Those of you who have an elf on the shelf

[Raggs]

Did you maintain it? My ds is only 2 so I didn't do it this year but I worry I'd go for it with gusto but by the 3rd 10th I'd run out of steam/get busy and neglect it!

Also does he have a grand finale on the 24th?

I wrote a list at the beginning of the month so I didn’t have to keep thinking of ideas . Steal ideas from other people . Elves leave tonight and leave Christmas Eve bags .

Don't start. You will be cursing when you wake up at 4am in the morning for most of December going, "Fuuuccck, the elf!"

That's a great idea wendz but think in reality I would be another one cursing at 4am

Glad you managed to maintain it though!

I’ve done two years now . Never forgot although my mum did it the night I was at my work party .

I write a list and buy treats and props so I know what the elves are doing each night so it's easier

I was so good with it the last few years but I have run out of ideas and our elf has been so lazy this year 🙈 writing a list is a good idea though! May do that next year 😊

You have to live like this for a month every year. Or stagger out of bed at 3am when you remember.

I’ve remembered ok this year. Have a reminder on my phone. Pinterest is great for Elf ideas. Elf will be delivering new PJs tomorrow before heading back to the North Pole.

That picture is brilliant honeydragon

If I do it next year I am definitely copying the 'fucking elf' alarm

I only forgot to move our elf once this year! I made the excuse that as we had seen Santa that day then they didn't need to go back home to give reports hence not moving.
Sometimes they do fun stuff, sometimes they just move from shelf to shelf. My dc don't seem to mind, they are just excited to be the one to find them first in the morning.
Last yeah dh touched the elf so it had to spend 3 days in elf hospital.... you will be so grateful for those days

Yes we've done ours, the kids have loved him this year, he's left a note tonight saying thank you for being so good and he's also left them a really nice teddy from M&S each, he'll finally go in the loft back to the North Pole with Father Christmas tomorrow night.

I'll actually quite miss the creepy little fella!

We kept it up, but some days were more ambitious than others.

Elf is currently suspended in a hot air balloon in the dc's bedroom ready for the return journey.

I like the hot air balloon farewell!

I’ve always been really lazy - elf turned up on the 20th because he got lost on the way - not too much to do. This year we went all out he arrived on the first and has been naughty every night because I think it’s the last year dts will truly believe and they have loved everything about it. I’m glad this is the last night though!

This is my 4th year doing it and I have run out of ideas. Not sure she'll be coming back next year. Dd2(9) has said Tinsel is getting boring now but dd3(7) is still enjoying it so I dunno. Pinterest is your friend, and I think if I were to start again I'd maybe start on the 13th (12 days before) so less to think about.
It is a great motivational idea to get DC out of bed through December and gives them something to focus on to diffuse the excitement a bit.

We start mid Dec.. we once started on the 1st Dec and it nearly killed me! We’ve been doing it quite a few years now and even DS1(8) still believes in it (god know how!) Google/Pinterest is definitely my friend, but we’re not massively ambitious either. He’s currently just pretending to be a fish in an empty fishtank..