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Original poster

Should I get an elf?

35 replies

Hedgyhoggy · 05/09/2019 18:57

Will I regret it if I do?? I have a dd6 and a ds10 (who has a learning disability). They would both be enthralled by it and totally taken in. However, I don’t want to lie to them about but also don’t want to take away the excitement if that makes sense. Am I over complicating this? If I get one where should I get it from? Thanks x

OP posts:
livingthegoodlife · 05/09/2019 19:29

No! Don't do it. I think it risks challenging the reality of Christmas earlier. Plus are you able to keep up all the games & staging all month?!

I'm opting out.

Barbarara · 05/09/2019 20:57

I only started after my dc twigged about Santa. I’m a terrible liar and I think it stretches the magic a bit thin. It’s added another bit of fun to Christmas at a time when it could have been a bit sad. They didn’t know the other one knew about Santa so they both helped me with the elf which was very cute.

I think it can be a huge amount of extra stress in an already stressful month. But I’m just not an every single day kind of person in any aspect of life!

Cherryrainbow · 05/09/2019 21:23

I bought one last year from the poundshop with some accessories. My son who will be 6 this year thought it was fun. He thought it was a bit like toy story and the elf only came alive when he wasnt there so he could help Santa.

CrazyCatLady159 · 05/09/2019 21:44

No don't do it ....

Every night you'll be warm in bed all ready to sleep and bam you'll remember you haven't moved the bloody elf .... then will run around the house making a scene for it Grin

Yes I have an elf
Yes I forget; probably more times than I remember
Yes I'm a crap mum Blush

BringMoreCoffee · 05/09/2019 21:53

No. Less is more with magic. Don't dilute the magic of father Christmas bringing the stockings.

Singleandproud · 05/09/2019 22:13

Depends on how you decide to include it into your family traditions. I got one a few years before they became popular in the UK. It came with a book about how you were not allowed to touch him or he would lose his magic and how he flew back to Santa each night to tell him if she had been good or bad. I never read her that book, nor do I buy into ‘elfcams’ or any other horrible threats parents use of ‘Santa wont come’. I also never really bothered moving him much, DD put him to bed in the dolls house and played with him there.

Before I had gone back to work and DD was very small the elf bought little presents of arts and crafts stuff that we would have done together anyway. The ingredients to make chocolate or red play doh, ingredients for gingerbread men, paper chain supplies, Christmas stickers and colouring books. A big book of traditional Christmas stories that was bought every year - that DD aged 10 was upset he hadn’t bought her this year as I’d misplaced it!.Very inexpensive Christmas themed gifts and a chocolate coin which made Christmas magical ( I also used to
bring him back with a small hamper of things for Valentines, Easter etc).

DD is 10 now, probably doesnt believe anymore but would miss the elf, although he doesnt bring things as much anymore. He brings Christmas things to do at the weekends and a few of the Holiday days leading up to Christmas. Things to keep DD busy, more complex colouring books, small craft sets from Hobby craft, Usbourne Christmas craft books and this year his parting gift was Horrible Histories Christmas Book. Anything reusable is boxed up next year, often they are regifted / returned back to her and she is happy to see them.

What our elf has always been a brilliant tool for is getting my own presents. As a single parent my parents always get me gifts but oftenfairly generic, gift cards, clothes etc and I rarely buy things for myself. So at Christmas and my birthday I buy a few things I really want, books Ive been waiting to read, L’occitane hand cream etc, a large box of Lindt balls and leave them in DDs room with wrapping supplies and the Elf as if he had bought them. I got what I wanted, DD got to give me something she knew I would like and it was all magical.

SquintEastwood · 05/09/2019 22:16

Do it if you want to, not because other people do.

I chose not too because I think the month long build up to Christmas is enough for our family, we don't need a bratty elf running around the house too... BUT DD bought herself an elf with her Christmas money in January (of all the bloody things!) and I've a funny feeling she will expect it to do things because she hears her friends talking about it! If she does ask or mention it then I will try and remember to do something but I'm not making any promises 😂

theboywonteat · 05/09/2019 22:37

I have a wooden house advent calendar which includes a couple of small pixies & was NOT meant to be anything remotely like elf on the shelf.

But after hearing other kids talking about the mischief their elves had been up to, my kids expected our pixies to do the same & wrote them a letter. I couldn’t not write a reply, and so it began....

The kids love it, but it’s a complete pain trying to think of things for them to do each night. So if you can avoid it I honestly would!

