NBR: Elf on the Shelf

kellimark

We believed in Santa as kids and I incorporate Santa with DS. I don't remember my parents sitting us down saying he wasn't real or anything. I think we grew out of it?
As for elf on the shelf. At this point no but if he or my future daughter ask about him he might just appear.

longcat07

kellimark said:

We believed in Santa as kids and I incorporate Santa with DS. I don't remember my parents sitting us down saying he wasn't real or anything. I think we grew out of it? As for elf on the shelf. At this point no but if he or my future daughter ask about him he might just appear.

this.  i can't remember a moment when i realized he wasn't real or when someone told me he wasn't real.  it was just sort of a natural progression over time, nothing traumatic.

GromMom

No elf on the shelf, I have enough work to do baking cookies for Santa, putting up stockings, building toys, designing, shooting and sending out cards, making ornaments (hopefully something ds will take over once he's able). Decorating a gingerbread house I don't need to assume another job, I'm just lucky dh helps with all of this and doesn't complain as he really isn't all that into Christmas. We do enjoy going to see the lights but we aren't present people so I have to do a lot of smoke and mirrors to make it look like we got presents so for example we don't ruin Santa for my niece when we Skype.
I kind of always knew there wasn't a Santa since the handwriting was clearly my mom's and Santa always arrived in a station wagon (my town had a cool program where people volunteered to come as Santa to your home on Christmas Eve if you dropped a wrapped present of in advance). However that doesn't take away the magic of Christmas, yes Virginia there is a Santa claus.

That being said I'm 100% non religious in my Christmas celebrating. We really just celebrate beside its the thing to do and its fun for kids. I do know someone who felt really lied to and betrayed over Christmas and they're not going to say Santa is real. His argument was if you lied to me about this, what else have you lied about? Or if I'm supposed to believe in a mythical man who leaves presents, what about God and Jesus? Needless to say he does not believe in religion either.

I kind of feel bad for their kid because is fun to have some magic or traditions but their kids their rules, I'm not going to judge the parenting...plus I don't think its like they don't give presents to her, they just don't say Santa brought them. They sent out Christmas cards so its not like Ebenezer Scrooge or something :-)

sanbry

Nope. It creeps me out, plus I have too much going on to worry about posing the elf in a new way every day.

JoaPata

I am not a Elf on the Shelf person either.  I definitely don't like the naughty deeds and just rather not start the whole thing.  I like the idea of the good deed fairy..that would be something I think I would enjoy more for my kid.   Who knows, I could change my mind in a couple of years since I have absolutely no idea what it is like to be a parent yet.  :-) 

womberptyof4

Who this guy? yes we love elf on the shelf I have more fun with it that my son! I think it's a great reminder that santa (and elves) are watching.

longcat07

i say "creepy voyeur elf of accountability", but i try to present our elf to DS more as a cheerleader of sorts, there to help him keep his cool during this time when it's really exciting for him and easy for him to go off and be completely crazy and to remind him of how good he's been and to keep up the good work.  his elf is named sebastian and DS calls him his "friend".  it's actually really cute.  seb made his debut this year on by sitting on the curtain rod in the living room, and at the end of the day when we drew the curtains shut he fell over sideways.  DS told us his friend got tired and was taking a nap.  lol

Samiantha101

My mom bought one for us this year. It's not really difficult for me to move her to a different spot once in the evening. I don't do anything Pinterest-y with it though.

I don't really understand why it's "creepy." Maybe it's a trend as much as is it to display the elf as it is to say it's creepy?

Anyways, we don't have much family, and we have zero family holiday traditions to pass on. I'm not super creative in that realm of things, so I'll try it out.

longcat07

grumpycat88 said:

Samiantha101 said:

My mom bought one for us this year. It's not really difficult for me to move her to a different spot once in the evening. I don't do anything Pinterest-y with it though. I don't really understand why it's "creepy." Maybe it's a trend as much as is it to display the elf as it is to say it's creepy? Anyways, we don't have much family, and we have zero family holiday traditions to pass on. I'm not super creative in that realm of things, so I'll try it out.

