Welcoming our elf & Christmas eve hamper

[BankerMommy2010]

Im trying to think of ways to welcome our elf... do I just hide him before I go to bed so hes waiting for ds to find on dec 1st do I sit him next to ds advent calendar? I have the elf on a shelf dvd should I start letting him watch that in nov and reading him the book so he understands what the elf is (ds is 3, 4 in feb)

I have started putting together his Christmas eve hamper and its looking great:
So far it includes:

Christmas dressing gown
Christmas pjs
Christmas slipper socks
Bubble bath
Christmas cup
Sweets in an elf shape jar
Christmas dvd
Christmas story
Key for santa
Christmas chocolate lolly
Santa stop here sign to hang on his bedroom door before bed
A letter from his elf
Reindeer food

Is that everything or has anybody else got ideas?

[Heath27]

Love this elf business, have never heard of it before. Going to get one, I like the idea of the naughty elf, he'll fit right in at our house!

[frosty21]

Its for the memories Captain, for the memories ..

[CaptainTripps]

Is the hamper idea more for your own gratification, OP?

[deepfriedsage]

Ikea are doing great big Santa shaped advent calendars, the size of a small child. With drawers for each day. I am sure you will enjoy adding it to your mega December 1st hampers.

[BankerMommy2010]

I think im more excited for our elf to arrive...definitely reliving my childhood, loving the magic of Christmas with a little one, this is the first Christmas he really understands x

[Editededition]

Hi Banker -
the hamper sounds lovely, but I would suggest calling a halt - rather than adding more ideas. It has a lot of bits already, and you don't want to overshadow Christmas morning!

Delighted to find other people have an elf - we had one which used to appear with the Christmas Tree and mysteriously move around the house - every time it was spotted in one place, it hid somewhere else, right through until New Year. When DCs reached teen years, they turned the tables on me, and moved it themselves. It once took me until mid-Jan to find what they had done with it!!

Have everyone this year, so a new version may have to make an appearance somewhere

[BankerMommy2010]

Girl down a drain pipe? ?? I donate to charity every month from my salary, we sponsor a guide dog put money in the charity boxes outside supermarkets and even make up a gift box at Christmas for children that wont get anything... so I don't think ill feel too bad about buying for my child this Christmas

[motherofluvlies]

Now is this grinch?i,m struggling.........I love love all the christmas build up and go the whole hog for Xmas ( 8 children so so excited last year we had 26 for dinner ) and even the loo seat gets an Xmas cover ,themed decor ,fun fun fun and this year I would love to buy the Xmas quilts BUT ....wait for it ....all I can think off is the little girl who lives in the drainpipe and how much that money will make a difference to her ......sorry .....I,ll probably give in and buy the quilts but just thought I,d put it out there...runs for cover

[buzzgirly]

I do a hamper on 1st December and Christnas Eve!

On the 1st the elf arrives with advent calendar, Christmas DVD, book and fleece blankets. I am going to leave out a trail of baubles which will lead to the elf.

And on Christmas Eve the hamper will have a goodbye letter from elf, new pjs, fun bubble bath, magic flannels, new toothbrushes, hot chocolate, popcorn and Santa sacks.

It is all such good fun. Dd was talking about our elf the other day. That's why I love mumsnet, it introduced me to all this Christmas craziness !

[BankerMommy2010]

Thank you DurhamOx I thought the same :)

[DurhamOx]

It sounds fine to me, from some of the responses anyone would think you were suggesting you were giving him his own magical reindeer and taking him for a flight... I doubt that a three year old is going to be rendered unconscious with excitement by a new cup and slippers...

[frosty21]

He's watching you ...

[BankerMommy2010]

Our elf will be mischievous but I wont bribe good behaviour with the elf... my son is more scared of mommy telling him off than an elf telling santa! I think some people over think the elf. .. its a bit of festive fun for kids x

[glenthebattleostrich]

But the naughty elf is so much fun. Ours climbed the tree, tried to steal chocolate coins, did steal and eat halfa chocolate Santa, drank a bottle of daddy's beer, made biscuits and left a mess. All kinds of mischief :)

[BankerMommy2010]

My elf is nothing to do with good behaviour just a bit of fun, he goes back to Santa at night to tell him stories about Ryans day and see his elf friends as there isn't much to sit and watch while were all sleeping...

