Elf on the Shelf

JAP09-02 · November 2014

This year I'm trying to plan ahead rather than figure something out the night before. So go ahead and throw me your best ideas.

My favorite from last year: I cut out a bunch of paper snowflakes and hung them from the ceiling. I think I kept them and will just add to it this year.

New idea for this year: DD1 loves the movie Elf (ok, so do I). I'm think about recreating the scene where Buddy makes breakfast. I'll make some spaghetti and top it with candy and syrup.

I've seen a lot on Pinterest but wonder if you guys might have some original ideas.

kurban627 · November 2014

I am totally not creative enough for this. I would recommend pinterest. I pin a lot of things and do none of them. Pining makes me feel crafty though.

bsdub · November 2014

I can't wait to have a kiddo to do this with!!

ihatetomatoes · November 2014

We left this for my mom last year.

meganbethg · November 2014

Haha I love the naughty/adult ideas more than the kid ones. Figured we'd all get a good laugh out of this one!

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

I hate elf on the shelf. And I love all things Christmas. But I think the elf needs to die.

AshleighK305 · November 2014

We will use Elf this year again, IF I can find the damn thing lol! I have gone to pinterest to find the cute ideas.

jobotrobot · November 2014

redneckmomma25 said:

I hate elf on the shelf. And I love all things Christmas. But I think the elf needs to die.

Hate is a strong word for me but I'm not a fan. I don't care for all the pictures flooding my IG and how my friends stress out trying to find new ways for the Elf and all that BS

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

jobotrobot said:

redneckmomma25 said:

I hate elf on the shelf. And I love all things Christmas. But I think the elf needs to die.

Hate is a strong word for me but I'm not a fan. I don't care for all the pictures flooding my IG and how my friends stress out trying to find new ways for the Elf and all that BS

I guess hate is a strong work...I really strongly dislike them with some passion behind it.

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

souptin said:

Lilzeezee said:

redneckmomma25 said:

I hate elf on the shelf. And I love all things Christmas. But I think the elf needs to die.

YES! I was going to save that for the next UO, but I hate that damn elf. And nothing gets me riled quicker than when people try to say it's a "tradition". It's not a tradition. It's a cleverly marketed toy.

I mean, I think it's fine if folks want to do it, and think it's fun. You do you. But as for me, there's no way I'm bringing that creepy faced little gremlin into my home.

is it an American thing? I've never heard of it before.

There are some Canadian bumpies that do it. I think it is a recent thing. Past couple years. There is also Christopher Poppins who is slightly less creepy and now there are nice elves too.

anna&jl2011 · November 2014

This will be my first year doing the elf on the shelf thing. I've been getting ideas off pinterest because I'm not creative enough to come up with my own.

catlover790 · November 2014

I like the idea of it because it seems like kids would have fun finding the elf. However, the elf doll is super creepy looking!! Couldn't they make a cuter doll?

DixieNormous330 · November 2014

I hate Elf On The Shelf. Mench On The Bench is equally (if not worse) as bad. Seriously, there are better ways to get your kids to behave.

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

This is always a major UO and maybe I will discuss sometimes before Christmas but we don't do Santa for various reasons and I'm not anti Santa or anything. Just not for us. So I'm definitely not doing Elf on a Shelf. We do a daily advent which I will try and make fun and exciting along with books.

Suesse2009 · November 2014

I am not a fan of Elf on a Shelf and we will not get one. My daughter already freaks out if people tell her Santa will be coming to our house so I am sure she would freak out if there was an Elf here all the time. Last year I told her my husband was going to meet Santa to get the presents he had for her when people mentioned it to her. She has books with Santa in them and she is fine with that. Otherwise we don't really talk about him and I don't even label any presents as being from Santa. Not sure what we will do as she gets older.

Swanigam · November 2014

I really hope we never end up with the elf at our house. I can see it being useful for kids who don't behave well as the elf is supposed to report back to Santa and let him know if they're being naughty, but I don't want to waste my time trying to remember to move him or mess with the clever positions! Though I feel like if enough people start doing it my daughter will wonder why the elf doesn't visit her? So dumb.

redneckmomma25 · November 2014

mbm1983 said:

redneckmomma25 said:

This is always a major UO and maybe I will discuss sometimes before Christmas but we don't do Santa for various reasons and I'm not anti Santa or anything. Just not for us. So I'm definitely not doing Elf on a Shelf. We do a daily advent which I will try and make fun and exciting along with books.

we don't really do santa either. if we see him at the mall we'll go "look it's santa!" but my daughter doesn't really care at this point. My hubby was raised JW so we barely even decorate for the holidays. i'm not religious so the holidays to me are just days off to spend with family and eat.

I've been toying with the idea of an advent calendar and putting dollar store toys in there. I do love Christmastime and i think it'd be a fun thing for her to look forward to when it's too cold to go play outside in December. I also see it is a great nap bribe. we've had to result to bribe's a lot with naps lately!

We do focus on the religious aspect of Christmas. But I'm not against Santa because I only want to focus on the birth of Christ. It's not like that. Just lots of other reasons and things that make me not want to do Santa.

