To be the only person I know without an Elf on a Shelf

[amysmum18]

Looking through my Facebook newsfeed over the last couple of days, I seem to be the only person I know that hasn't got an Elf on a Shelf.

My two little ones (5 and 3) have got a cloth advent calendar that we pop a couple of biscuits in every day 'from Father Christmas' if they have been good and that's it. Everyone else I know seem to be spending every night putting their Elves in elaborate and amusing situations for their children to find the next day. Between working, organising everything at home, looking after the kids (and the husband) and trying to get sorted for Christmas, I barely have time to think straight, let alone spend my time hiding an elf around the house!

Is it just me that doesn't feel the need to get an Elf on a Shelf or am I just being grumpy! ;-)

We don't have one either and won't be getting one. I thought everyone knew that robins are spies for Father Christmas anyway!

Congratulate yourself op, the elves are hideous and just another thing for parents (mums?) to feel guilty about

I'm not bothered what they do in their own homes but everyone posts it on Facebook, thinking they're oh so original, when it's the twentieth I've seen that day.

Disclaimer: I really just ignore them but as you asked, thought I'd have a moan!

I'm one of the miserable parents that doesn't have one too...

One person on my fb feed today had a picture of where the wives have supposedly pooped on the kitchen floor with the kids all gathered around it...

Creepy, horrid things.
Even if they weren't so hideous, I don't have the time or the inclination to do all the stuff that comes with owning one.

Having seen my ds in the playground this morning excitedly sharing stories with his friends about what their elves have been up to I'm glad we got one this year. We haven't got an official elf on the shelf one though just got a cheap elf. Doesn't take a couple of minutes to sit it with a book or having a picnic with the other toys or something.

We've managed to totally avoid it so far (ages 6 & 4) but my eldest has come home with tales of the one in his class - best leave it to school then I reckon

Not the only one OP, I dont have one either, never did one. I think the whole idea is a bit ott. I dont have the time nor the inclination to think up something wonderful for my kids every day on the run up to Xmas. They do plenty and still manage to have a great time. But horses for courses.

THis year especially disorganised, havent managed to get main presents for the kids yet never mind faff around with 'elf mischief' had 6 weeks of illness in this house and am so ready for the hols I cant tell you

I don't have one of the bloody things no. If I must invoke an elf it's one who calls me on the phone after kids are asleep.

Im not a parent yet, but if I was :

A. I don’t want to raise my kids thinking it’s ok for some creepy little fecker to be watching them constantly.
B. I expect my kids to behave throughout the year and not just in the lead up to Christmas. I explain those expectations regularly and it’s my job to parent them accordingly, not to leave it some threatening scare-mongering elf. I don’t really believe in bribes for behaviour.
C. We have a variety of our own family traditions that aren’t gimmicky consumer based product that will soon go out of fashion.

Shockers, I love that your dd is so excited about Christmas! I feel like that too.

Fortunately my 3 dc are too old for this kind of nonsense. And the only person I know who does have one doesn't actually have any dc which is

I don't know anyone who does have one (my youngest are 5 & 7, so the right sort of age I guess). I think the whole thing is very strange but I'm grinchy about the whole 'magic of Christmas' thing anyway. I'm happy for Christmas to be about family/food/fun, don't need the supernatural! And also a hater of tat.

We don't do it - I think an Advent Calendar is plenty!

After all it is Advent, which is supposed to be a time of quiet preparation, waiting and watchfulness, not laugh a minute crazy xmas jumpers shiny lights and mad elves doing loads and loads and loads of mad things.

December is busy enough as it is with the preparations for Xmas and all the stuff going on at school. Elf on the shelf would tip me over the edge.

I was explaining EOTS to a friend today. She thought I was joking.

On a further note the children have been told to come to school "in your Christmas Jumper" on the last day of term.

Since when does everyone have a "Christmas Jumper" as a matter of course?!

Now stuck about wether to get them one or not (of course they want to fit in). We can't afford to get £50 worth of naice Xmas jumpers from Boden and I am loath to get them from primark just for the sake of it, they have probably been "crafted" by some poor child in a sweatshop in Bangladesh who probably wont have enough to eat on Xmas day or any education at all, let alone an Xmas jumper to wear for just one day at school.

In fact it looks like I have made up my mind that they will NOT be having Xmas jumpers. they can go in their ordinary jumpers with some tinsel pinned on.

No elf here! I'm anti them almost solely because they're marketed as 'tradition' - when they are new, and not actually a tradition for anyone unless in the last 2-3 years. Such cynical marketing.

What TheMasterMurderedMargarita said...pretty much word for word!

I'm also not keen on the "watching" and "good behaviour being dependent on getting presents" aspect of it. I expect a certain level of behaviour from DS (9) all year round and I don't like the idea of using Father Christmas as a threat.

Having said that, I've seen people having a lovely time with the elf, setting him up in different scenarios etc and having fun with their kids so more power their elbow!

Is Santa not supposed to be watching kids anyway? I don't personally push that side of it but it's part of the myth isn't it. I doubt kids find the watching part as sinister as adults on here seem to. Can't say I heard any scared kids above the giggling and excitement of discussing their elves in the playground this morning. If people don't want to do it then great but admit you can't be arsed rather than making out you're saving your child from a traumatic event!

bumsexatthebingo

I am one of those people, it has nothing to do with not being arsed. It has everything to do with my experiences of sexual abuse as a child. The traditions we have in place (the two of us) are far more time consuming than Elf On the Shelf.

Currently trying to come up with 12 alcohol-free date ideas that are cheap/free.

I'm very sorry to hear you have experienced that Hoops but I doubt most people object to elves due to child abuse?
It seems like for a lot of people on here there is some kind of badge of honour for having the most stripped back Christmas possible. Children are spoiled if they get more than a tangerine, too many decorations are tacky, Christmas tradition should be a 2 hour hike after lunch etc. Just do what you enjoy. Does anyone actually give a shit on real life if their neighbours kids have santas on their pyjamas? I doubt it.

bumsexatthebingo Yeah, you're right. I think it's probably only a very small minority of us that think this way because of what's happened to us. Was just offering another alternative to the can't be arsed point.

And you are totally right. I don't give a shit about the neighbours kids PJs, or whether they have different traditions to us :-)

I excitedly bought one for DS 10 who still believes in Santa. He was horrified and said he'd be afraid if it moved during the night, and he thought it looked "creepy" (his words). So it's in a drawer instead

"after all it is Advent, which is supposed to be a time of quiet preparation, waiting and watchfulness, not laugh a minute crazy xmas jumpers shiny lights and mad elves doing loads and loads and loads of mad things."
sums it up perfectly for me.