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?

We don't have a physical elf on the shelf. But elves do drop off the advent calendar and restock the Christmas tree with candy canes. Only when we're all out though. We've never seen them! 😉

Do you actually see it a lot on social media nowadays though? I’d be interested how much you see in the next few weeks. We do the elf (but they’ve never made it to our social media) and I rarely see anything about elf on the shelf on FB or Instagram even though I know a few other people who do it.

Not sure whether it’s all over people’s algorithms because of what they’re looking at or whether people just say ‘it’s for social media’ as a way of putting it down?

I wish they had my address!

“We don’t have an elf”. That sort of covers it really. Don’t get caught up in that shit…..my DDs school does an elf so she gets it there but she doesn’t buy into it either

I see it mainly on Facebook from people I know who for some reason think that the adults they know will be interested to see what naughty things the Elf in their house is getting up to. It’s bizarre.

OP this is a relatively new fad. You don’t have to jump on every social media trend going. How do you think families made it ‘magical’ before the stupid sodding elf made its crappy appearance??

Make your own magical moments…don’t be a fad follower.

(I wish someone would stamp on the sodding elf…it’s a menace!)

My fellow mums at playgroup all started doing it, but I didn’t.
I couldn’t quite work out why I’d want to make my house more messy, when it was difficult enough keeping on top of things, plus it’s a waste of time and energy, and plain awful.

I agree these people were merely trying to out do each other and post about it on social media too.

They also went to many many expensive Christmas festivities too, I felt a little mean not doing this too, but it hardly makes it special and is very expensive.

She won’t be the only one! We do Santa but no elf. My kids have seen the movies for the elf and so they just recognize the characters if we see them out. My 4 1/2yr old has already grasped they are fake (children aren’t silly and we have never told him it’s not real, he can just clearly see it’s a doll). We still do advent calendars and lots of fun Christmas stuff but the elf is an absolutely not for me. Seems like a faff for not great payoff. I also think some people go way to far and I’m trying to encourage good behaviour in my kids, I don’t need a shitty elf ‘emptying toothpaste bottles’ or ‘’pulling all the loo roll out’ like I’ve seen people post. The rules are also it loses magic if it’s touched and I know my eldest would have a meltdown as he is very sensory seeking and would probably touch it then panic about it being dead or losing magic 🤣 By far my biggest reason is they are UGLY. My kids have the fox from the films 🤣

We are very careful about locking the doors and windows so he can’t get in.

Meh. My friends grandkids are elf age (4, 6, 8) and none of them have mentioned it. In fact my step nieces/nephews are all near that age and I don’t think any of them do it. Maybe it’s had its day.

I never had to tell them anything. They didn't believe the elf was real magic like FC. I actually think if you over egg all the make believe stuff, they are more likely to figure it out sooner. Simple is best.

I got my son the elf when he was 3,we named him and played one year, and he lost interest after that. The eld does go under the tree in his special sledge next to Santa though.

What’s the elf thing?

So many say they spy

ours doesn’t

just plays hide

Oh I had a kid who asked me this on Friday (he's been round a lot and is comfy with us). He asked if our elf had arrived yet 😅 I said we hadn't filled in the paperwork so we don't get an elf. My oldest is year 2 (this was his friend), and we have a lot of magic including a year round fairy (with her own door) who visits when people are v v good / having a hard time / surgery - but i cant guarantee 24 straight days of post bed time perfection with 2 littles who dont sleep alone (health) so im not putting the pressure on me and dh so as not to kill the magic!

Wow, you should change your username

Father Christmas is no more real than an elf

We do super low key elf. MIL bought him so we have to go along - but he just moves location every night. No pranks or elaborate set up, and he also forgets to move every fifth night or so. They still like him.

I told my kids only the houses of naughty children have elves.

I guess that’s down to who you’ve chosen to be friends with. Just mute them for December, you’re in control of your own social
media. I have a number of friends who have elves but don’t post it online. Just because people in your circle do it for social media likes doesn’t make it universal.

we saw this in the supermarket last year, sums it up really. Commercial tat with creepy faces and yet more work for parents at an already busy time of the year. Just another keeping up with the joneses online fad. Don’t get into it.

Elves didn't exist when my daughter was young - we would definitely not have had them. Creepy little f*ers. Also didn't promote belief in 'father christmas'. She's now in 30's and says she's glad we never lied to her and it didn't spoil christmas at all.

Don't do it!!! It'll be a right faff. Don't start it. Just never mention it. I've got a 7yr old and a 10yr old and we don't have an elf. It's never been a issue. My eldest sometimes asks if we can get one but I just say 'no we don't need an Elf'. And she just shrugs. It's no big deal.

My eldest hasn’t asked for one and didn’t like it when the teacher did in reception a few years ago, she hates practical jokes. The younger one saw the elf crap in a shop recently and looked a bit freaked out, the whole thing is naff and creepy.

They’re not that keen on Father Christmas, I am but I’m following their lead and it’s a limited part of festivities here. When she was 2 DD refused to touch her stocking until we said the gifts were actually from us. She’s just never been into it despite the many Christmassy books we have. She is adamant the tooth fairy is legit and she likes fairies and has plenty of magic in her head but not much involving Christmas.

'We don't do the elf'.

If I'm particularly on it they get one of my chats about late stage capitalism and unpaid feminised labour.