Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that elves on the shelves are stupid?

78 replies

silvercup · 04/12/2012 10:00

I belong to another parenting forum and there are lots of people on there excitedly talking about their elves on the shelves. And I don't really get the appeal.

Surely the magic of Father Christmas is that he's real? You won't see him leave the presents, but he's a living, breathing man. Whereas this elf is quite clearly to any child's eye just a TOY. Does not that dilute the magic of Father Christmas? Make it more likely that children will realise he's not real?

I also think that I must be a really lazy mother, but I really would not relish having to come up with ideas for that elf for the whole of December or whatever. I have enough to do and once DD is in bed all I want to do is watch Eastenders thanks. There seems to be an almost competitive edge to these women, & most irritatingly of all, this is American crap people.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Original poster
silvercup · 04/12/2012 12:02

Spanishfly - it's not really a "tradition" though, is it? It's something brand new which has just started to catch on over the past couple of years or so, as demonstrated on this thread by people not knowing what it is. Something which originated as a book and toy sold together - forgive me for being cynical but that's not a tradition, that's just somebody making money.

OP posts:
Mrsjay · 04/12/2012 12:02

forgive me for being cynical but that's not a tradition, that's just somebody making money.

this

SpanishFly · 04/12/2012 12:02

Mrsjay, ours is just here for fun, not to make them behave!

bedmonster sorry my wording is making you nauseous. You sound like you ARE knocking when using words like boaksome. And my ds1 is 7, not 8. I'll be astounded if he believes it all next year. He's very analytical so I'm astounded he doesn't query it, but he doesn't and I'm delighted with that. But I'll never (ever, even when he's an adult!) agree when he says Santa doesn't exist! It'll always be "well, it's up to you what you believe" kind of thing.

BumpingFuglies · 04/12/2012 12:09

It's just a bit of festive fun, surely? We have an invisible elf at Christmas. The DC never really know when he's there, so they have to be good all the time as he reports back to Santa. He sometimes eats a biscuit when they are not looking, or rustles in the Christmas tree.

And he's free Grin

SpanishFly · 04/12/2012 12:11

silvercup how is someone making money? Mine ist an official elf, it's just a £3.50 snowman toy Confused

And OF COURSE it's a tradition if it's something we do every year. This is the 4th year we've done it so it's one of our traditions! I'm not harming anyone by doing it so why's it a big deal?!
And even tho I haven't bought the official elf I'm not against anyone else doing it. EVERYTHING is about people making money - cards, stocking fillers etc - so why get so worked up about something like this?!

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 04/12/2012 12:12

I have never heard of them!!

BumpingFuglies · 04/12/2012 12:14

Nor had I till now Betty. Reckon someone pinched my idea Smile

valiumredhead · 04/12/2012 12:17

We don't go in for FC let alone elves on shelves!

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 04/12/2012 12:20

I just had a quick look on google/ebay!

Suppose it could be fun if you have little ones...my DS is 10 now so no point for us plus i think they would give me nightmares! I saw a hand knitted one on ebay - yikes, scary!

mrsEbruce · 04/12/2012 12:21

I had never heard of this until 2 days ago and i Love it!!

To late to do it this year but next year we are introducing it as a family tradition its fab

Mrsjay · 04/12/2012 12:22

Mrsjay, ours is just here for fun, not to make them behave!

I did add a wink though I just think they are a bit silly tbh elf on a shelf Hmm

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 04/12/2012 12:24

Sounds too much like hard work to me! :)

megandraper · 04/12/2012 12:26

We like our elf. He came with a letter which I wrote from Santa saying that this elf looks like a toy, and grownups think he's a toy, but children know better.

The children are behaving very well, not because they're scared of being reported on for bad behaviour, but because our elf reports on good behaviour.

It's just fun. I think DS1 (5) might just be playing along, but DS2 (3) is fairly convinced. And DD (18mths) just likes putting the elf in her doll's pushchair.

DorisIsWaiting · 04/12/2012 12:27

I saw some stuff about it last year and thought my dd would like it.

I was right they LOVE it (only day 2 though!)

I don't give a damn what anyone else thinks. It works for my family and adds fun to an otherwise wet December morning.

(I'm also really enjoying thinking up creative hiding places... even DH got up off the sofa last night to plan what she was going to do)

MyNutcrackerSuiteAudrina · 04/12/2012 12:27

We've got the set. I don't like the way he looks (like Noddy - Noddly always scared me as a child) and the book that comes with it is truly nauseating. I made DH read it and he still hasn't forgiven me.

But DS loves it. For him, it's a bit like having a naughty little pet. A very low-maintenance pet indeed

Oh and I can honestly say that once you've heard the you will never forget it Hmm Grin

socharlotte · 04/12/2012 12:29

I can make up all the traditions I want with my own children.
you haven't made it up though have you? It's been sold to you at great expense by marketing men

SpanishFly · 04/12/2012 12:37

socharlotte WHAT'S been sold at great expense? Very few of us have bought the actually book/elf. But even so, why do you care if someone else has spent money on it?
I guarantee you'll have bought Xmas things that many posters will think it expensive and possibly unnecessary. But each to their own!

Why's this causing such an OUTRAGE among those who think it's daft?! Santa is a daft thing too, but most of us go along with it!

DorisIsWaiting · 04/12/2012 12:41

Socharlotte- I would imagine that most of your family traditions are not exclusively yours- putting a christmas tree up- (borrowed from Germany) sending cards, hamper with PJ's and DVD (MN) etc etc.

The fact that the elf is sold does not diminish the tradition for those taking part (besides which you don't have to buy the elf as noted above).

Shinyshoes1 · 04/12/2012 12:43

Yabu

I have one and loves it

They are fab

Shinyshoes1 · 04/12/2012 12:43

Dd loves it

Original poster
silvercup · 04/12/2012 12:43

hamper with PJs and DVD? what on earth is that?

OP posts:
TurkeyDino · 04/12/2012 12:45

Baby cheeesus! It's a bloody plastic elf. I cant believe anyone cares one way or another.

PeppermintPanda · 04/12/2012 12:49

Sounds pretty disturbing to me. A creepy looking elf toy that turns up unannounced, moves around of it's own accord when no-one is looking (weeping angels anyone?) and watches and reports back on good/bad behaviour? I don't know about instilling Christmas magic, more like instilling paranoia and a lasting nervous twitch!

freddiefrog · 04/12/2012 12:56

I can't believe that anyone would care enough to get all outraged about other peoples Christmas activities.

We bough a Maileg pixie years ago for about £6. She comes out on the 1st December and hangs around just out of reach until Christmas eve. My kids love her (although I can't find her this year). It's fun. She's not hurting anyone, no one died.

We also have PJs on Christmas eve, while the kids are in the bath, the elves deliver a parcel with new (not Christmas) PJs. It's fun, the kids get excited when they see their parcels as they know the big man is on his way. Again, no one died

SpanishFly · 04/12/2012 13:00

freddie, that sounds like what we do - the last thing the elf (or snowman, in our case) leaves new PJs on their beds, before santa collects him on Xmas Eve.

There are threads on here that talk about some REALLY controversial stuff, yet people dont get quite so worked up about it. That, to me, is just bizarre.