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Original poster

‘Elf on a shelf’ thoughts?

99 replies

Batwomann · 01/12/2024 19:30

I have a nearly 3 and nearly 1 year old. I haven’t overly took part in this. We have a little elf and move him around and explain to eldest he’s got Christmas magic etc and he will make his and baby sisters toys in the workshop soon etc!

This morning (and my social media is scaled down to people I know and actually know only) I see balloon, cake and merchandise for this elf announcing he’s back and messes already made on day 1 saying it was the elf!!🤣

As I’m still drained (youngest wakes frequently still) the thought of a chaotic day with my babies/work day then after bed time making a deliberate mess/clutter to blame on an elf doesn’t appeal? I’ll keep moving him around and explaining Christmas magic etc

But am I shit for not taking part? I have always told myself when eldest goes to school as don’t want him to feel left out when class mates discuss it

He does have an advent calendar and I did a December box for both kids with art&craft sets , pyjamas and a soft toy etc

OP posts:

StepawayfromtheLindors · 01/12/2024 19:58

Every Christmas I thank my lucky stars to have had my DC 20 years ago. None of this elf nonsense existed then. It’s a SM creation / fantasy.

spuddy4 · 01/12/2024 19:59

I'm so glad that it wasn't around when mine were young (both adults now). Between the elf, matching pyjamas, Christmas Eve boxes and numerous Christmas activities for instagram it's too much.

ChipsnGraveee · 01/12/2024 19:59

Don’t do it honestly!

It’s such a pain in the arse.
I refused to do it until Covid when I felt sorry for the kids that we weren’t having a “normal” Christmas and started it. Regretted it ever since 🤣

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StepawayfromtheLindors · 01/12/2024 20:01

mitogoshigg · 01/12/2024 19:57

Think it's pretty new, definitely not a thing when mine were small (early 20's now) also Christmas Eve/1st December boxes, not a thing (new pj's aside), also matching pj's ... but into the bits you want to and leave the rest

Yes all that looks like extra work/ stuff / headspace. All so you can put a photo on your SM page.

Pointless, expensive, exhausting, more stuff lying around the house. No thanks.

Horriblehistoree · 01/12/2024 20:03

Goodness no. I absolutely cannot be arsed with that. DS has asked why we don’t have an elf and I said because mummy doesn’t let him in as he’s so naughty and he’s accepted that. If social media didn’t exist, I imagine many wouldn’t bother with it.

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 01/12/2024 20:03

My Gdcs are 9, 8 and nearly 5. Dd has never done elf on the shelf and they honestly haven’t missed it.

TBH I thought Santa had been obliged to make all the elves redundant - you can blame Rachel Reeves’ budget.

GoodLaudanum · 01/12/2024 20:05

Just don't

NoraLuka · 01/12/2024 20:10

I think it looks quite fun, thinking of different things for the elf to do and setting it up. Unfortunately my DC are about 15 years too old for this! If you wouldn’t enjoy it, don’t do it. Christmas is a big enough event as it is.

I did used to make tooth fairy footprints, the DDs thought it was fun even once they stopped believing in the tooth fairy. It never went on social media though.

Theak · 01/12/2024 20:13

DD6 has asked why she doesn’t have one and some of her friends do. This is the first year she’s mentioned it and honestly I think she’s too inquisitive about things to have one. It’s hard enough dealing with her queries about Santa and the tooth fairy without ruining the childhood magic

MrsSethGecko · 01/12/2024 20:13

I don't do it and I won't be doing it. Don't make life harder than it has to be, is my motto, and that includes bastard elves.

Jifmicroliquid · 01/12/2024 20:14

I don’t know how kids are fooled by a plastic elf that they clearly can see for sale in shops. Surely they know that mum/dad move it every night?

mummyh2016 · 01/12/2024 20:15

My children are 7 and 2 (3 in January). We started it last year as our eldest had asked the year before why we didn't have one when most of her classmates had one. Youngest doesn't understand at all. If you want to do it leave it a couple of years until they understand it. Once you've started it you can't stop until they don't believe!

