So this elf on a shelf....

[MaryPoppinsPenguins]

I’ve bought one.. (cue groans from DH about ‘why we do it to ourselves’ )

Does it just appear in a comical guise tomorrow morning?? Or does it introduce itself?

What are you supposed to do?

I've been backed into a corner by dh to do it. As far as I'm aware we read the book that comes with it, mine definitely isn't doing anything special first thing but it's the first year I'm doing new pjs and bedding on the 1st so he is responsible for them.

My daughter, 6, has been talking about this. Is there some marketing push on? What is the big deal? Am I the Grinch?

I think I bought a budget elf... it didn’t come with a book

Is there an E version?! 😂

He bought this on a whim when it was reduced to £15 on Amazon Tuesday. I've always hated the idea (and still do) but I think my youngest two are going to love it. Mine is strictly a good elf though

ours is either going to ride in on a reindeer or in the felt Santa train I bought from lidl today!

Dd1will know its not real and its just us pulling pranks (she's obsessed with beano so will find it hilarious!) dd2 will believe he's a real elf from the north pole!! I can't wait to cause mayhem every day and see their faces, its the first year I've done it. we just have a cheap one from pound shop (1.99)

Ours is back for his third consecutive stay. Our kids are 6 and 3 and totally believe it. Jack The Elf is sat on our kitchen table at the moment, with a note saying he's missed them and to remind them that every night he flys back to the North Pole to inform FC of their behaviour. Then for the rest of the month, he just lives it up at ours, not doing a lot, occasionally he'll dive into the cereal but that's about it. He's mainly just a bribing tool to get the fuckers to behave.

I’ve set up the table with the advent calendars and a mini Christmas tree with the elf perched on top. I also have a sign that says “this house is under elf surveillance” that I picked up at a market. It’s our first time doing the Elf, I read my daughter the book tonight and she seemed quite excited but she’s only 2 so I’m not sure how much she really gets it.

Op I really wouldn't commit to the wholesale month, I got my own sweet elf a few years ago, did my own letter and reasons for it visiting... And we did it for a week, it was utterly brilliant fun! We did shaving foam on car, loo roll round the tree, drawing on child's face but but but that was hard work! You'd be about to go to bed and forget!!

I think this is the 4th year ours has been and she always makes us an elf breakfast on the 1st day and brings the advent calendars.

Wow the breakfast looks amazing! So festive!

First year for us as well,the Elf we bought didn't come with a book but we've managed to find lots of little accessories to go with the Elf.

Today he turned up and was sitting in my vase on the mantel place with a little wooden ladder leading upto the top of the vase,his special magic door(which shows Santas work shop when you open it) and door key were against the wall,with his little welcome mat and magic dust(green glitter)was sprinkled around him and the door.

On the front door he'd left a treasure map for our DD to use with X marking the spot(the x was on a flower pot)and he'd hidden some chocolate coins(4 of them)and a teeny cuddly Christmas pudding.

We've also bought one of those Elf/Santa cams the one that's supposed to make sure the child is being good,our DD thinks it's great and has taken it round the house to show Father Christmas her bedroom

We've bought a few gifts for the "Elf" to bring our DD,one is the Elf dvd,we've bought her a nice book to read with her,a funny fluffy bird pen with some nice Christmassy paper,a magic drawing board,another morning we're going to do a special North pole Breakfast and we've bought her an extra special gift for on Christmas Eve when the Elf goes back to the North Pole.

If you have a look on pinterest there are loads of really funny ideas on there,I think there's some on facebook as well.

The book and especially the DVD (£5) on Amazon is brilliant. It's an official elf on the shelf DVD. It doesn't say that the elf does anything naughty, but that you must not touch him as he will loose his magic. He has left Christmas themed socks for the children today with a vegan chocolate bar inside.

Ours arrived some time in November and is very well behaved. He's also a bit lazy and doesn't fly north every night (only when there is particularly good/bad behaviour to report). DD (6) finds him delightful...especially when she found him sitting in her chair at the breakfast table.

I know some people find them sinister or just a pain in the arse but I'm quite enjoying it.

Our elf started a Papiér maché volcano off for dd3s (7) homework . Unfortunately she doesn't tidy up after

We've got the DVD,our DD woke up this morning and couldn't see the elf at first then she found him hanging upside down in the tv unit with a note in his hands asking DD if she'd like to watch a movie with him,the movie was next to him and his ladder(it's the elf on the shelf movie)she squealed her little head of and ran around the frontroom telling them what silly Elfy had done for her.

It's lovely seeing how excited she is,I think tomorrow she'll wake up to find Elfy surrounded by arts and crafts(we managed to buy a tiny little easel)we have a Reindeer sign she can paint and I'm going to set up some Snowflake crafts and pom pom making for her.