Page 17 | Bloody Elf turns up in a balloon now

DressingGownofDoom · 2020-12-01T12:59:24+00:00

I know IABU and a curmudgeon but why does everything have to be such an exhibition at Christmas? Elves can't just appear this year they have to float from Lapland in a balloon with a present [confused] I know, I know if you don't like it don't do it. That's fine but I do feel sorry for the kids whose parents don't have £15 to spend on an elf balloon and then a present on top just because it's the first of December. I thought this year might make us all step back and maybe consider a simpler celebration of Christmas but no, the social media onslaught of who can be the most ostentatious Christmas fanatic is worse than ever. I hate it.

GrimSisters · 02/12/2020 16:15

We've had one turn up at work. I can't wait to get my hands on it.

MaskingForIt · 02/12/2020 17:01

@baubled If there's anything else that I need to ask permission from Mumsnet for please let me know, I like a good list.

Well, you’ve said “kids” instead of “children”, and “Santa” instead of “Father Christmas”, so you’re already so far down the Mumsnet social strata that it doesn’t matter what you do. You might as well rent, have a massive television, a car on PCP and cover your house in tinsel and glitter.

An amusing thread might be “how to have the stereotypical Mumsnet Christmas”...

MaskingForIt · 02/12/2020 17:06

Lapland is more Nouveau Riche than straight working/lower middle class.

Upper classes wouldn’t bother with such nonsense, or would just ask the groundsman to pretend to be Father Christmas.

Oooohbehave · 02/12/2020 17:38

@BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze

Blimey I started the thread and I rent.

That’s the thing about looking down on others. You’ll never be at the top. Try not to be so judgemental in future if you don’t like it I suppose. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Brilliant response and so very true

Laplanddreams · 02/12/2020 18:16

So many sanctimonious comments and competitive austerity.

We did Northpole breakfast this year on 1st and will be doing a hot chocolate station soon. Our Kindness Elves will arrive on 12th I've already planned their japes and suggestions for acts of kindness. My children look forward to their arrival every year. We will also do Xmas eve boxes.

I don't post on Facebook so it's just for us. However, my good friend who is very down to earth and not at all showy posts all sorts of things like the elf on Facebook. She's not showing off, merely sharing the joy and I get lots of inspiration from her posts.

I do rent at the moment but have just exchanged on a property. I'm a single parent. I have two degrees. Fairly low income. Very small tv though. Judge away!

baubled · 02/12/2020 21:45

@MaskingForIt For fucks sake, I've failed already! I might get my Christmas toilet brush holder out and be done with it.

If you start that thread, I'm going to join for tips

Katiepoes · 02/12/2020 22:20

Laplanddreams what is a North Pole breakfast? I like the sound of that.

No elves here as dolls give me the heebiejeebies but I have bought a reindeer made of lights for the garden. My daughter will adore it and my mother will hate it, win win 😁.

jessstan1 · 02/12/2020 22:20

Do young children not realise that the 'elf' is a toy and not a real person/being?

Amerimoon · 02/12/2020 22:31

@jessstan1 it’s a toy by day... it comes alive at night once they’re asleep. It’s a magic elf!

HelloitsmeMargaret · 02/12/2020 22:34

My kid has had a shit year. Not just Covid shit, properly life changing shit. On top of Covid shit.

She's been looking forward to the Elf coming for ages. She's 10, she knows it's a toy. But she wants him here doing fun stuff anyway. And she leaps out of bed I
the morning.

Yes it's an arse sometimes but you know what it's not about me. I might even post on social media so another parent who has run out of inspiration or forgotten can copy.

It's just Toy Story. What's so wrong with that?

Elfieishere · 02/12/2020 22:57

@jessstan1

Do young children not realise that the 'elf' is a toy and not a real person/being?

It’s magic ...

jessstan1 · 02/12/2020 23:20

[quote Amerimoon]@jessstan1 it’s a toy by day... it comes alive at night once they’re asleep. It’s a magic elf![/quote]
Oh right, I didn't know that. Only heard of the elf last year on Mumsnet.

reader12 · 02/12/2020 23:26

Thanks everyone - this thread reminded me to go down & move the kindness elves! We started doing them about 5 years ago when I was a SAHM, we never made a big fuss about Father Christmas but I saw the idea for kindness elves on a mum blog and liked it.

DS really believed they were magical when he was little, then started to question it and I still have a cute note he wrote them in year 1 that says thank you whoever this was. One year when I was quite ill they barely moved all of December but he got over it. He now fully knows it’s me doing it but still loves finding them and it’s helped him get through Covid isolation. They’re a pain in the arse and also rather lovely.

