2023 14:45

cakeorwine · 09/12/2023 10:15

Or maybe it's a fun thread?

Show quote history

Nothing fun about trying to think of more brainwashing ideas.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Christmas Events & celebrations
WhileMyDishwasherGentlyWeeps · 09/12/2023 14:46

OK, the Wobblin’ Goblin is a work in progress. (I got some pushback from temperance groups and the Dept of Health).

So, going for the family market, how about…the SNUGGLY & COMFY©️CrimboEve-box of love-hotchoc-marshmallow-PJs!

Basically, you make a Christmas Eve box which contains festive pyjamas that have been soaked in hot chocolate since July and have marshmallows sewn onto the sleeves. The kids suck the hot choc from the PJs and eat the marshmallows off their arms. While watching Elf.

Kids will love it. It’ll be an instant tradition. And it’ll be sooo snuggly and comfy.

Obvs, you could make your own but I’d be selling the pre-made.

Original poster
cakeorwine · 09/12/2023 14:46

girlfriend44 · 09/12/2023 14:45

Nothing fun about trying to think of more brainwashing ideas.

Show quote history

You missed Grinch day

OP posts:
Butteredtoast55 · 09/12/2023 14:52

As far as wonderful things to believe in at Christmas that symbolise eternal life, I'm going to stick with Jesus, thank you.

babster · 09/12/2023 15:50

I've got one for mums. It's called Away in a Manger. All you need in somewhere to lie down (in honour of the baby Jesus) and some snacks (manger, right?). Set it up in a spare room, shed, or stable if you have one. Every time the John Lewis Christmas ad comes on TV, school announces a gingerbread house competition on the last day of term, or your in-laws message asking if they should arrive at yours at 6.30am or 7am on Christmas morning, you can creep away to your manger for a few Lindor and a little cry.

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 09/12/2023 15:52

Holiday armadillo.

SleepingStandingUp · 09/12/2023 16:00

girlfriend44 · 09/12/2023 14:45

Nothing fun about trying to think of more brainwashing ideas.

Show quote history

Yep. Gonna brainwash you til you buy my decorating robin.

For £14.99 you get a wooden robin and five feathers. £35.99 will get you two robins and a collection of red and gold decorations to decorate your home with.
£2.99 for the book "Robin's big adventure"
£9.99 for a robin plushie.

Buddhabobby · 09/12/2023 16:12

Okay, my apologies OP. This thread did indeed go over my head.

I honestly didn't realise this was lighthearted. I thought you were another one of those marketing idiots who turn up looking for a new idea with a faux post on MN to push some more tat on Facebook.

I'm a little sensitive to the cost of living crisis at the moment, so this probably just pushed a button in me.

@cakeorwine I'm sorry I was a real grinch on your lighthearted thread.

Original poster
cakeorwine · 09/12/2023 16:20

Buddhabobby · 09/12/2023 16:12

Okay, my apologies OP. This thread did indeed go over my head.

I honestly didn't realise this was lighthearted. I thought you were another one of those marketing idiots who turn up looking for a new idea with a faux post on MN to push some more tat on Facebook.

I'm a little sensitive to the cost of living crisis at the moment, so this probably just pushed a button in me.

@cakeorwine I'm sorry I was a real grinch on your lighthearted thread.

Edited

No worries.

It's a tough time of year for some people.

Feel free to add some of your own contributions if you want.

OP posts:
pollyroo · 09/12/2023 16:30

LittleBearPad · 09/12/2023 10:01

We don’t need more stuff.

Shops will monetise it and create even more angst for competitive parents or those who can’t afford the latest craze.

This with bells 🔔 on

The shops don't need any more ideas on any more plastic tat shite that's terrible for the environment.

Why we / your kids need more of this bullshit false hope magical shite rammed down our throats Is beyond me.

Can't you just be happy with what you've got taking into consideration what else is going on in the world ?

mrshenny · 09/12/2023 16:36

100% don't need more stuff, there's enough pressure on parents at the moment

BrimfulOfMash · 09/12/2023 16:37

SleepingStandingUp · 09/12/2023 13:57

Ok op I'll play.

I'll take your magic woodcutter and I'll raise you...

The Robins who come in and decorate the our house. You go to bed and it's just a little wooden figure. In the morning your house is totally decorated and all that's left is a feather because the robin has flown off back to Santa.

See:
Obv the wooden robin parents buy
Plushie robin
Robin decorations
Robin please decorate here sign
Robin books about Robins adventures.
Robins friends who help him also available as plush toys
Robin the pc game where you decorate peoples houses
Robin the movie short where he gets into an altercation with Elf on the Shelf bit good prevails.

