Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Is anyone’s DC too frightened for an elf on shelf?

33 replies

pinok · 21/09/2022 18:53

Just curious because every kid I know seems to love it or be unphased.

Yet I know as a child I would have been really upset and scared by it! When I first heard of elf on the shelf when it was becoming a thing I honestly thought it would not take off because kids would be petrified, but nope!

Are kids just not as easily scared nowadays? 😅

OP posts:
mam0918 · 21/09/2022 19:45

I'll be honest I see people saying 'elf on the shelf' all the time and I still actually have no idea what it is.

I know they have those 'elf' dolls and something about they move around but people have mentions cost and presents and threats and all sorts so I dont actually understand what its meant to do.

APurpleSquirrel · 21/09/2022 20:18

We never started & are so glad we didn't! DD would be fine but I think DS might not have liked it. Plus it's too much faff & cost.

Basically the Elf 'arrives' on 1st December with much fanfare, often in a balloon or something; they are then supposed to move around the house doing stuff - usually naughty things - that the child delights in finding the next day; in reality the tired parent has to come up with a new idea each night. The Elf can then report any naughtiness of the child to Santa - the threat - meaning they may not get any presents.
The Elf leaves on Christmas Eve. The parent is relieved.

Like many things, it was a cute idea, but has snowballed into a huge commercial enterprise with different Elves, costumes, props, balloons, books, DVDs etc.

Nidan2Sandan · 21/09/2022 20:44

I'm terrified of them, creepy bloody things.

I never did it & when my kids asked why the elf doesnt come to our house, I told them they only come to the house of naughty children 😂

My 10yo spent a few years believing she was clearly the best behaved child in her class.

LosttheremoteAGAIN · 21/09/2022 20:51

We didn’t have an elf-it wasn’t a thing but my youngest was shit scared of santa
she couldn’t bear the thought of a strange man in her bedroom when she was asleep
it got to the point Santa had to leave her presents outside the back door (she was fine with him leaving her silblings presents in the lounge/bedroom,just not her own )
this went on for years
it was fun shopping around that time-he gets everywhere

i agree with her to be fair-I wouldn’t like a strange fat man emptying his sack in my bedroom either

junebirthdaygirl · 21/09/2022 21:21

As a teacherl have heard children talk about how scary it is and they sound freaked out about it. And it seems to put pressure on parents to come up with different ideas. Saying that some children absolutely love it and get so excited. It can be a nuisance for teachers trying to deal with the mad excitement and dc that come in everyday wanting to talk about nothing else except the bloomin' elf!! Parents hopefully know what their own dc can deal with.

APurpleSquirrel · 21/09/2022 21:28

However, they do have an Elf in class at school - DD thought it was great, but I was glad it was the teachers responsibility & not mine!

JamMakingWannaBe · 21/09/2022 21:34

My DS (6) thinks the blinking red light of the burglar alarm is the elves / Santa checking up on him. That's enough effort for me!

Original poster
pinok · 21/09/2022 21:36

mam0918 · 21/09/2022 19:45

I'll be honest I see people saying 'elf on the shelf' all the time and I still actually have no idea what it is.

I know they have those 'elf' dolls and something about they move around but people have mentions cost and presents and threats and all sorts so I dont actually understand what its meant to do.

The elf toy arrives on December the first. The idea is it sits on a shelf and is ‘watching’ the children but will never move in front of them. When children are asleep the elf is moved elsewhere in the house by an adult so the kids think the elf is able to move around the house whilst they are asleep. I would have hated it!

Ooh interesting about Father Christmas I have heard of some children fearing him and I can kind of see why

OP posts:
00100001 · 21/09/2022 21:40

I just think they're a bit freaky looking tbh

lannistunut · 21/09/2022 21:41

I think it's a really horrible thing, I think it is genuinely nasty to lie to kids to that extent.

