Anyone who doesn't do the elf thing, what do you tell your kids?

[YouLookLikeStevieNicks]

DD is only 2 so I don't really need to worry about this just yet.

But a friend said to me today "ooh she will be old enough for an elf next year" and it hit me that I really don't want to do it. I can't even explain why, I love christmas and I want to make it as magical as possible for her, but I really don't want a bloody elf!

Is it a really big deal these days? Will she be the only one in school without one?

I havent done it. I dont need an elf to discipline my kids, can do it myself

My eldest is 6 and she’s never asked.

If she does ask, I’ll obfuscate with some nonsense about the elf not needing to visit our house because she’s already on Santa’s good list. But if she doesn’t believe that and keeps asking, I will just tell her the truth. Because I am absolutely not doing it.

Mine are 7 and 8 and have never mentioned the elf. Are they that ubiquitous??

My instinct is to say fuck that, seems like another lot of admin - but I guess if they were really desperate and loved looking for it is probably cave. Happily this hasn't happened yet!

Well yes, that's true ☺️ I think my children are a bit oblivious to that!

The elf concept tends to wind some people up- I don't think it really matters.

I love Christmas but I’m never getting sucked into the elf on the shelf nonsense. I’ve got three DC aged 5 and under. The eldest has never asked about it but if he does I’m planning to say Santa knows he’s bc a good boy so doesn’t need to send an elf to watch him.

If he got upset about not having it I would probably cave put plan to hold out as long as I can.

Brilliant, I will say this if dc ever brings it up again. I did tell them Santa isn't real a few months ago. They are Y3. They went 'so you are the magic then mummy, not santa'?

Yes darling, that's right. Mummy magic. Who else?

I told them I wasn’t letting one of those haunted dolls into my house.

No one I know has elves that spy on kids. Just get moved every night, not doing anything messy, extravagant etc, just a bit of silly fun.

Some people do it, some don’t. I think many folk on MN see elf posts on Instagram and 100% believe that everyone goes OTT with it.

I’d just say he doesn’t go to every house.

We just said that the elves only need to watch naughty kids

I told them the cat would eat it…

Isn't this a bit mean?

We had a simple tiny ‘fairy’ door - stuck still to the wall some 20 years later. Added a little glitter occasionally around the floor.

Never needed an elf on the shelf as we had a door that they could pop in and out. Kept my life very simple and it gives me a smile as the door hasn’t been in service for at least 7 years but both girls don’t want to remove it…and neither does my husband in case it damages the plaster!

Luckily my DC are teens and elf on the shelf wasnt really a thing when they were in primary. I just feel like its yet another thing to add to the already hectic pre-xmas to do list. Im sure I'd get to 11.25pm and start to feel really resentful of the bloody thing by 3rd Dec

That I can't be arsed.

That's inspired 🤣

Yep 100% believe you that your children said those exact words…..

We had an elf one year which my husband wanted, and swore he would be responsible for, no surprises he forgot to move it a few times and the kids were really disappointed. We didn’t do it again after that. I cannot add it to my list of jobs, he knew that, I do a lovely advent calendar for them, which you can sort in advance.
once you start with an elf it is a big commitment, but if you enjoy that sort of thing, go for it.

My eldest DC asks every year and I say no. They did bring one back from their grandparents once, it got sent back to the north pole never to return! I just said I can't be bothered dealing with a naughty elf so I don't want one!
Oddly my DC is on the older side for believing but hasn't made any connection with seeing elves in shops and the fact they aren't real 🤔

I have someone on my Facebook who posts her elf’s antics on Facebook, daily in December. I have to snooze her. Her kids are 12 so I’m baffled as to why.

i don’t even know why I hate the elf so much 😆 I think it’s just that it used to be nice for families to have their own little traditions and now everyone is expected to do everything and it’s all gone a bit ridiculous. And people post about it on Facebook as if it is actually a real elf which I find bizarre.

Everyone and I mean everyone who does elf on the shelf starts moaning about the pranks as it’s a lot to do over advent so they don’t do them and just move the toy round the house. But what’s magical or Christmassy about a toy moving round the house of its own accord when you’re asleep? Nothing that’s what. It’s a plot point from a horror film at best.

I love magic and fantasy and Christmas cheer and elf on the shelf is none of that.

They didn't ask until the school classroom had an elf. We just said that we didn't need an elf and they didn't question it.

I wouldn't want them to say anything to upset friends who DO have elves so just kept it simple.

I just told my kids I have too much to do already to do an elf as well 😂

Oh I'm so glad I posted this, you've all made me feel like I'm not a miserable cow after all!

@TiredofLDN I think that's exactly it. Christmas was magical when I was a kid, but I didn't have an elf or a balloon and cupcake delivery on 1st December to mark it's arrival. It is all Instagram bollocks and I just don't want to get sucked in to it

I have someone who does the same, maybe that's why I hate it so much!