JAP09-02 · November 2014

Ha, guess I'm one of the few that likes it. We were gifted our elf from my uncle and my girls love it. I suppose that's why I don't really mind putting in the effort. It is worth it to see the smile on their faces. Sometimes ours does big things, like I mentioned above, and sometimes she just kind of hides. I may also be doing wrong because I don't really use it as a tool to get them to behave. It's just silly fun. To each his own I guess, but I will say my girls will/do definitely know the real reason for the season.

MagalinaH · November 2014

I honestly don't get the elf on a shelf craze. I think it's fine if other people want to do it and have fun with it, but it won't be happening in our house.

Once again, if the GIF fits...

rosemama116 · November 2014

I hate Elf on the Shelf, and I told DH's family repeatedly how I felt, and SIL still bought one for us. So I'll half ass it.

theinvadermothership · November 2014

I more like the idea of having a Xmas specific toy like an elf and hiding it around the house. Just for fun, not bc its going to report back to Santa and tell them what awful kids you were. I just think maybe if you did it either the 12 days of Xmas or maybe on St. Nick's Day to Xmas (like St. Nick dropped it off for a fun time until Xmas, and it didappears xmas morning, maybe leaves a note that says it's been fun playing, see you next year!). I think making it fun, no additional treats, no threats, just a fun, low key xmas tradition for the kids.

But elf on the shelf is quite possibly one of the creepiest toys out there, probably next to the current Baby Alives...

Eta: i didn't finish my thought.

AshleighK305 · November 2014

I just want to add that our elf isn't used as a tool for behavior. I think it's silly to think we should make our children behave for one month out of the year because of "Santa" when, let's face it, nobody talks about him any other month other than when it gets close to Christmas. My only reason for getting our elf was that my son had too many friends with one and began asking why no elves came to his house. It also has nothing to do with needing to prove anything as a mother to anyone else either, other than my children. I didn't even do anything crafty with him last year other than move him from coat racks, to the Christmas tree, and to other various things he could hang off of lol. I am going to try to put forth more effort this year though, but we'll see how it works out!

Suesse2009 · November 2014

snegde said:

Can someone with children explain how the elf reports to Santa if the kid Is being good but then pulls pranks and is bad himself? He doesn't seem like a good role model or employee. That's the part I don't get. Is the elf bad in the book? Neither of my sisters pushed Santa and when my one niece was two she was convinced there was a Christmas snowman that brought all the presents and would get super excited about any and all snowmen.

Yeah that is something I don't get either. People tell their kids that the elf will tell Santa if they are bad and they need to be good to get presents but then the elf misbehaves.

Disneygeek77 · November 2014

We mostly just move the Elf around the house each night and let the kids look for her. One time she did play baseball with our gingerbread decorations.

Duffgurl · November 2014

No elf on the shelf here although I am not opposed to it. I do want to make DS a Felt Christmas tree to decorate

.

amandamarie2 · November 2014

Add me to the Elf on the Shelf is creepy camp. It also seems like a lot of effort that I don't really feel like putting in for something I couldn't care less about. We'll focus on other traditions instead.

JJBoden · November 2014

I'm in the 7th year of having an elf... And I am so over it. My kids love it, I think it's a huge PITA!

topaz7777 · November 2014

No elf on a shelf in my house, and if someone buys it for me I'm throwing it away. I've had to be pretty clear with DH's family because each year someone asks me if they can get me one. Not happening.

trlricha · November 2014

I am not a huge fan of it either, but I am tempted to do it maybe starting next year just because so many kids in my class have them and LOVE them. Last year I had a few girls that would come in every day and excitedly tell me what their elf had been up to the previous night. And kids have already started talking about their elves this year and how excited they are. It's cute. I'm a sucker for happy kids.

NaughtyNiner · November 2014

No creepy elves at our house either. Why would I want more work than what I already have to do as a mom during Christmas?! No thank you.

We DO have an advent calendar, which was always my favorite Christmad tradition as a kid. I've even finding cute dollar store items to fill it with, and half of it is Halloween candy I wrapped up since my kids won't know the difference. I've been looking for the perfect advent calendar, and just got one online at The Land of Nod. So so so cute!!! Just in case anyone else is looking.

Newbostonmomma · November 2014

I can not wait to do The Elf on the Shelf with my son this year!!!! (bought it in the after christamas target sale last year) and I think he is finally old enough to get it

JAP09-02 · November 2014

snegde said:

Also my friend does the Christmas book idea and wraps up 24 Christmas/winter books and they read a new one each day from dec 1-24. You use basically the same books every year but only pull them out at Christmas making it special.

I plan on doing that this year too! I saw it last year, but never got around to it.

Ashgal · November 2014

I second(third or fourth) checking out Pinterest for ideas. I even have an Elf on the Shelf board with tons of ideas. My oldest son LOVES Elf on the Shelf. My favorite one was where I hung underwear on all the stocking holders and had Elf use a dry erase marker to make mustaches on all our pictures in picture frames. My son thought that was pretty funny.

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