Special robin poo to be splattered everywhere (made of icing)

Packets of robin food

A little wire gadget for making robin footprints on the worktops

Robin bird call whistles

IcouldbutIdontwantto · 09/12/2023 16:44

Along the same theme as @SleepingStandingUp's Robin (which I'm totally on board with btw), we need a Lights Pigeon that comes along and puts up all the outside lights, then turns them on and off at the appropriate times until s/he takes them down.

x2boys · 09/12/2023 16:53

Echobelly · 09/12/2023 10:15

We don't even celebrate Christmas and I'm exhausted just reading about all the bloody 'Christmas eve boxes' and elves and shit. I can't imagine what it must be like being expected to do all of it.

Nobody is expect d to do anything its just something some parents do ,we did Santa, but that was it.

x2boys · 09/12/2023 16:56

babster · 09/12/2023 15:50

I've got one for mums. It's called Away in a Manger. All you need in somewhere to lie down (in honour of the baby Jesus) and some snacks (manger, right?). Set it up in a spare room, shed, or stable if you have one. Every time the John Lewis Christmas ad comes on TV, school announces a gingerbread house competition on the last day of term, or your in-laws message asking if they should arrive at yours at 6.30am or 7am on Christmas morning, you can creep away to your manger for a few Lindor and a little cry.

Wll, the three kings come bearing gifts for me though?

Shannith · 09/12/2023 17:02

I think you are being very discriminatory with all this talk of magical stuff for children.

Who will think of the fubabies?

Why don't dogs have bone on the shelf?
Cats, mouse on the shelf?

My equines are well pissed off I've not gone all in for carrot on the shelf this year and I feel appropriate owner guilt.

Not have I got them variously

Christmas Eve beds/rugs/pjs
Personalised Christmas Eve boxes

** FUCK. the dog has got an advent calendar, but I won that in a raffle so it doesn't at count <<grasps at straws>>. Does it? Fuck, she's got a Christmas jumper too. And I have got photos of the cats sitting on tinsel. And the dog wore tinsel in its collar this week. And I am going to plait tinsel into the horse's mane and decorate the pony's carriage.

So my fanciful joining in of the sarcasm is empty and hollow.

I've fully capitulated and am part the problem.

<<slaps self with woodcutter's axe>>

TeaAndStrumpets · 09/12/2023 17:09

I think a boxed lump of coal carved into the shape of a chocolate orange would be a good stocking filler.

SwearyBetty · 09/12/2023 17:29

And hot chocolate which is so magical that it is never available year round, never at all.

and not just hot chocolate from a tin but hot chocolate and other crap decanted into jars to make a hot chocolate STATION/BAR 😂

We've got Father Christmas, we have Elf on the Shelf. But what new magical ideas can you bring to the table for children to believe in at Christmas?
Echobelly · 09/12/2023 17:45

x2boys · 09/12/2023 16:53

Nobody is expect d to do anything its just something some parents do ,we did Santa, but that was it.

Show quote history

I do know people don't literally have to do it and most people probably don't bother with all of it. But i do know there are mums can feel a lot of pressure to make things perfect and magical.

crumpet · 09/12/2023 17:47

cakeorwine · 09/12/2023 09:56

Father Christmas (as we know him, a person in a red suit bringing gifts to children with reindeer) has been around since the 1840s.
Elf on the Shelf. An elf watching you and reporting on your behaviour, has been around since 2005.

So it's time for some new ideas. Just something magical for children to believe in at Christmas. No idea too outrageous.

I'm going for a magic woodcutter who cuts down a small tree and brings it to your house when the children are asleep. In the morning, it appears in a special container. He does this as he knows that a tree symbolises eternal life and he wants everyone to have one so they can decorate it in a house.

Parents are still free to buy their own tree of course.

Cutting down a tree which will die is a symbol of eternal life? How?

Nineteendays · 09/12/2023 17:57

I have one.

Second Christmas

what are the poor children supposed to do in January when the elf’s gone, no hot choc station, no more Xmas pjs or bedding, 1st December and boxing box all used up. They will be traumatised come January. So I propose Second Christmas in the middle of January to help them through. The name is open to ideas. Maybe January Celebration or January Joy.
hopefully the wobblin goblin comes back for it.

RedToothBrush · 09/12/2023 18:07

Won't anyone think of the poor starving polar bears in the North Pole?

mathanxiety · 09/12/2023 18:16

I'm in the US and watched an episode of 'Shark Tank' last night.

One of the competitors had developed a product called Tomte Cake. She got a deal.

Be afraid.

Be very afraid.