To be annoyed by extravagant elves?

[dontcallmeduck]

My social media is full of joyous parents sharing the antics of their elves. All fine, I even partake myself.

But why are the elves now bringing Christmas pyjamas, selection boxes, gifts, teddies and even tickets to events? Surely this is going to cause endless confusion amongst children whose elves (if they even have one) don’t???

Why can’t those gifts come from the parents?

"When my kids asked me why we didn't have an Elf on the Shelf I said, "because they are for Mums and Dads who are so unconfident in their parenting skills that they feel they need to use the threat of no presents to get their children to behave in December".

my kids think elves only come to good children's houses to mess things up a bit and if you are naughty the elves stay well away and don't visit.

Some people tell their kids Santa has a "good children" list and a "naughty children" list - it's the same anyway.

No one has to join, but nothing wrong with picking an idea you find funny and use it. It's a bit pathetic to be so full of anger and bitterness that you have to insult others who make other choices, roll your eyes and move on, no need to be so insecure.

I like the elf AND they are on my social media (more to remind me than any other reason to be fair, but still)

If people have the money let them be, I don't judge where other people spend their money.

No one has to join, but nothing wrong with picking an idea you find funny and use it. It's a bit pathetic to be so full of anger and bitterness that you have to insult others who make other choices, roll your eyes and move on, no need to be so insecure.

This.

I’ve no idea why a soft toy causes such ire.

LaurieMarlow then you obviously haven’t read the full thread.. it’s not about the stupid soft toy ,it’s about parents telling their children that this creepy bastard has brought them gifts everyday ..
What you you tell a child who asks why some of their friends have these ‘magical’ elves and they don’t ?

YANBU. excessive consumerism is a dreadful blight on modern society, but showing off about excessive consumerism takes the biscuit, mindless nonsense.

I don’t know anyone in real life or on social media who does these things (I don’t follow any strangers or ‘famous’ social media people). So it’s only on mumsnet where I read about people doing Xmas boxes and elf on the shelf. Most of my friends are busy with work and family and don’t have excessive amounts of free time to organise extra presents and traditions.

People I know put up Christmas trees and celebrate with presents on Christmas Day. Those are the main celebrations noted in December.

Yabu to get annoyed though. Do what you want and leave it at that. I am too busy to even fit my regular Xmas present and Santa present shopping in so get my dh and my dm (so lucky to have her help!) to help me out. Family life is very busy in December when you have dc and both parents are busy with work and life.

"When my kids asked me why we didn't have an Elf on the Shelf I said, "because they are for Mums and Dads who are so unconfident in their parenting skills that they feel they need to use the threat of no presents to get their children to behave in December".

Please don't pass your nasty judgement down to your children as. How awful of you.

LaurieMarlow then you obviously haven’t read the full thread.. it’s not about the stupid soft toy ,it’s about parents telling their children that this creepy bastard has brought them gifts everyday

Well if you'd read the full thread you'd see I have been an enthusiastic contributor throughout

And while this thread has the added dimension of the gifts (totally new to me btw) the Elf, even its most innocuous form, does provoke excessive ire on here. Always has done. Even your use of the phrase 'creepy bastard' to describe a child's soft toy is a great example of that.

I find it very interesting. I won't share my theories just yet though.

No more confusion than Father Christmas! For some he brings xbox, bikes and alsorts, for other it's a stocking of bits and bobs, gold coins and some nice small things on the Xmas list. My dd is 7 a lot of her class aren't into Christmas at all so the whole santa and Christmas thing doesn't happen at all for them, some get seriously outrageous amounts of expensive stuff and others get what parents can manage and by god do they all have arguments about it!

The elf was just supposed to be cheeky pranks but it's blown out of proportion in some sort of war of who can out best who. Some thing I have no intention of doing. Christmas is one day, not a whole month of gifting. It's insane

Please don't pass your nasty judgement down to your children as. How awful of you.

It's not just nasty. It also makes no sense for the many elves who don't do surveillance.

I just get so confused by why the Elves are so naughty when they are meant to be there to keep the children in check? Surely the Elves getting up to mischief is only encouraging children to do the same?

As to why we havent got an Elf in our house, I guess I will tell my child that there are so many Elves and they get randomly assigned to families?

It's not just nasty. It also makes no sense for the many elves who don't do surveillance.

Telling your child their friends parents are unconfident in their parenting skills that they feel they need to use the threat of no presents to get their children to behave in December is nasty.

It doesn't matter what the elf does or doesn't do, saying that to a kid is awful.

People need to chill the fuck out. If you do t want an elf fine, but don't go round telling your kids that their friends have elves because their parents are shit

Omg ignore me @LaurieMarlow

I totally misread you there

Surely this is going to cause endless confusion amongst children whose elves (if they even have one) don’t???

Well if they're of an age where they have an elf, believe in Santa etc etc, they won't be old enough to be on social media, so they're not going to know about it anyway are they?

I just get so confused by why the Elves are so naughty when they are meant to be there to keep the children in check? Surely the Elves getting up to mischief is only encouraging children to do the same?

I don't know, our elves are only visiting to make mischief, they are attracted by the Christmas tree and decorations and want to make friends.

If my kids friends had elves that bring puppy, tickets to Disneyworld and Lapland, I would just tell my children that it's their friends parents who asked the elves - they are just being postmen, elves can't magic tickets. Or something like that.

it's bloody ridiculius and excessive!!

YANBU.

Let's call a spade a spade: these are not "family traditions" it's just blatant showing off for social media and one oneupmanship.

I have an elf but he just sits on my shelf waiting for my granddaughter to arrive and fling him around the room. 😂

"When my kids asked me why we didn't have an Elf on the Shelf I said, "because they are for Mums and Dads who are so unconfident in their parenting skills that they feel they need to use the threat of no presents to get their children to behave

Shinning example of passing your judgement, passive aggressive condescending and patronising attitude to your children, who will likely follow suit.

Most people who do elf on the shelf, to crest a magical and innocent Xmas, majority who do EOTS, don’t bribe or use the elf to parent children.

It’s simply to create magic and have fun and be creative.

I dont even give DD a toy or choc advent calendar. Just a cardboard one. Go me.

Who needs an elf to make mess and mischief. With a baby, 2 dogs and a puppy I get quite enough of that already, thank you.