AIBU to want to do elf on the shelf but without the elf being from the north pole?

[nocutsnobuttsnococonuts]

I really like the fun aspect of a naughty elf getting up to mischief and playing jokes and i know my daughters would find it hilarious however i am not sold on it being an actual elf from the north pole.

my eldest (almost 7) is pretty logical and has already questioned santa. so i think a magical elf will be pretty unbelievable to her. also im not keen on the spying aspect of the elf.

so would i be unreasonable to introduce the creepy elf into the house doing all the silly pranks i've seen on pinterest but without him being from Santa?

and has anyone else done this?

Tbh I've got no idea what you're talking about.

My little sister had a monkey named Hobbes and when she was at school me and my mum used to pose him in all sorts of funny ways. She loved it and still has him now at 18.

You want an elf in your house??

Why is a creepy elf any less weird and unbelievable than one of Santa's Elves? Surely your seven year old will understand that the elf (wherever it is from) isn't really moving around by itself and that it's all a bit of fun and a game?

TBH I think kids are much more savvy about 'playing along' than some parents want to think they are -- kids from pretty young understand the difference between 'real for the purposes of the game' and 'actually real in the real world'.

I think you'd get a better response from like-minded people in the Christmas topic, OP.
Sorry, I've no idea if YABU or not.

A magical elf will be pretty unbelievable to her. Why do it at all in that case? . You really haven't thought this through, have you?

I don't think geography is the issue. If she's 7 and asking questions already, will she really find it more believable if he's from Northern Scandinavia?

It's your elf anyway, you can tell her where he comes from. I doubt he'll be wearing his home address on his little elf suit.

well really I want a new christmas tradition to make the whole of december full of fun. I've seen a few friends do the whole elf thing with him arriving from the north pole as basically a spy from santa to make sure you are being good. i want the fun but without the being from santa.

my eldest loves playing jokes and telling jokes so i think having an elf doing silly things for a month will really make her laugh. also me and dp will have fun doing it for them once they are in bed!

I think it sounds lovely

Of course it's ok, start your own tradition

YANBU
I don't understand everyone's negative opinions. I had a nanny friend who used to pose her charge's toys in silly places while he slept and text me the photos. I didn't for a second believe they were real, obviously, but it was fun and brightened up my day!
Tell your DD whatever you like and enjoy the fun!

Oh, OK, so all you're really asking is "Am I allowed to move a toy elf around the house for the amusement of my kids, but not tell the kids that the elf going to report back to Santa?"

And the answer to that is "Yes. Yes, you are allowed to do that."

Elf on the shelf is a jerk, spying on kids. We did elf magic when my boys were little. They're just friends that come for a visit at Christmas.

We don't do Xmas or Santa, but we have Kindness Elves that come every December and give DD (5) ideas on how she can be kind to others as well as fun games etc.

I find the other elf on the shelf stuff really creepy.

Www.kindnesselves.co.uk

of course she wont believe that it is moving around by itself hence the aibu to want to do it even thought the whole idea of elf on the shelf is a magical elf visiting from the north pole.

if we did it it would be obvious me and dp are moving the elf... so geography has nothing to do with it we wouldnt be telling her it came from anywhere. well if she asks, he came all the way from hong kong ordered off ebay!!

im thinking posting in the christmas topic would have been a smarter move..

ffs isn't christmas day and santa enough?

Sorry - correct link:

theimaginationtree.com/2013/11/alternative-elf-on-shelf-tradition-kindness-elf-kindness-elves.html

Ah OK, so something like this?

m.huffpost.com/us/entry/4270164

Sounds fun :)

I prefer Mensch on a Bench. He seems more fun.

Just do what you want!

Loving Dinovember! Amazing

oyster yes thats pretty much what im going for but possibly with the elf as i want a new fun tradition that makes the girls laugh in the morning but without the spending loads on the full elf experience.

stepaway yes christmas day and santa is enough but i would like to do something more. it isnt about spending money or showing off it is about making my girls smile in the morning.

Seems fine to me op. I'm sure your kids will love it and you will all have happy memories. Isn't that what it's all about really

Don't worry if other posters think it's naff - you're not inviting them to join in anyway !

At 7 she probably already knows there's no Santa. I tried telling my father that Santa wasn't real and he told me that "Non-believers don't get presents from Santa". I "believed" all the way through to present day.

Although, now that we have DD we had to break the unspoken understanding to let each other know where we stood on who was going to be Santa for DD.

If you think the family will get a kick out of fun stuff happening, then go for it, kids who don't believe in satan still understand that stories are fun and can have fun with them.