Amethystanddiamonds · 01/12/2024 20:16

My DD deduced that they couldn't be real because they were on sale in the shops fairly young. She was heard explaining to DS a couple of years ago that mummy didn't have time for an elf because the 2 of them make enough mess and an elf would be too stressful!

KeepinOn · 01/12/2024 20:17

I have enough to be getting on with, frankly.

Pineapplewaves · 01/12/2024 20:18

Your children are too young to know what Elf on the Shelf is - I would wait until they start school and ask for an Elf because all their classmates have ones. Once you start it, you'll have to do it every year so give yourself another year or two off!

anotherfinemess1 · 01/12/2024 20:19

I feel really uncomfortable with the whole idea of making up lies for children at Christmas. I always swore I’d never do Santa. Of course I had to once DS was old enough to know about it, but we kept it really low-key and he guessed the truth by the time he was 5. Phew! Christmas is a wonderful time for sharing and celebrating family. Surely it’s so much better for kids to enjoy getting presents from their family, and getting presents for their family in return, than believing in a made-up character? On the other hand, I’ve never met anyone else who thinks as I do and I certainly don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun. And I’m at least partly still remembering how furious I was when I was 10, still believed in Santa, and my Mum thought it was about time she told me the truth: I felt it was a complete breach of trust that she had been lying to me for all these years.

Coconutter24 · 01/12/2024 20:20

I’ve never done it and don’t care that I haven’t, December is busy enough without having to remember to move an elf around each night!!

Livinginaclock · 01/12/2024 20:20

You've a baby and a toddler.
Don't start something they've never heard of and won't care about.
Why would you?

IceCreamMundae · 01/12/2024 20:23

We do it, and the children love it. There are other things I don’t do though. We don’t all have to do everything.

UpUpUpU · 01/12/2024 20:28

What a load of misery guts on here tonight!

My 6 year old loves it. Our elf isn’t naughty though and doesn’t make mess. Tonight he’s playing a board game with an elf friend.

if you want to do it OP just make up your own rules. Ours doesn’t alway move either (I sometimes forget!) and I just say he’s having a day off 😂

It’s about the magic your child feels not the social media posts. My sons face when he saw him today was priceless.

AyrshireTryer · 01/12/2024 20:29

Bin the barsteward.

devongirl12 · 01/12/2024 20:31

AloneLike · 01/12/2024 19:35

How is it that children are fooled by what is very obviously a plastic toy?

Yeah, I don't get this either.

My son is 8 and pretty sure he doesn't believe in Father Christmas....he has made a few comments, not sure if he's just testing the waters etc. I don't know. I'm guessing he wants to believe though so maybe he will believe for a little while longer.

Anyway, ive never done elf on the shelf but he has started asking this year.

I said no. He asked why. I said I didn't like them. He seems desperate to do it, asked me if they were real. I said l didn't know. Said if they are, I don't want one in the house, and if they are not, I don't want the hassle of moving him.

He still wants one and I don't know why.

If he struggles to believe in Santa, who comes in the middle of night when fast asleep and don't see him....how can he believe in a piece of plastic from tesco that he can touch and see isn't real?

evtheria · 01/12/2024 20:34

I don't do it, and I think it's awful (ducks behind battlements).
But ALL my parent (ok, let's be honest: just the mums) friends do it, though after about 2 weeks all I hear is complaints about getting up early enough to arrange the elf/thinking of new ideas/accidentally touching the elf...

fluffyblanky · 01/12/2024 20:36

My kids (5 and 8) love it. I know it's a hassle but it's worth it to see their happy little faces and the excitement.

They both have questioned Santa and elves being real and actually it doesn't matter either way because they love the fun and magic of it.

EmotionalSupportPotato · 01/12/2024 20:38