To say no to elf on the shelf

[Illumicrateme]

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 😬

I thought it was a load of rubbish. Parents being made to feel they have to do this blah blah.
My dgs stayed over on Friday and his dad did a little thing with the elf. My dgs face lit up in the morning when he saw what the elf had been up to( just moved our shoes about, and was sitting in one). Worth the little bit of effort it took. I’m converted.

I've outsourced the elf to my DH to do as payback for me organising the rest of Christmas! 🤣 Son loves it so he's got three more years until the end of primary school.

I don't have the energy of the headspace for EOTS and just told my kids that - in a non-grinchy way because I absolutely love Christmas and all the traditions but I just can't do everything.

One year someone bought one for my kids so now they do it themselves (on the understanding that they clear away any mess made). They love it - but if you have an only child that may not be much help. Just be honest and don't fee guilty.

I have a seven year old and a 5 year old and we don't do it. School actually do it with elves in the school colours and post pictures to their social media which I show my boys so they are aware of it.

If they ask (which they haven't so far) I'll just remind them of all the other Christmassy things we do.

I don’t do if- I find it creepy that an elf would come and spy on kids and report back on any bad behaviour. Whilst also being really naughty himself creating a mess. I cba. Dd has a cuddly elf toy she once got as an Xmas present from a Santas grotto years ago. She says it’s her elf and maybe once a week I move it so she doesn’t feel left out of the whole stupid elf movement. But it does not do any reporting to Santa and it doesn’t make a mess. I’m already sick of seeing about 120 photos of various family elves with their freaky smiles next to tipped out cereal, pulled out loo roll etc etc. why do people post the pictures every day?! Surely only their kids care? I love Christmas but am such Scrooge about the bloody elves 😂

My mum was like this growing up. If there was something she couldn't be arsed to do (like bonfire night, go and see Santa etc) she'd make out that others only did that as they were somehow inferior.

As a child I must have had a chip on my shoulder but luckily as I grew up I realised that it was just she couldn't be bothered and the things the other people did were absolutely fine- brilliant even if it was fun.

I wish she'd have just been honest and said she just didn't want to.