Cornishgirl18 · 06/09/2019 08:39

No...its a real ball ache (hubby's words). Last year it fizzled out by the middle of December and it ended up sitting on our kitchen shelf for the rest of the month.

Curious2468 · 06/09/2019 11:11

Seriously I have never regretted anything more than doing this! Avoid it if you can

Arrowfanatic · 06/09/2019 11:49

God no! Just no. NO NO NO NO NO

Thank god my kids dont want this stupid elf business. They think only naughty children must have an elf spying on them, they came to that conclusion themselves by the way.

InvisibleWomenMustBeRead · 06/09/2019 11:52

I can never remember the tooth fairy, so wouldn't go down the elf route as I know I'd be in bed drifting off & then it would hit me & I'd have to jump up out of bed & try to do something different. It's annoying when it's teeth but that's only once in a while, every night until Christmas would drive me barmy!

That said, my friends who do it say their kids love it Grin

Original poster
Hedgyhoggy · 06/09/2019 13:19

Just the mention of the tooth fairy has consolidated my decision to not have an elf!!! It’s not been the once that I’ve had to pretend that the money under the pillow must have fallen down the back of the bed 🙄. Thank you people

OP posts:
Charliemustard · 06/09/2019 13:37

Oh yes! I would of loved one personally!! 😂My DS has an elf on the shelf and a couple of years ago I added ‘Elfie’s Christmas Letters’ from International Elf Service to it so the elf arrives with the letters daily and a story unravels as the letters arrive and it’s even more magical ✨ DS has recently asked whether he will be invited to help the elves at Lapland UK this year (which he is!) and hopes he will receive letters from Elfie (our elf on the shelf). You can manage behaviour with the elf too which actually works and also the elf brought occasional treats too Smile. You can get elf on the shelf from Amazon. You can also get different clothes and inflatable rings too just to make it fun for us adults Smile

NewName54321 · 06/09/2019 13:48

It's worth avoiding if possible.

If you really want to do it, could you team up with some other families and have an elf that moves between you to check up on all the children's behaviour so you're not lumbered with it every night for a month?

Or let it visit, decide it's seen enough (as soon as it becomes a chore) and is going to report back early.

Singleandproud · 06/09/2019 21:22

Mine sometimes went off to ‘train the new elves’ if I had a really busy time at work etc.

Isadora2007 · 06/09/2019 21:28

Nah. Unnecessary tbh.

Gizlotsmum · 06/09/2019 21:32

We have one.. I am now on our 4th year and really hope I can get away with him not coming back.. It is a nightmare remembering at 3am that the sodding elf hasn't done something 😳

Howmanysleepsnow · 06/09/2019 21:33

I really didn’t want one, but they insisted at 5 and 6 because their friends had one. I told them it was just a toy. They insisted, so I bought one and told them it wouldn’t move.
It moved.
I insisted they must have moved it. They insisted they hadn’t. (No one suspected dd12...)
When they start to question it I’ll implicate dd12 to preserve the Santa magic!

Symptomless · 06/09/2019 21:40

I don't know how people can be bothered with it even just couple of times before Christmas.

Reallywhataday · 07/09/2019 19:21

We have 2 (boy and girl elf from mylittleelf.co.uk). These are soft toy style ones rather than the stiffer American version.

I love doing it. Make a plan in October and make anything up over November. I buy nothing for it and use only things we already have.

I'd say only do it if you are interested in it. Otherwise it is a genuine hardship at a busy time of the year. I have great fun setting it up each night and love seeing the kids in the morning looking to see what they've been up to.

Knittedfairies · 07/09/2019 19:26

Mine sometimes went off to ‘train the new elves’ if I had a really busy time at work etc.

Brilliant!

winesolveseverything · 07/09/2019 19:31

Our elf is invisible. We have a little doorway that 'appears' on the 1st dec and then vanishes on Christmas Eve. We then have a wooden advent calendar and the 'elf' puts a chocolate behind the doors each night.

If we've ever done anything Christmassy that requires tickets or something- then these are left by the elf door.

And that's about it. The children (5 & 9) are more than happy with this.

My evenings/mornings are busy enough without allowing extra time to facilitate treasure hunts and other elf related activity...! Hmm

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 07/09/2019 19:32

No.

Your life is busy enough without another task to add.

OhioOhioOhio · 07/09/2019 19:37

Oh yeah. The elf. So. Annoying.