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Original poster

Not doing Elf on a Shelf?

30 replies

crymeout · 02/10/2022 09:41

I've never done EOAS but my DC's grandmother has one that they see when they go to her house, she moves it about etc. I know I'd forget to move it and I don't really like the whole 'I'm watching you' thing. Does anyone else not do them? DC are 5&3.

OP posts:
Meili04 · 02/10/2022 09:45

Don't do it DD has now said aged 9 she doesn't believe in the elves and she knows where I hid them. I've been doing it since she was 3 wish I never started just added a load of stress to the period.

Confusion101 · 02/10/2022 09:45

Only my first year for Santa this year but I am 100% not starting this trend. Its getting ridiculous. I heard of people telling their children Santa doesn't need elves to keep an eye on the really really good kids 😂😂😂 and they have an elf on the shelf at schools here to keep an eye too.

quietnightmare · 02/10/2022 09:48

Every family is different. I love doing it. I like a bit of fun and don't focus on the whole Santa is watching you I just do it as a game. Set an alarm on your phone each night if you want to do it but think you will forget.

Devo1818 · 02/10/2022 09:50

Mine are 6 and 4 - never done it and not starting now. Don't see the appeal and don't need another thing to add to our evening to do list! I feel like it's a bit of a Facebook thing, more for the adult than the child to be honest.

Confusion101 · 02/10/2022 09:59

@Devo1818 totally agree.... Absolutely nobody on social media needs to see where you put your elf, thanks! 😅

Rocketpants50 · 02/10/2022 10:00

We don't do it but have one - was given to us. Last year I just stuck it in a jar and told the children he is a naughty elf and he has to stay there until FC picks him back up. Last year FC left them a little chocolate for not letting him escape! Job done, they thought it was funny.

Quizzed · 02/10/2022 10:05

I wasn't going to do elf on the shelf but then my ds came home from school really upset that his friends had been telling him what there's had been upto and he didn't understand why he didn't get a visit from the elf. Ds knows the elf isn't real but still likes seeing what he gets up to.

quietnightmare · 02/10/2022 10:13

Confusion101 · 02/10/2022 09:59

@Devo1818 totally agree.... Absolutely nobody on social media needs to see where you put your elf, thanks! 😅

I agree I have never and never will post it on Facebook

quietnightmare · 02/10/2022 10:13

Rocketpants50 · 02/10/2022 10:00

We don't do it but have one - was given to us. Last year I just stuck it in a jar and told the children he is a naughty elf and he has to stay there until FC picks him back up. Last year FC left them a little chocolate for not letting him escape! Job done, they thought it was funny.

Genius idea!

ChicagoBears · 02/10/2022 10:14

We love it in our house, yes it can be a bit of a pain the night before but my DC get so excited waking up to the elves it makes it worth it.

summergone · 02/10/2022 10:19

My son is 9 and we started it 2 years ago , I wish I had started it earlier he was so excited every morning seeing what it had done . Seeing the excitement on his face was worth the pain in the arse that it is .

MrsHaggis · 02/10/2022 10:41

There’s loads of people who don’t do it, don’t worry. Children accept each family has different traditions around the Christmas period.

Lalalaleeloo · 02/10/2022 14:24

Rocketpants50 · 02/10/2022 10:00

We don't do it but have one - was given to us. Last year I just stuck it in a jar and told the children he is a naughty elf and he has to stay there until FC picks him back up. Last year FC left them a little chocolate for not letting him escape! Job done, they thought it was funny.

Being rewarded for keeping prisoners? I like it. Grin

ChakaKhanfan · 02/10/2022 15:50

I did it maybe three times before I ran out of ideas or the desire to do it anymore. It’s more of a decoration now.

Hoolahulahoop · 02/10/2022 15:57

Absolutely love it here
we don’t say he watches them or anything
they just find it really really funny

we have three elves and a baby elf 😂😂😂

Nadal · 02/10/2022 16:08

Never did it. Find it all a bit odd to be honest. Don't do it if you don't want to

Dinosauratemydaffodils · 02/10/2022 16:15

Kids are 7 and 4. Don't do it. All dc1's class do though and he'd like it but no chance.

mamatoTails · 02/10/2022 16:16

Never done it. Think the elf is quite scary looking.
This year I've bought an adorable Xmas mouse who will be joining us for about 2 weeks before Xmas.
He'll do some cute Christmassy things, and a few cheeky things but nothing major , just hiding in the tree, or getting locked out after returning too late from taking the xmas lists to the North Pole.

ScottyDogsForAll · 02/10/2022 16:25

We have an elf, when the kids were tiny DM got an elf on the shelf (she's American) so he comes out each year but doesn't do all the crazy stuff you see on socials. He marks the start of Christmas by sitting in the tree and delivering the advents and occasionally he'll move or hide somewhere in plain sight and dd especially loves to find him and cuddle him. He came late one Christmas when we were trying to throw out that tradition and the kids were horrified!

I wouldn't have chosen to have an elf but hes a part of our Christmas now and not too bad.

INeedNewShoes · 02/10/2022 16:26

Never done it, never will.

Whoever it is that keeps adding to parents' lists of 'must-dos' to keep the kids happy needs to fuck off.

Confusion101 · 02/10/2022 16:27

INeedNewShoes · 02/10/2022 16:26

Never done it, never will.

Whoever it is that keeps adding to parents' lists of 'must-dos' to keep the kids happy needs to fuck off.

😂😂😂 Agreed. The list has grown ridiculously since I was a kid. 😅

QuinkWashable · 02/10/2022 16:34

Nope, and I got in trouble at school because I didn't know it was a thing, and when my kids asked I said it was just the other kids parent's being silly (to a 9 year old!) and his teacher pulled me aside, and asked me to ask him not to talk about it!!!

This is a bit over the top/over-thinking in some ways, but my kids don't even like the idea of the toothfairy (they swap their teeth with money from me), and leave their stockings in the living room at Christmas. They'd honestly find the idea a bit creepy of an elf wandering around doing naughty things - let alone the fact that it would be totally counter to my normal behaviour, letting something in the house create havoc! It would be trapped and put outside immediate if it were real!

RoseMartha · 02/10/2022 16:36

I would not start it tbh. Did it when my girls were younger and it is a pain in the neck. Stopped after 2 years. Your dc can see the novelty of it when they go to Grannie's.

Gooseysgirl · 02/10/2022 16:40

I'll just leave this here...

Not doing Elf on a Shelf?
Snugglemonkey · 02/10/2022 16:53

We do it. It is about of fun and my child loves it. He doesn't spy, he just plays and does some low level mischief.