Christmas Elf - how is it going?

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We're having great fun with our elf for the first time this year. DS1 is 3.8 and loves discovering what cheekiness the elf has been up to in the morning.

Most surprising of all has been dh's attitude - he was really sniffy about the whole idea and thought it was ridiculous. However he's really getting into it and keeps coming up with new ideas, he even went out in the middle of the night to set up the elf in the car

How are you all getting on and what's been the most successful 'mischief' the elf has caused so far?

Another one here who would like to know what everyone is on about

Please

Elf on the Shelf- Its an american tradition thats finding its way here. Basically a little elf is sent from Santa to watch over the children. Each might he flies back to Santa at the North pole and reports back to Santa on their behaviour.
On his return each night he tends to get into some mischief or hides for the children to find him.

This is our second year of doing it. Every morning the first thing the girls say is 'What's that cheeky Elf been up to?!" Before we have even got up to go look for him.

Im struggling abit with it this year though as now DD1 is at school the weekday mornings are such a rush so ive done a little calendar of his antics so I can plan more adventurous/ Better things at weekends when we have more time. ie Its not very fair him bring a new toys or something if we have to rush out and they cant play with it.

My blog is up and going again this year showing what he's been up to.
elfyescapades.blogspot.co.uk/

Elf on the shelf

They arrive on 1st December to scout for Santa. Each night they get up to no good (this is the bit I don't get given they're there to ensue DCs are being good . They go back in the attic to Santa on Christmas Eve leaving a farewell lette behind.

You can buy a traditional one or get any old elf round.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/1602363-Elf-on-the-shelf-when-do-you-start-yours

Its been great fun so far, and the DC 100% completely believe it!

My elf was £3.50 from Tesco.
And its only mischief, not really bad behaviour, as elves are known for their mischievous behaviour right?

So are toddlers...! Maybe that's why I don't get it, DD too young at the moment!

Pigley - that's a great blog, what lovely pictures!

Embers - what's the £3.50 tesco elf like?

I haven't done the proper elf on the shelf as thought it was a bit creepy (and expensive and too American ) the story I wrote for ours is essentially that he's a young elf (same age as ds1) and every December father Christmas sends some of his young elves to visit special children and learn about what children do, he wants to join in the dc's activities in the day and then gets up to mischief exploring the house when everyone's asleep, when father christmas visits on Christmas eve he'll take the elf home and, if the dc have been good leave presents for them. So it's a mishmash of the various stories to suit me

4yo DD loves looking for our elf every morning, she hides in a different place and hasn't got up to much mischief, but has delivered some letters from Father Christmas and other Christmas cards.

YY to us also not having the real Elf on the shelf figure. Ours is a Tesco's Mrs Christmas soft cuddly with long stripy legs and fluffy mitts. Much much bigger than the little Elf so harder in some ways to get her to do stuff.

I have said DD is not to cuddle her as the magic subsides with each cuddle but we do abit as she's so gorgeously soft.

[[http://compare.ebay.co.uk/like/251197370604?var=lv

Pigley I haven't spotted your this year's blog yet. It's lovely Bookmarked it so I can read your updates.

Some ideas cross over, but maybe some of you also want to have a nose at mine. Link to blog

Im totally doing this next christmas!!! It sounds like great fun! Will wait for the sales to find an appropriate elf though....they are £50 odd quid on amazon!!!

I got my elf for about 20 quid from a christmas shop in shanklin on the isle of wight!! I snapped him up knowing how much they shoot up to.

My dd1 is 4 and is absolutely loving "Chrimble's" antics. He has wrapped the tree in loo roll. Put money in her moneybox to buy a bauble. Hung from the light fitting to observe breakfast. Read christmas stories in our book corner (and brought two new books), got stuck in the letter box posting his letter to santa. He asked for sweets cos a rollercoaster may be too big and scary! Made snow angels in sugar. Fished in the sink. Did some colouring in bringing some new pens and colour yourself cards. Tomorrow will find him making snowflakes in the bathroom inviting dd to make some for the front windows.

Each day he brings an activity and i try to tie his mischief in to that. So he told her to visit santa on the steam train and rode around on the brio trainset. I must admit its hardwork being an elf!

Hmm - some of these ideas for inappropriate elf on a shelf made me laugh:

mommyhasapottymouth.com/inappropriate-elf-on-the-shelf-2732/

Today Elf (that's our imaginative name for him) decided it would be fun to do something active. We discovered him sneaking into the house on some paper chains, and there was a new backpack (an early present for when we go to visit family) with a colouring book, a pack of pencils, a pack to make paper chains, a paint your own Santa bauble each, face paint (Christmas coloured). DD1 had to go to school unfortunately, but DD2 got an inset day, so DS and DD2 started going through the backpack. We had a lot of mess! Right at the bottom, we found a note giving you clues to a secret object, and we all had to help them search the house until they found the Christmas DVDs.

The best ours have done is crash the car Toy Story style into a hedge, thanks to the mumsnetter who suggested that one (its for weekend as it involved leaving car open on drive)
They have made a mess with playdoh
Had a midnight feast
Disappeared and been found in DCs car seats on school run
mmmmmmmm
Toilet paper bungee jumped from lights
Put some decorations up and wrapped themselves in sellotape and stuck themselves to wall
Been found by front door in DCs shoes/boots
Made bird seed angels out back
Been found reading a stack of books they pulled off book shelf
Had a race with a dollies car and scooter (this was a big hit)
Been found in bath surrounded by animals sailing the playmobil rescue boats

Tonight they are going to paper up the bottom half of the DCs doorway
Christmas Eve they will paper up the whole door to the room where the presents are and then fly back to Santa

We are having a great time with our elf, but he's not done anything too mischievous yet! Dd, 4.2, asks for him every morning as soon as she gets up, she is so excited by it all. She found it hilarious when we found him one day day kissing barbie in her car!

We have started a bit late with ours as we needed to wait on it arriving. He has been called Adam and so far ds believes. He was found with quavers and sweets this morning so will see what he gets up to tonight. He is currently sitting in the armchair with an apple as ds said he had too much chocolate!

O I just adore Christmas Elf. I only stumbled across the idea few weeks ago and so this is our first year..... its so lovely.

Every morning when my children get up, the first thing they want to do is find out what Mr Elf (imaginative, i know. Though last night my 5 year old gave him a middle name, 'M' for Mischief). Chocolate advent calendars definately come second to Mr Elfs antics.

Last night he delivered some chocolate treats for the tree, though he ate one or two.
Magic seeds, grown in sugar for a few nights, which grew into Magic Elf Canes
Making a mess by cutting snowflakes out of white paper. He missed the snow evidently!
Got tangled up in some fairy lights
Had a picnic with the other toys, to make friends, on his first night.

I think tonight his adventures might take him into a different part of the house. Like the idea of fishing in the sink!

We had much sadness this morning as the elf clearly hadnt come back. All morning dd searched for him. Then it was time for the school run and there he was strapped in with a note to ask if mummy coukd drive him to see all the xmas lights when it gets dark.

I def need more ideas. Next week i think he may try barbies ball gown on as its the xmas party at preschool. He needs to scrawl over the bathroom with bath crayons. I'm liking the idea of planting seeds.

I think he may giftwrap himself and the sofa tonight. Dd would wet herself. Goes off to check wrapping paper stash.

Can I just ask where your elf lives during the day?