For me, it's his/her little clown like face, something with the eyes also. I think clowns are creepy.

For those that don't think it's creepy, here's a Buzzfeed article with ideas for each night! clicky 

i totally think he's creepy, but i kind of delight in the creep-factor.  especially since DS doesn't find it creepy and thinks it's fun.

HeidinNate

I'm a FTM and plan to use elf on the shelf. I use it in my classroom and think it's really fun for the kids. I enjoy it too!

MNgirl326

no elf here-  

I don't have time to deal with it, plus i try and keep the santa thing to a minimum.  DS still experiences the magic of christmas and santa, but i don't use santa as a "better be good or else" tool.

In our house, as was when i was growing up, parents give the big presents and santa brings the little things.  

Last year DS santa had a small lego set, some hotwheels cars, some candy, underwear, a few books and a baseball mitt and a few other small things i can't remember. DS was thrilled.  He was most excited over the new underwear.  LOL.  

He is very excited for christmas this year, and if I can keep the magic going without having to worry about moving an elf every night, then i am cool with that.  

MNgirl326

longcat07 said:

kellimark said:

We believed in Santa as kids and I incorporate Santa with DS. I don't remember my parents sitting us down saying he wasn't real or anything. I think we grew out of it? As for elf on the shelf. At this point no but if he or my future daughter ask about him he might just appear.

this.  i can't remember a moment when i realized he wasn't real or when someone told me he wasn't real.  it was just sort of a natural progression over time, nothing traumatic.

I 100% remember when I figured out santa wasn't real.  My mom had sent me upstairs to get something from her closet, a sweatshirt or something.  The sweatshirt fell off the shelf and onto a bag as I was getting it .  I picked up the bag and saw some things inside.  I didn't really think much of it at the time. But come chirstmas morning, all of those items were there in my stocking.  

i remember thinking, "oh, i get it"  Santa isn't real.  

But, at the same time, Santa wasn't made into this HUGE deal for us.  He brought "Stocking Stuffer" type gifts and kept things simple.  So to find out he wasn't real, wasn't the end of the world.

My neice and nephew on the other hand- Santa brought the big gifts, American Girl dolls, Ipads, baseball helmets, sleds, bikes, etc.   When they found out about santa, they were DEVASTATED.   

To each their own, figure out what works best for you and your family and go with that.  

moonfaerie

I didn't hear about the elf until I was an adult, when one of my friends started doing it with her kids, who are a few years older than mine. She mentioned to me that one of her kids wondered why there were so many elves at the grocery store, when they're all supposed to go back to the North Pole. So in addition to not wanting to make extra work for myself, I don't want to have to explain why every store sells the elf, when it supposedly is real and lives with Santa.

If for some reason I did start doing Elf, I wouldn't have it be naughty. I don't need to make more messes that I have to clean up!

moonfaerie

Oh and I also figured out that Santa wasn't real by noticing that he had my mom's handwriting.

For this reason, I write labels from Santa with my opposite hand for now. I keep saying I will start typing the labels, but have yet to do so. Maybe this year!

elleswarth

December 1st in the morning! Here we goooo!

efujan

No elf on a shelf here - I personally think that little elf is kinda creepy . . .

Before DS was born, I actually bought a stuffed mouse from Kohl's (from if you give a mouse a cookie) and gave it to DH, kind of as a joke for Christmas, but DH named him Rhino & turned him into our little family mascot.  We actually did a lot of the silly stuff with Rhino like people do with their elf, so with DS, if we want to get into that elf mode, we'll use our little stuffed mouse instead.  Maybe Rhino will get a little note from the North Pole "deputizing" him as an honorary elf once DS gets old enough to get into that sort of thing.