TheTeddyBears · 21/09/2022 21:46

My little girl loved it. I took nothing to do with it my dh wanted to do it. So I left him to it but there were a few nights I said oh have u sorted the elf out and he's like aw shit! That's why I didn't want to start it but she's already talking about that the elf will do this year and remembering what he did last yr. it is quite cute she's quite excited!

lisavanderpumpscloset · 21/09/2022 21:46

Never done it and never will. Think it's bloody ridiculous and honestly think it would have terrified me at that age!

BamBamBilla · 21/09/2022 21:56

So fat guy in a red suit comes down the chimney is ok but little dude in green suit sat on a shelf is suddenly a bit weird?

FairytaleofNewHampshire · 21/09/2022 21:56

My friend had to get Father Christmas leave all their Christmas presents in the shed, as her DD was really scared of him.

Bicthebiro · 21/09/2022 22:05

Remember the creepy Morrisons advert that had Santa in a brown mac, winking at kids in the checkout queue and telling them to 'sshh' and keep his secret. Creepy as fuck.

I hate creepy dolls. But Elf on the shelf is OK. Our elf is naughty and the kids like that about it. When I was a kid my dad used to pose all my toys at night for me to find in the morning. I loved it.

Speedweed · 21/09/2022 22:08

It's just about getting young kids ready to be part of the surveillance state in the guise of a fluffy toy.

We don't do it in our house, too much faff.

Discovereads · 21/09/2022 22:09

Nope nope nope. I’m on team creepy and terrifying. Elf on the shelf is essentially a haunted doll moving about doing God knows what mischief while you are asleep and not only that, actively spying on you.

Discovereads · 21/09/2022 22:10

BamBamBilla · 21/09/2022 21:56

So fat guy in a red suit comes down the chimney is ok but little dude in green suit sat on a shelf is suddenly a bit weird?

They’re both creepy. I didn’t lie to my DC about Father Christmas either.

mondaytosunday · 21/09/2022 22:23

Omg whoever thought up elf on the shelf should be shot! Thank God it wasn't a thing when my kids were young.

princessbear80 · 21/09/2022 22:54

DS had been asking for elf to come (after hearing other kids at school talking). Ours arrived with no balloons or a big fanfare and he wasn’t “checking up” on DS, nor was he a naughty elf. I know DS can be scared of all sorts of things, so I tried not to make a big deal. The only thing we did was move the elf to a new hiding place each night (easy to find, nothing elaborate… e.g. poking out from behind a cushion, sitting on a lamp). DS was very happy with this! This year we I might make the hiding places a bit more fun/set up a bit of a scene.

mam0918 · 22/09/2022 09:49

LosttheremoteAGAIN · 21/09/2022 20:51

We didn’t have an elf-it wasn’t a thing but my youngest was shit scared of santa
she couldn’t bear the thought of a strange man in her bedroom when she was asleep
it got to the point Santa had to leave her presents outside the back door (she was fine with him leaving her silblings presents in the lounge/bedroom,just not her own )
this went on for years
it was fun shopping around that time-he gets everywhere

i agree with her to be fair-I wouldn’t like a strange fat man emptying his sack in my bedroom either

Why would Santa be in her bedroom?

I have heard of kids scared of Santa being in the house but why would he be creaping into kids bedrooms?

Even as an adult thats scary

OhWifey · 22/09/2022 09:51

Not a fan of the lying and the deception that causes so much fear in children. The funny is fun, but beyond that it's creepy. Just don't do it if you don't want to

SBAM · 22/09/2022 10:06

My daughters nursery had one for each room, she hated it! I had to promise her there wouldn’t be an elf at home.
Besides, between advent calendars, all the Christmas dress up/jumper days, organising presents and family events I’ve got enough to do so I had no intention of getting an elf anyway.

MrsMiddleMother · 24/09/2022 22:11

Yes! When my dsd came to live with us we asked her if she would like one as every other kid in her class had one and she said no, she found them creepy

LegoFiends · 24/09/2022 22:23

My daughter was also terrified of Father Christmas so we put signs on the door on Christmas Eve (his face crossed out) and wrote him a letter telling him not to come. Presents arrived via unspecified magic.