How do you explain not having a elf?

[ItsJustASimpleLine]

Really don't want to have to do elf on the shelf. Can anyone help with and explanation for why we don't have one that DD would believe??

My elf just appears and doesn’t do anything naughty either. I don’t know why people think it comes with some kind of rule book

Do the children who have them really believe they are real though?

I mean it’s not like FC who is never seen, or is represented by a real person at grottos. There is a toy elf in their house which clearly looks like a toy...

We used to have a real Christmas fairy who flew in from Fairyland to sit on the top of the tree once it was up and decorated. All of the magic, none of the hassle. Would that be a compromise for you?
She would leave DDs a note in curly writing and pink ink before she flew off again after Xmas, and I still have some of the adorable messages they wrote back to her.
In fact, she still does fly in every year, but teenage DDs now just raise an eyebrow at their crazy mother

This thread is making my eyes roll out of my head. How has this awful elf thing got so ubiquitous so quickly?!

Do the children who have them really believe they are real though?

Ours behaves like Ben and Holly so when he sees children he “Pretend(s) to be a toy!”

We’ve never even used Santa as behaviour control so the idea of having an elf spying on them the whole time really creeps me out.

Came here to post the Hurrah for Gin picture, but I see I was waaaaaaay behind ChasingSquirrels

'We don't like the elves, actually. They are nasty little sneaks and tell-tales, and shouldn't be encouraged.'

That's what I would say to a kid who was actively asking. I really, really dislike the idea of this shit: it strikes me as a way to get DC used to surveillance culture (which is a HUGE problem in the UK anyway.)

I think the allergy to elves is as good as any reason OP. Genius!

Because the idea of an elf spying on your children is creepy?
Because the elf is a hypocrite who is supposed to be encouraging children to behave whilst making a mess around the house?
Because it's ridiculous?

In all seriousness though, if you don't want to go along with it then I'd just say we didn't ask for an elf. Short and simple and avoids other people complaining if your child points out that creepy toys are creepy toys.

(But unsurprisingly, I don't get elf on the shelf)

Surely the elves are just fun - children don't honestly believe that they are real?

We don't have an elf and luckily my children have never questioned it. If they did I would tell the truth and explain that they are a Christmas tradition that parents do and not something from father Christmas, but I would make it clear that it is very magical for the families that do it and that they believe it.
I'm not adding any more layers of lies to my children's life, father Christmas is enough for me but I'd try and do it in a sensitive way so they don't go into school shouting about the fake elves.

Tell her that not every house has a naughty elf some have brownies, fairies, borrowers or pixies. Then send her off trying to figure out what you’ve got. While making zero effort and just agreeing with what she decides 😂

Not that many kids have them. She'll cope. And it's not so bad if you say they're a fun game in some families - it's a weird and creepy thing that was created recently to make money, not some kind of special old tradition to safeguard!

I would just say that we didn't invite an Elf as they are messy and a bit cheeky.

Luckily DD hasn't asked, I don't know how much of a thing it is for kids at her school.

I hate all this shit and glad my kids are past it. There will never be an elf on the shelf, a christmas eve box or fecking north pole breakfasts in this house.

Just tell your DD that elves are santa's nasty little spies who are sent to keep an eye on children who can't behave themselves. And that as she's a good girl, they don't need to visit her.

Do not get sucked into it.

Fortunately ds's have never asked. Which is good because I don't like the elf idea.
They are more interested in their advent calendar chocolate, thank goodness.

We have an elf. First couple of years if was good fun...we’re into our fifth year now!

One of my son’s friend and her Mum came round to play the first year we had him and she started saying to her Mum that she really wanted an elf and how can they get an elf to stay. I told her that it was quite fun having an elf to stay but not necessarily a good thing. Elves come to stay when the children are borderline naughty list as they need checking up on so the fact that she didn’t have one meant she was probably already on the good list. This had the combined effect of making her feel happy that she was on the good list and also made my children aware they needed to improve their behaviour! It worked...for one year. Now their behaviour always goes downhill when our elf arrives because they always argue over him (we don’t have the rule of the elf must never be touched...rookie error but can’t change it now!)

I am so glad there was no elf on the shelf when DS was little. I think I would probably have given in and done it to a lesser extent so DC wasn't feeling left out - but absolutely non of this naughty elf making a mess, how in God's name is this a good thing to have?

I told my kids the elves are just a thing some families do in the run up to Christmas, that we're not doing.

One of DD's friends gets a tenner and a visit from the Jewel Fairy each time she loses a tooth, no way in hell I'm getting into that. She also thinks mermaids are real, but DD knows they are not but also appreciates it's nice to let her friend keep believing they are!

'Because we don't'.

Load of bollocks.

We've always had a rather ornate santa ornament on our tree that reports back to santa via a camera in his eyes. Far more effective than an elf. Santa often gets turned around when there are no adults in the room

I don’t (l’m a big fan of never explain, never apologise). Funnily enough none of my dc have even mentioned it, ever.

Elf on the Shelf is just an excuse for parents to show the world how keraaazy they are by posting their oh so original and hilarious elf poses on social media. It's the most tedious part of the run up to Xmas and there is no way I would even consider it!