To not 'do' Elf on the Shelf?

[PinkFizzz]

DS is 9, doesn't believe in Santa and has said so.

MIL was looking after him yesterday and he has talked her into buying him an elf. I assumed it would just be for decoration, returned home.v. late from work so didn't give it another thought.

DS bounced in this morning announcing the arrival of "Timmy" and that he's supposed to come to life when we are all asleep. I'm sure he knows it's not real but this is his way of telling me he wants our elf to do this too.

His wee face was all excited and I suspect this is because his friends at school a have an elf and he feels left out. I feel bad but I just can't be arsed doing it.

AIBU?

No way is DS(5) having one.
One has appeared in my office! It's been staring at us from the ladies loos sink today [shudder]

I don't even understand what these things are? What are they supposed to do, and why are they even a "thing"? Looks bit creepy to me.

Laurie I said in my OP I can't be arsed. DS and I do silly things together, some that we are both too old for but coming home from work some nights at 1am and having to piss about setting up a toy elf scenario is going to be a pain in the arse.

He has never bothered with it in previous years and I'm not sure I see the point in it now.

One has appeared in my office! It's been staring at us from the ladies loos sink today [shudder]

Yep one in my office too apparently, but if that thing ends up in the ladies loo - staring - it’s next destination will be the bin.

Bloody hate elf on the shelf

Give back to mil a d let her send ds1 photos everyday of his antics at mil house

"That's a lovely idea, Daddy will do it with you".

The bloody things give me the creeps, but I'd be happy to make MrDribble join in, as revenge for landing me with everything else this year.

Paul very tempting but most of the office has targets to reach before the Christmas break. I suspect I'd be thought a major Grinch if I stopped the "fun".

It doesn't need to be a scenario though - I look around the room and then stick it in the top of the cereal box, for example. Kids go "Elfie's eating the cereal!" the next day, job done. Takes 2 seconds. I never make anything or set anything up that takes any time to do. He climbs the tree, takes a nap on the sofa, sits reading a book, hangs from the ceiling lamp...all easy and fun.

Well exactly pinkfizz don't get swept up in it he is 9 not 3 OR give it to grannies house she can do it

Haven’t got the energy for this kind of thing. Will do Xmas eve boxes tho!

Ugh. I've just picked him up from school and he said his friends all talk about what their elves have been up to at circle time. I think he just wants to be able to join in with them.

As for "Daddy will do it with you"... his dad isn't with us, MIL is my DP's mum, and is wonderful, I don't want to inflict the thing on her when she's already kind enough to look after him so I can work. DP wont even entertain the idea because he's a Grinch.

My DS nipped to the shop to spend his pocket money yesterday and came back with a bloody elf. I have no intention of it ever moving, however his older brothers are finding it fun to move it around so I've bypassed the issue

I said to my kids that every family celebrates Christmas slightly differently, and for us that means no elves.
Also no Lapland trips( and no Florida Disney for holiday either, can’t stand the idea).
We do nice stuff, see family, get presents, eat stuff. It seems important to me to enjoy relatively simple things as well as show stoppers.

Can you not get him involved in someway so he can tell circle time what the elf gets up to do parents really do 24 different Elf adventures?

No elf here.
We do have Xmas eve boxes though. New PJs, bag of chocolate and a book each for the kids. Job done.