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Original poster

The Elf - were my children horribly deprived?

109 replies

AndMatt · 30/11/2021 22:21

I only became aware of it when an adult friend started sharing the mischief his elf was getting up to on FB about 8 years ago. And very funny it was too.

I have children now 18 and 20, I swear he didn't exist when they were of the right age. Did I just miss it and they were the only ones who didn't have an elf visiting? They never mentioned it, but if it really has only been around less than a decade, blimey it got traction quickly!

OP posts:
NinDS · 30/11/2021 22:24

Yes it’s a newish thing. My kids are 11&13 and it wasn’t around in their early childhood. I have to say I’m thankful it wasn’t as it’s just another thing to add to parents never ending list of to-do’s!!!

qualitygirl · 30/11/2021 22:26

My dc are 8 and 6 and we don't have it...i am way to busy for that crap. I don't feel bad...we do lots of other Christmas activities.

dementedpixie · 30/11/2021 22:27

It didn't exist when mine were younger : they are 15 and 18 now

LubaLuca · 30/11/2021 22:27

I think it's only in the past 5 years or so that this has been a thing. My kids wouldn't know what it is, they're teens.

lebkuchenforxmas · 30/11/2021 22:29

My DC are a little younger than yours and I've been aware of Elf on a Shelf for a few years now . I did start doing it one year - they came down on 1st Dec to their Advent Calendars and an Elf and then the next day the Elf had done something silly. The DC came down, looked at it, asked why I was playing with dolls and carried on with their breakfast. In the meantime I had to get on with clearing up whatever the Elf had done and just thought "whyyyyyyy?????" which was short for "why am I creating all of this extra work for myself" and that was the end of the Elf in our house.

BlueFlavour · 30/11/2021 22:29

Yes same. Dc 19, 14 and 12. They missed it. I don’t know if I would have done it or not, I felt guilty enough about Father Christmas Grin

Original poster
AndMatt · 30/11/2021 22:31

I had enough trouble with the tooth fairy. It's amazing how often she couldn't fly because of weather conditions and we had to try again the following night Grin

OP posts:
DockOTheBay · 30/11/2021 22:33

I never had one as a kid, don't feel deprived even slightly. My daughter is 5 and I don't intent to get one. Pain in the arse and yet another thing to fit into a busy school morning.

gogohm · 30/11/2021 22:44

It wasn't around then, thank goodness!

Original poster
AndMatt · 30/11/2021 22:46

How did something that's such a pain for parents become so big so quickly?

OP posts:
justnotnow1 · 30/11/2021 22:49

I have young DC and I don't do it. People who have an elf do nothing but moan about it so I'm not getting involved. I tell mine they're so well behaved (true for the majority of the time) the elf doesn't need to keep an eye on them.

Loveatthe5anddime · 30/11/2021 23:04

My daughters 15 in January and we have been doing since she was around 4 so he’s definitely been around a while, I do have younger DD’s hence carrying it on, though my eldest is the most excited of them all!

I guess it like most things, you don’t miss what you don’t have. It’s part of our Christmas traditions and we all enjoy it and find him fun

I don’t get the criticism the Elf brings. (not that that’s what you were necessarily doing op) Some people don’t like their children trick or treating others do, some parents don’t encourage the Easter bunny or feel they have to have a birthday party for every age their children turns.

The world would be a boring place if we all were the same.

Pegasussnail · 30/11/2021 23:10

The book it came from was published in 2005

The Elf on the Shelf: A Christmas Tradition is a 2005 children's picture book, written by Carol Aebersold

But it's really taken off the past few years

Pegasussnail · 30/11/2021 23:14

Mine absolutely love it. It makes them so happy. They love fairies and often write to them and get letters back. So it's a bit of fun and mystery for them. They went to bed tonight and closed their eyes and said they won't open them again and elf will come Grin
I went into put clean clothes back in their drawers and they were squeezing their eyes tight. Bless them

LostThePot · 30/11/2021 23:14

I never did it for mine. Seems like a lot of extra work at an already busy time of year!

loveablequalities · 30/11/2021 23:16

My eldest is 8 and we don't have one. Seemingly EVERYONE else at school does though.

In my view unless the elf comes in and hoovers, does the dishes and makes a good start on the laundry I want no part in him.

DramaAlpaca · 30/11/2021 23:17

My children are in their 20s so we missed out on the Elf, thank goodness.

Onceuponatimethen · 30/11/2021 23:19

No elf here, dc all primary age

dementedpixie · 30/11/2021 23:21

It came to the UK in 2013 from what I've read. My youngest would have been 7ish so it wasn't part of our Christmas

User2638483 · 30/11/2021 23:21

In torn… I’ve been resisting it as I will totally be a parent who wakes up with a start at 2am realising I’ve forgotten to reposition it.
But I know dd6 would love it and do worry that it’s becoming so much of a standard thing she might feel she’s missing out 🙄

TheUsualChaos · 30/11/2021 23:21

For those that do it that's great, am sure the kids love it. But I am so glad we didn't make it a "thing". Christmas is hard enough trying to get everything ready on top on the normal of life. The thought of having yet another thing to remember would just fill me with dread and I would resent that creepy elf! All families tend to have their little Christmas traditions that children look forward to each year. My eldest is 9 and she has never questioned that we don't have an elf 🤷‍♀️ I know a few people that do it, but most don't ime.

Babyfg · 30/11/2021 23:22

Mine are the right ages. my son asked once and I told them the elf only needs to check on the children that santa isn't sure which list to put him on and as you guys are definitely on the nice list he doesn't need to come here!

The creepy elf definitely isn't welcome here. Best wishes to those that have the imagination and time but not my cup of tea!

luverlybubberly · 30/11/2021 23:23

My youngest is 15 and it didn't exist in England when he was young.

Captainj1 · 30/11/2021 23:23

Mine are primary age (youngest yr 2) and we’ve never done it. I’ve never had the time or inclination, plus I can’t think of a time when they would have believed the elves moved by themselves. They’d just be like…erm no you did that mummy…do people’s kids actually believe they come to life or are they just playing along?!

CheeseMmmm · 30/11/2021 23:26

It didn't exist until recently.

It sounds like extra work for parents.

I think it's rubbish. Creepy, he's alive?! Yikes! And doing things that we don't want children to do so often. Why?

Neighbour with younger kids said. Haha naughty elf! In the night he tipped flour over the kitchen floor!

Eh?

After kids in bed you went and threw flour over your own floor. Which you would then have to clear up when they gone to school?! That's brilliant? Baffled.

Incidentally this was not a thing for the vast vast majority of my life. I'm also v attached to the traditions we do. So I may be curmudgeonly!

I mean if you want to go ahead! Does seem it's an expectation now with lots of parents which is crappy.

I also am only vaguely aware of Xmas boxes and they fall into same category for me!

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