Elf on the shelf

KMck27 · November 2013

For those who use this, when did you introduce it? Our nieces and nephews all believe their elves are real. Do you think they will question why our LO doesn't have an elf? I don't want to hinder their belief in something "magical" but don't want to invest in one for now.

LokiLahve · November 2013

I bought one last year in fear they wouldn't be selling them in a few years when LO can start to enjoy it, lol.
My friends son asked where our elf was last year...your nieces & nephews may ask. I'm sure you could make something up on the fly about babies elves only stop in every few days or something along those lines.

BlueJewelM · November 2013

I'll tell my children only bad kids get elves sent to spy on them....

Lol. Elf on a shelf seems like a lot of work. I'm not sure if I will do it next year (ds1 will be 3). I'm not sure if I'll find putting the elf in different poses/places fun or annoying.

I would think 3 would be a good age though. My 2 year old wouldn't quite grasp the whole thing yet.

MagPie 1986 · November 2013

I'm gonna snowball on this thread (hopefully, not hijack...that's not my intention) but can someone tell me how this whole elf on the shelf thing started?

Is this just a Christmas "trend" that will fade away in a couple of years? I really don't think Christmas needs another fictional character that deals with presents.

KMck27 · November 2013

@lokilahve lol true I probably could come up with something. I don't think they are going anywhere...I heard they are coming out with an elf for birthdays..not sure how that is going to work.

@bluejewelm good thinking haha and it does seen like a lot of work. I think having to remember to move it would be the hardest part! I know there are Pinterest boards dedicated to the elf alone lol

LokiLahve · November 2013

@magpie1986 I think it was a retail thing, something new a marketer thought up (someone correct me if I'm wrong on this assumption).
It may be a fad...I don't care. I love the idea of kids having their own personal elf. I may alter the 'reason' the elf comes...maybe not to report back to Santa and be tied to presents, but to help celebrate the magic of Christmas in general.

sparks4stp · November 2013

I think some mom started it with her kids and then wrote a book about it? I could be wrong though.

MagPie 1986 · November 2013

Ok, that's what I was thinking...a marketing ploy or something recently thought up. I was just making sure there wasn't a movie or song that I was oblivious to.

LokiLahve · November 2013

I'm all about a Christmas elf but wth, a birthday elf?!
I won't be doing that one if it's true. I brought LO into this world, mommy is her birthday elf damn it.

mommabmb · November 2013

That thing makes my skin crawl.

Revez · November 2013

msspeedymarie said:

mommabmb said:

That thing makes my skin crawl.

Me too! I'm glad I'm not the only one. My H thinks I'm a grinch.

Same here. It's the stuff my childhood nightmares were made of. Freaky elf doll that watches me why I sleep? That's ok, thanks.

mommabmb · November 2013

Zever000 said:

msspeedymarie said:

mommabmb said:

That thing makes my skin crawl.

Me too! I'm glad I'm not the only one. My H thinks I'm a grinch.

Same here. It's the stuff my childhood nightmares were made of. Freaky elf doll that watches me why I sleep? That's ok, thanks.

I still struggle with "a strange fat man comes down the chimney to eat cookies and leave presents you asked for at the mall"... My anxiety cant handle "a small elf that watches you and moves around your house at night"....

BlueJewelM · November 2013

There's a tumblr blog of elves doing freaky things. It's funny. And a little creepy. And genius.

KMck27 · November 2013

https://santasstore.myshopify.com/collections/new-items/products/a-birthday-tradition-box-set

The birthday elf. Apparently the child is supposed to invite the elf down for their birthday....I'm not sold on this one.

carrotcake06 · November 2013

No elves in this house.

TeacherMom210 · November 2013

sparks4stp said:

I think some mom started it with her kids and then wrote a book about it? I could be wrong though.

Yes, this is how it started. Now CBS is doing some sort of animated special about it as well.

I bought one this year and plan to start it now, but H and I are suckers for Christmas. For me, it's sort of an extension of what my mom used to do to my sister and I. As we got closer to Christmas, she'd tell us that the elves were watching, and sometimes she'd even move the curtains so we saw them move but didn't see her hand.

Kids definitely notice when things are different. My cousins grew up not believing in Santa Claus, and my sister and I wondered why they didn't get presents from Santa when we did. I'd come up with a reason if your niece and nephew ask about your LO's elf.

LokiLahve · November 2013

@teachermom210 I feel the same about the elf being a kind of extension...it's like an elaboration on what my mom did with us.
I'm also a huge sucker for Christmas. Last year I even staged a few elf appearances at my work since I didn't have kids at home to play with...yep, not ashamed.

TeacherMom210 · November 2013

@LokiLahve My mom would go all out. She would even climb up to the attic and make scratching noises on the floor boards so my sister and I would think the reindeer were on the roof and we'd go to sleep (well, or at least pretend to).

FeetFirst · November 2013

We started it last year with DS at 2.5. He totally " got" Christmas last year. Understood Santa and all that jazz. It was sooo much fun to play the magical game.

Our elf does nothing fun. He literally sits on the shelf. If my kids ask about it I will make him love around. But I knew I would not have energy to do all those games so did not start it. My son still understood the idea. It homes with a book that explains. There is a movie now too.

Leosmom13 · November 2013

We don't have that here and I've never heard of it, so I googled it............that thing is sooooo creepy!gives me the heeby geebies!

BelhurstBride · November 2013

Last year DD1 noticed the one at her cousin's, so we started it then. I think DH was more into it than she. I think she'll be more excited about it this year.

LokiLahve · November 2013

For those who plan to play elf on the shelf, maybe we can have a weekly post sharing how your elf visited throughout that week? Then, if you are running low on ideas later in dec, you can pull from one of the threads.

KMck27 · November 2013

Thanks ladies! I think I am just going to invest in one. I planned on getting one eventually. I might as well just grab one now.

@lokilahve I think that's a great idea!!

Marvel1013 · November 2013

I saw one at the store today... I was soooooo tempted but am still not 100% sure about it. I don't find it creepy at all.. I would love to come up with funny ideas for DS.. Hmmmm, I might have to go back..

BlueJewelM · November 2013

If I get one it will have to be a girl elf. That way for one month out of the year I'll have another chick in the house.

Soleil3 · November 2013

We started last year at 3 and 4. They liked it well enough.

MynaBird · November 2013

msspeedymarie said:

mommabmb said:

That thing makes my skin crawl.

Me too! I'm glad I'm not the only one. My H thinks I'm a grinch.

I'm in the elf-is-creepy camp. If she asks about it when she gets older, I'll just tell her what I plan to tell her anytime anything like this comes up: Because Daddy is Jewish.

Lovehavinggirls · November 2013

I'm going to start it this year with DD1 she is 2. I'm not going to have the elf of bad things though I'll just hid it in different spots and read the book with her. She understands the whole Santa thing. We actually spoke to him at the mall the other day and she hasn't stopped talking about it. She asked him for a radio without me even asking her to tell himwhat she wanted. Now for me to find a radio with a microphone.

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