Sorry to be Thick but...What the *@__%!! is the Elf on the Shelf?

[moonblushtomato]

Went on the link to the website but its still not made exactly clear what this tradition is....

I think its all aboout placing an elf doll on the shelf who observes the DCs behaviour then reports back to the Big Man, am I right?

I've seen so many references to this on MN and if its anything like the Elves' Hamper which I nicked last year and was truly gorgeous, then I want a piece of it!!

Yes - AFAIK you move it around each day to maintain the illusion that it's travelling backwards and forwards. I think there's a book you read to your children first as well.

DH short answer is 'mind control' (to encourage good behaviour & have a laugh at the same time)

Previous thread here if this helps (hope my linking works)

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/1543822-christmas-elf-tradition

I have a 10yo and a nearly 13yo (so too old to believe but we still do the fun stuff)

I made a EotS a couple of years back with green/red felt and a male model doll from DS "Dr Who" collection.

I bought an Action Man sized doll last year to do a new one for this year.
We gave the old one a little bag to hold a couple of sweets.
I hide him round the house and the DC find him and write on our Christmas Calender where he was. It gets more difficult towards Christmas, especially when the DC finish school and have more time.

You give your Elf a name (ours was Sheldon from Big Bang Theory fame). They can hide and do nice things or naughty things.(Like hiding in the fridge or the biscuit tin)

On the 24th he disappears to grass the DC up to Father Christmas.

When my DS was 3 yo I made a little sleeping Elf and hid him in the playhouse.DS and I peeped at him (with a candle in a jar) .I told DS he was really tired from making toys. FC would take him home tonight and the Elf would hold the reindeer and held deliver his presents.

How sweet when they believe it all.

EotS is an American Tradition, I think the Elves are passed on as family heirlooms, or the Grandparents keep them for the GC.