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Original poster

DS is terrified of the elf!!!

106 replies

WoopWoop200 · 02/12/2016 07:18

So we started the elf on the shelf this year. We thought it would be a bit of fun. Me & DH would enjoy making the mischief and DS would enjoy finding it......
Apparently not.
DS who is 6, is terrified of him. He will not go near him. Screamed and cried yesterday when he found the elf in his room.
Right now, the elf has wrapped toilet paper around the christmas tree and DS is refusing to go in to the living room.
We've sat with him and explained that he is a friendly elf, etc. and he's startimg to drive us a bit nuts!
So the elf is going....
Has anyone else experienced this?

OP posts:
blueistheonlycolourwefeel · 02/12/2016 11:14

Get rid of it. It's meant to be fun. If he doesn't like it, he doesn't like it. Smile

Soon2bC · 02/12/2016 13:26

42 and terrified of creepy fucking elf....your 6 year old has sense!!

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 02/12/2016 13:42

I don't understand why you persisted with the thing after you could see that your poor little ds was frightened of it. I would have chucked it ASAP.

myoriginal3 · 02/12/2016 13:48

I don't know what this is? Is it the equivalent of saying Santa is watching you?

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 02/12/2016 13:52

DD is 5 and we don't do the elf on a shelf "tradition".

Maybe it's because I had my first DC 20 years ago and still like to carry on the same "traditions" now. Like having a Christmas tree, opening advent calendars & singing carols Confused.

Besides which, the elf on a shelf concept is just something else to do in December.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 02/12/2016 13:54

Kind of, myoriginal3. More like a creepy little spy sent by Santa to report on your behaviour.

And, for some inexplicable reason, create mischief while you sleep.

myoriginal3 · 02/12/2016 14:01

Santa is watching never worked on mine.
'Yes well I am watching you' did.

EnidButton · 02/12/2016 15:26

If you ask him if he wants the creepy fucker elf to go back to the North Pole, he might feel he has to say no or it'll tell Santa he's been naughty. Just tell him it's a made up story that you thought would be fun but it's ok that he doesn't like it and you're not going to do it anymore and you're getting rid of it.

Bit odd to try and make him like something completely unnecessary that terrified him yesterday. Not a judgement, just don't get why you would.

Ilovetorrentialrain · 02/12/2016 16:23

DramaInPyjamas precisely!

SatsukiKusakabe · 02/12/2016 16:53

Obviously it depends on the child, but 6 is the perfect age to get creeped out by this - not old enough to truly distinguish between reality and fantasy, and too old to be completely bewildered by it.

My ds is very sensitive and he would hate this. We don't say too much about Santa for this reason, and give him the choice of where he puts his stocking - on his door handle usually.

ProfessorBranestawm · 02/12/2016 16:56

I was talking to the DCs yesterday and said that actually santa doesn't only bring presents to non-naughty kids. Otherwise why would the kids who've relentlessly bullied them still get what they want from santa? We talked about why it's important to be a good kind person all year round. Never really did the 'santa is watching' thing anyway but the subject came up.

pklme · 02/12/2016 17:22

I absolutely hate the voyeuristic judgemental things! Whoever thought telling the kids that the wooden creature on the shelf watches them, comes to life at night and reports them to a big beardy bloke who also invades kids bedrooms needs to give their head a wobble...
Sorry Blush rant over. I've had a household of sensitive kids prone to night terrors and sleep walking who need no help scaring the pants off themselves...

EllieMentry · 02/12/2016 17:32

Where did the elf thing come from? It wasn't around when my children were little.

Sounds like hard work (and rather a creepy concept) from what I've read on here.

Original poster
WoopWoop200 · 02/12/2016 17:35

Its alright everyone....we took on board all your opinions, e.g. cruel, sensible etc. We've been honest with DS and let him know santa and the tooth fairy arent real either then we got a crate stuck DS and the elf in and just waiting to see who comes out in the morning.....shall let you know how it goes

OP posts:
Madmama10 · 02/12/2016 18:11

Aw elf is cute soft toy not one of those freaky doll ones. DD 3 loves him an even took him to bed last night. I had to creep in her room to retrieve him. Our elf doesn't do naughty things just plays at night and she has to find him in the morning. She just thinks it's like toy story.

SatsukiKusakabe · 02/12/2016 18:11

You've done the right thing, woopwoop. Maybe next year try a voodoo doll in his stocking.

Winemamma · 02/12/2016 18:12

I also think they look evil!

SatsukiKusakabe · 02/12/2016 18:14

We have a soft toy elf by the way (he's called Ilbereth thanks for asking) that ds chose from a shop display around the time of his first Christmas, before I'd heard of any of this shelf stuff. He is just a decoration though, he doesn't flush his head down the toilet or poo in his cornflakes.

sassolino · 02/12/2016 18:23

I wouldn't want one in our house, even if someone paid me. These ugly dolls are a stuff of nightmares. Bib, bin, bin!

Tessabelle74 · 02/12/2016 18:30

One step down from scary a$$ clowns imo and I'm 42!

Sparklyglitter · 02/12/2016 19:54

Depends which one you get! I trawled the internet for one I was happy with
mylittleelf.co.uk
Ours arrives through his hand painted door personalised with my kids names paintedwithlove.co.uk
Last night he got an xmas stocking to use as a sleeping bag and chilled out in front of the burner! Last year he mummified Barbie - daughter didn't love the elf for all of five minutes!!! But have heard of this happening before and I know I don't like the look of the traditional ones!

BadToTheBone · 02/12/2016 21:20

Oh and I should say, she never choked on anything, although I always stayed close. Lots of things were chewed to a pulp and soggy, yuck!

BadToTheBone · 02/12/2016 21:21

No idea why that posted here, wrong thread, sorry!

Bleedintired · 02/12/2016 21:27

Yes - same with my daughter. Had to sell it.

Housemum · 02/12/2016 21:35

I liked the elf idea, just wish I hadn't bought the shit "official" one. The story book is contrived and too twee, and the elf is cheaply made and ugly. Should have just bought a nice looking elf and copied the idea. The mischief thing is new - Pinterest/instagram obsessed people thinking of clever tricks to make people feel inadequate! I like the idea of a friendly elf letting santa know you're behaving, not some kind of gremlin causing havoc after midnight.