Elf on the shelf is shit, isn’t it?

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I fought it for years. Said "it's shit and it's nonsense" etc but last year I don't know why, I just decided to do it and the excitement from my two girls. They just adored him. Talked about him constantly. They loved him so much I was scared they'd be crying when he left! Every morning was so much excitement to see what he had done.
I know it sounds lame but it really was fun.
You'll all think I'm a sap but I've already bought him accessories for this year

Video players and video cassettes were really expensive in the late seventies.That's all I mean.

I love it. Wasn't around when dd was little so I do it in the office instead. The cleaner joins in and we take it in turns.

Video players and video cassettes were really expensive in the late seventies.That's all I mean.

So you were having a dog at me because I got a video

• dig

It's more fun with older teens where you can pose it with a miniature Jack Daniels and a kebab menu

I love it. It’s DS’s favourite part of Christmas.

Our elf plays no role in surveillance. He just gets up to mischief.

I never understand the objections on the grounds of consumerism. Our elf cost a fiver, this is his third year, he’ll live to see many more. The fun comes from the effort you put in.

its a cynical marketing nonsense that far, far too many people in bought into

Consider me delighted to have done so, it’s brought my son a lot of joy.

Yes it's shit.

Spare yourself from another xmas burden - don't do it.

No. Put that chip on your shoulder away. Honestly? I think you have the dates wrong. In the late seventies there weren't many family friendly movies released on tape and those that were around were a bit shit and I'd have rather had the cash.

I tried it my son took it down and battered it saying he hated Christmas....so that was that

An advent calendar is sufficient

I’m 47. When I was little we had a ‘tonttu’ who came just before Christmas to report back to Father Christmas on how we were behaving. He used to move around the house peeping at us. So I’m not sure it’s that new.

No. Put that chip on your shoulder away. Honestly? I think you have the dates wrong. In the late seventies there weren't many family friendly movies released on tape and those that were around were a bit shit and I'd have rather had the cash.


There is no chip on my shoulder. Not sure why you have decided to keep having a go at me because I got a video at Christmas when I was a child. What you would have preferred is irrelevant. I was five and over the bloody moon.

And no, I don't have my dates wrong ffs.

What a bloody cheek they have to say that to you.
How dare they!
It’s a shitty idea and I hate it- my 6 year old has told me her friends mum must be moving it because you elves don’t walk them selves (as they’re not real DUH)
Absolutely crap American trash again!!!

Load of absolute shite. Why do we need to better things that were already magical?

We just move the elf around the house. If we get bored moving him we use a tiny bit of a bandage and make out he broke his leg so he can't move until its healed.

It’s clearly riffing off the Lord of Misrule, Twelfth Night festivity stuff, so no, nothing particularly new.

You don’t have to go too elaborate if you don’t want to. Waking up and searching for him is the best bit.

My daughter has just turned one and hoping something else comes along by the time she understands anything going on as really can't be arsed with it and seeing it all over Facebook. Yawn

I have teens, I might start Elf on Shelf this year.

Eg sad elf on a towel that should be hung up
Sad elf wishing some fucker had put the recycling out
Sad elf in the neglected fruit bowl

It’s been a big year for my DD (9). She’s found out about Father Christmas, the Easter bunny and the Tooth fairy not being real. Each time she was a bit sad, but got over it fairly quickly.

This week she was chattering on about how excited she is for Xmas, blah blah and she can’t wait for the Elf to turn up.

With the other magical beings I was very kind and careful in confirming that they weren’t real, textbook elaborate good parenting responses. The second I realised I was still expected to ‘do’ the freakin Elf, panic descended and I just screamed ‘NO, he’s completely made up too’.

There’s enough work in xmas without that grinning fool thing. I now always tell new parents to be very careful what precedent ‘traditions’ they start (and to never write a tiny letter in glitter pen for the first tooth- rooky error!)

How many parents do you know that do elf that don’t put it on FB or instagram? Don’t they all?

Well me for one.