Elf on a shelf. Anyone else not doing it?

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Please tell me I'm not the only one not doing this bastard Elf on a bloody shelf?

I feel like parents around me are doing them with amazing balloons, advent calendars , cupcakes!

Each to their own but I feel so guilty for not doing it now. But I'm finding every year it's something new and to be quite frank I cannot be arsed!

There is another thread on here discussing elf on a shelf positively which I just think each to their own,

One did comment and say it's only a few seconds a day to move the elf.

Actually it's the mental load isn't it, not the physical act of moving it. It's remembering, coming up with a new spot and keeping on top of another huge December list, I.e remembering to open advent calendars, buying Xmas jumpers, nativity costumes, getting the kids booked to see Santa, buying and wrapping presents, on top of work kids and normal life! It's just one less thing that I want to deal with!

No elf residing in our home. A couple of years ago DD2 discovered elf on the shelf courtesy of her friend.

Her immediate response was one of concern "Do we have to have a creepy naughty elf living with us?"

She validated our lack of participation in the one-up-man-ship of elf shenanigans quite beautifully.

My baby is too young but I'll do it when he's older. My husband's nieces and nephews absolutely love it.

I don't even have a clue what it is.

No I find it another weird thing that appeared for social media posts like Christmas Eve boxes & 1st of December presents.

What actually does it involve? So many weird things have been invented to part suckers from their money in recent years. Like Christmas Eve boxes etc.

"Santa's male, mum does all the work. Elf is male (well most of them), mum does all the work. I suppose with Jesus, Mary did most of the work. At least the wise men (who may not actually all have been male) bring presents."

This ^

@MrsTerryPratchett I bet the Wise Men's wives bought the presents!

I was sorely tempted this year as my youngest (4) would LOVE it. I looked up kits you could get to save the work too. But I know once you start you have to keep going.

@MrsTerryPratchett I bet the Wise Men's wives bought the presents

😂

I’m not. It sounds a bit mad.

No elf here. Someone bought us a plushy one. I refused to be involved. DS1 began moving it surreptitiously, ds2 told DD it was "evil" DD became terrified of elf so I banished it to the bin.

At least, I think it was ds1 moving it

@Macaroni46

"Santa's male, mum does all the work. Elf is male (well most of them), mum does all the work. I suppose with Jesus, Mary did most of the work. At least the wise men (who may not actually all have been male) bring presents."

This ^

@MrsTerryPratchett I bet the Wise Men's wives bought the presents!

"AIBU to think Melchior could have gone to the bloody myrrh shop himself. Lazy bastard."

Only on Mumsnet do you ever hear about the “mental load”. What a lot of nonsense! It’s called having a life- everyone has a “mental load”, only people on mumsnet seem to complain about it though!!!

It’s part of living!

I haven’t done it but if I did I think I’d just do really easy version like literally just putting the elf in different places each day. I’m sure that’s what it started out as but it’s gotten a bit out of control!

@ChristmasKrackers

Only on Mumsnet do you ever hear about the “mental load”. What a lot of nonsense! It’s called having a life- everyone has a “mental load”, only people on mumsnet seem to complain about it though!!!

It’s part of living!

www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210518-the-hidden-load-how-thinking-of-everything-holds-mums-back

amp.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/26/gender-wars-household-chores-comic

@Bouledeneige

What actually does it involve? So many weird things have been invented to part suckers from their money in recent years. Like Christmas Eve boxes etc.

Yes! I saw someone do an ‘advent’ box this year…. Like an Xmas eve box but on Dec 1…. Noooo I hope this doesn’t become a thing!! Tbf it basically contained all things that you’d probably buy over the month and give them anyway but I still hope it doesn’t become a thing.

No, when it first came about over here a few years ago I remember thinking ‘that will never take off, sounds too creepy and scary!’ which was obviously totally wrong!

I do like seeing the pictures on Facebook from friends and family member with their elves and know that some kids absolutely love it, I would have found it really scary as a child.

@Bouledeneige

What actually does it involve? So many weird things have been invented to part suckers from their money in recent years. Like Christmas Eve boxes etc.

A little toy elf appears in the house on December 1st, supposedly sent by Santa to sit on a shelf and watch over the kids to ensure good behaviour until Christmas Day. The idea is that it stays still and silent during waking hours but comes to life at night when everyone is asleep. Parents therefore move the elf somewhere else once the kids are asleep, or set up little creative scenarios with the elf, for them to see when they wake in the morning.

No elf here. Totally not our thing for a variety of reasons. You're more likely to find us making bird feeders or planting spring bulbs for our advent activities!

I'm so glad my children are older now, when did this start to be a compulsory thing that people are worried that they aren't doing it?

It's a load of nonsense, do what you like

We are not doing it and I can almost guarantee that those who are, are doing so purely for the Instagram likes.

No. Dont do xmas eve boxes either.

@TooBigForMyBoots

I don't do it, like you can't be arsed. I have enough to do in December.

This is where I am coming from Also another annoying over commercial Americanism

Some botox, a boob job, nails and eyebrows booked in for elf this year.