Laplanddreams · 03/12/2020 09:40

@Katiepoes

Laplanddreams what is a North Pole breakfast? I like the sound of that.

No elves here as dolls give me the heebiejeebies but I have bought a reindeer made of lights for the garden. My daughter will adore it and my mother will hate it, win win 😁.

There are lots of examples on Pinterest but it is a special breakfast on 1st December. I just did Rudolph crumpets (Asda) and slices of strawberry and banana to look like candy canes. I filled little milk bottles with milk and topped with a big marshmallow with a snowman face. The table was set up festively with the advent calendars. It was very well received!

Emeraldshamrock · 03/12/2020 09:48

I don't do elf yet thankfully. Yanbu I saw a few very extravagant events on social media you'd think the elf was Santa arriving himself.
One in particular had an elf cake, goodies, balloons & banners. It is all for show people give and create to pop on Instagram for compliments.

Emeraldshamrock · 03/12/2020 09:55

Well, you’ve said “kids” instead of “children”, and “Santa” instead of “Father Christmas”, so you’re already so far down the Mumsnet social strata that it doesn’t matter what you do. You might as well rent, have a massive television, a car on PCP and cover your house in tinsel and glitter
🤣 Fuck me. Be careful you don't fall off your high horse and bruise your arse cheek bottom.

unattractive trait caused by a person's belief that he or she is inherently better than others. Most snobbery has to do with social class and the idea that someone who has more money or went to a fancier school is worthier than someone who doesn't have these advantages

PrincessNutNut · 03/12/2020 09:58

@Emeraldshamrock

I don't do elf yet thankfully. Yanbu I saw a few very extravagant events on social media you'd think the elf was Santa arriving himself. One in particular had an elf cake, goodies, balloons & banners. It is all for show people give and create to pop on Instagram for compliments.

Well actually you don't know that, but even if it's true...which is more mean-spirited, laying on a good Christmas show for compliments, or trying to whip up a sneer-fest online to tear people down over it?

Popcornriver · 03/12/2020 10:02

Surely it's like Toy Story toys? It comes to life once nobody can see?

Emeraldshamrock · 03/12/2020 10:05

Well actually you don't know that, but even if it's true...which is more mean-spirited, laying on a good Christmas show for compliments, or trying to whip up a sneer-fest online to tear people down over it?
That's true. as for this thread a sneer-fest it doesn't surprise me on MN it is disgusting.

baubled · 03/12/2020 11:44

@Emeraldshamrock That post wasn't serious!! It was a sarcastic reply to an earlier sarcastic comment 🤣 she is literally taking the piss and thinks the opposite!

baubled · 03/12/2020 11:45

@Emeraldshamrock I mean the post by @MaskingForIt

Emeraldshamrock · 03/12/2020 12:29

@MaskingForIt I apologise for taking your quote seriously.
Sometimes around here it is hard to tell the difference.

PrincessNutNut · 03/12/2020 12:49

[quote Emeraldshamrock]@MaskingForIt I apologise for taking your quote seriously.
Sometimes around here it is hard to tell the difference.[/quote]
I was about to say, although I was fairly sure it wasn't serious, it wasn't actually that far off an awful lot of genuine ones I've seen.

Buddytheelf85 · 03/12/2020 12:54

I haven’t RTFT, so I’m sorry if this has been shared already. I personally wouldn’t do Elf on the Shelf for some of the reasons set out in this blog post: sarahockwell-smith.com/2016/12/04/five-reasons-why-i-hate-elf-on-the-shelf/

However, I think to some extent it depends on what the Elf does. I think it’s cute when the Elf is hiding behind a picture frame or whatever. But I saw an Instagram post the other night where the Elf took a selfie with the sleeping child and was then sitting on the worktop with the iPhone showing the selfie on screen. Maybe I’m overthinking it but I just thought it was really creepy - children and adults shouldn’t take selfies with sleeping people without their consent and neither should an elf!

PrincessNutNut · 03/12/2020 13:04

@Buddytheelf85

I haven’t RTFT, so I’m sorry if this has been shared already. I personally wouldn’t do Elf on the Shelf for some of the reasons set out in this blog post: sarahockwell-smith.com/2016/12/04/five-reasons-why-i-hate-elf-on-the-shelf/

However, I think to some extent it depends on what the Elf does. I think it’s cute when the Elf is hiding behind a picture frame or whatever. But I saw an Instagram post the other night where the Elf took a selfie with the sleeping child and was then sitting on the worktop with the iPhone showing the selfie on screen. Maybe I’m overthinking it but I just thought it was really creepy - children and adults shouldn’t take selfies with sleeping people without their consent and neither should an elf!

As with the poster who spoke about the neglected child, the problem isn't the elf.