[frosty21]

I do a Christmas Eve hamper though. Our includes much the same as yours OP;

Santa Key (bought out every year)
Snowman soup in new cup
New pjs (character ones this year)
New slippers
Night before Christmas book (bought out every xmas eve)
A Christmas DVD
A Chocolate father Christmas
Letter from Father Christmas
Magic Flannel.

I don't bring out the xmas books and dvds with any surprises though. I just heft them down from the loft on the 1st December.

[frosty21]

All you Chrsitmas Elf people,your dc will be posting on here in years to come about their parents used to scare them into good behaviour with a creepy elf and now they have issues surrounding the festive period ;)

[snappybadger]

I think it sounds great! I am all for adding as much magic and excitement to December as possible. I want the whole month to be fun for ds who will be 2.9 this year and will definitely be more aware of what is going on this time.

I love the idea of the elf doorway as a means for the elf arriving. I have thought about getting one myself but as I have a fireplace I think I might do something based around there. Might add a helium balloon to it though as someone else mentioned up thread.

Love the idea of introducing the elf idea now with the DVD and book. I have those put away from when i bought it last year (but then realised he was too young to understand it!). Might go and dig it out and watch it together this afternoon. :)

[Lilicat1013]

I am doing Christmas Eve hampers, the boys are having -

Pyjamas
Slippers
Toothbrush
Letter from Santa
Santa Stop Here Sign they have personalised ones for their bedroom doors
Santa Key (in my older son's) and The Night Before Christmas (in my younger son's) because they share these things.
Disney book each

They will also have a new cuddly toy each on their cot/bed.

I hope it gets them it is fun for them. Neither will understand Christmas (little one is a baby and older son is autistic) but I want them to know something exciting is happening and for them to have a fun bedtime.

Yours sounds great, I am sure your son will love it.

[glenthebattleostrich]

in our house, On 1st Dec the elf (albert, named after my grandad) brings de her advent calendar, we then go shopping to choose a decoration for the tree.

We also have a calendar which has little pockets and each day we do a christmassy activity - gingerbread house, visit Santa, carol service, make decorations, write Xmas cards etc. The elf brings a list :)

On Xmas eve morning we find the Xmas eve basket containing -

Pjs
Book
DVD
Hot choc
Mug
Marshmallows
Cookies
Rsindeer food
A letter from us talking about the last year
Slippers
An annual
A little craft kit
Some stickers

It keeps dd busy whilst we do the food prep and get bits done then we go to christingle at the local church, come home for hot chocolate and a dvd, keep an eye on Santa, put out reindeer food, bath, Santa's tray then bed.

Hope the grinches approve :)

[wamabama]

Personally I love Christmas Eve hampers. I don't think yours is OTT at all, it sounds about right to me... It's not as if it includes 5 big presents or whatever, its basically something to wear, eat and read. We do xmas eve hampers too and I think it adds to the spirit, gets everyone in the mood

[BankerMommy2010]

VikingVagine I was going to do the same. ..but was too worried to mention that :-/

I have bought him a next duvet and santa countdown cushion, an advent calendar and his elf, and I was thinking of presenting thtem as a gift on dec 1st... although I did worry that was ott :)

[VikingVagine]

I started a thread about this a week or so ago (think it's still on the first page if you want to have a look).

We are going to so it in two goes this time, hamper on the 1st of Dec, with elf, dressing gowns, slippers, pjs, Xmas bedding and advent calendar. Then an open basket on Xmas eve with bath bombs, DVD, hot chocolate and stockings.

I'm ridiculously excited seeing as it's only October.

[hermioneweasley]

We did the Xmas pjs and DVD on Xmas eve last year. It was lovely. Didn't get the kids over excited at all. Leaving a key and a "Santa stop here" sign is no different to the excitement of leaving a carrot and mince pie (which is what we do).

I don't think it's that big a deal.

[amistillsexy]

It's fine. Do whatever you choose. We all have different traditions.
I remember when my eldest was 3, wondering why he wasn't excited about Christmas...by the time he was 4, he was crazy for weeks! Building the excitement isn't an issue
No-ones out to upset you, just giving opinions!