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AIBU?

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Original poster

To say no to elf on the shelf

156 replies

Illumicrateme · 01/12/2022 10:26

My DS is 5 and in Y1, this morning all the children were excited that their elves had visited them. I had previously told him that the elves were for children that miss behaved and the elves could report back to Santa. Now it looks like half his class have been miss behaving and I don't want him thinking he needs to be naughty tk get a elf🙈 I really don't want to begin elf on the shelf so I was hoping you lovely lot could help me come up with a better excuse before school pick up this afternoon 😬

OP posts:
SusiePevensie · 01/12/2022 10:26

It's all a load of made up nonsense?

Original poster
Illumicrateme · 01/12/2022 10:27

Also I've just seen so many typos. Cheers for that phone!

OP posts:
SusiePevensie · 01/12/2022 10:27

Sorry - am not feeling very Christmassy.

serenaisaknobhead · 01/12/2022 10:28

Could you post a letter through the door when you leave, so he sees it when you get home, addressed to him from the elf explaining he's not coming this year because Santa has already put him on the nice list?

ratherbthedevil · 01/12/2022 10:29

Just do low effort? Move the elf around before you go to bed for DS to try and find in the morning.

PickyEaters · 01/12/2022 10:30

Tell him it's a naff idea made up by a bunch of marketing idiots to sell more tat and that his classmates parents are so stupid they all fell for it.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 01/12/2022 10:32

I refuse to do it too for my 5yr old- do not have the capacity to think of 24 ways an elf can make mess.
My niece does it though, so my line is the elf comes to life if mummy takes him out and then his powers are activated- and mummy cant handle the mess.

JJJSchmidt · 01/12/2022 10:33

We had a similar situation a couple of years ago. My mum then 'helpfully' bought dd a sodding elf. I told her that the elf was a cheeky elf and that father Christmas had sent her to us to learn how to behave nicely because dd was a good example. Therefore she has to watch carefully and see if there is anything to repot to father Christmas, but the fewer antics we see, the better job dd is doing at teaching her elf good and kind manners.

Tiiiiiiiiiiired · 01/12/2022 10:33

Mine are 10 and 8. We don't do elf on the shelf. They've asked for him and I explain it's pointless, it's just parents moving a toy elf about and it's a bit creepy. We do lots of other fun stuff but you have to draw a line somewhere!

Katapolts · 01/12/2022 10:34

I've just told my kids I'm too busy to do Elf on the Shelf!

It's a fun game, some families choose to play it but we don't.

upfucked · 01/12/2022 10:38

We have Christmas fairies. They bring gifts eg colouring sheets, a packet of biscuits with a suggestion to have them while reading Christmas stories, ask them to write Christmas cards or make a food bank donation. They don’t do something every day just when I can be bothered - last year they did about 4 things over the whole of December. Would that work?

ozoruk · 01/12/2022 10:38

Luckily my DD thinks they are creepy so we dont have one - load of old crap.

Original poster
Illumicrateme · 01/12/2022 10:39

@SusiePevensie I couldn't agree more! Whose idea was it to begin allowing the creepy chap onto homes in the first place? 😂

OP posts:
PetraBP · 01/12/2022 11:02

We do it but I think DD realised it was just a bit of fun a couple of years ago when she noticed the “Made in China” bit on the label.

Chesneyhawkes1 · 01/12/2022 11:06

I thought last Xmas would be the last year of it. DSS is 10 now. But last night he said the elf will be coming tomorrow 🤦‍♀️

PuttingDownRoots · 01/12/2022 11:09

We just play hide and seek with it. I was a No Way parent until 2 years ago and just wanted to do something fun when everything else kept getting cancelled.

DDs definitely know its a toy and are just as likely to hide it from me!

Dacadactyl · 01/12/2022 11:09

Just like with halloween, id say "it's not a tradition in our house" and that's the end if it.

Snipples · 01/12/2022 11:10

We don't do elf on a shelf but the advent calendars arrive on 1 December and I put a Christmas fairy out with those and little footsteps etc and then each weekend from now until Christmas something fun will be waiting for the girls like a gingerbread house or an activity. The month is special enough without having the extra hassle of an elf to move everyday. I did hear kids talking about their elf this morning at school drop off so hoping DD doesn't come home asking for one.

motheroreily · 01/12/2022 11:11

I hate elf on the shelf. I do it one weel before Christmas

ffsnotagainandagain · 01/12/2022 11:15

It's a 24day pain the the arse but kids are only kids for a short time. You don't have to go overboard with it.

ladymarmiteee · 01/12/2022 11:19

I don't get all the elf hate 🙈
I mean we don't bother with all of the big stunts, we just move ours around the house. But dc absolutely love it and have been going on about him coming back for weeks. This morning they were so happy.
Of course you have your own rules and traditions in your own family but I don't think it's very in the spirit to tell dc that it's for naughty kids or (in the case of some of the kids in dc class) tell them it's all fake.
They're only little once.

Schlaar · 01/12/2022 11:23

I have enough to do without pissing about with an elf and trying to prevent the dog chewing it. It’s tacky and creepy, I just don’t do it.

StrawberryWater · 01/12/2022 11:25

Hate Elf on the Shelf.

I have enough housework to do without cleaning up flower and toilet roll.

Needless to say we don’t do it.

StrawberryWater · 01/12/2022 11:25

Flour even now flower

RoseGoldEagle · 01/12/2022 11:29

We don’t do the elf and I have no plan to start! DD is also in year one, it hadn’t occurred to me she might come home and ask about it, at least now I can be prepared!