Elf on the Shelf - Am I the only one who thinks it's a little creepy?

[Heather in OK]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ78McxRI6w

 

I know what you're supposed to do with it and all...but...I just don't get it. It's all just really creepy and weird to me. *shrug*

[Miss Sherry]

"The elf on the shelf is watching you..." Ewwwwww :001_huh::blink:

 

Well, I suppose you need to have some fond childhood memories or fun memories with your own children attached to the elf to appreciate it. But I don't so I just find it creepy. Maybe that's how people view the whole Santa Clause thing if they don't have fond Christmas memories attached to him.

[Miss Peregrine]

I wouldn't be able to sleep.

[JessReplanted]

I don't necessarily think it's creepy, but I do think that it is way too much "Santa". I would much rather focus on Advent and talk about Jesus every day than talk about an elf that is 'watching you'. :001_huh:

[LaissezFaire]

I do think it's creepy but I warn you...I posted about it on facebook today and nearly incited a riot. Apparently people are very protective about their elves.

[Forget-Me-Not]

I don't necessarily think it's creepy, but I do think that it is way too much "Santa". I would much rather focus on Advent and talk about Jesus every day than talk about an elf that is 'watching you'. :001_huh:

 

:iagree: We do Santa here, but we try to keep him a very MINOR part of the whole Christmas celebration.

 

A Facebook friend of mine is doing Elf on the Shelf with her kids and her very frequent posts about Lucky the Elf are starting to drive me a little batty. She might be relegated to my hide list for a while.

[JessReplanted]

:iagree: We do Santa here, but we try to keep him a very MINOR part of the whole Christmas celebration.

 

We do Santa too. (I love Santa Claus!) But in the big picture, we try to keep his role small.

[Corraleno]

Yes, I think it's creepy. I think the youtube video of the Elf on the Shelf commercial re-scored with Sting's Every Breath You Take is funny, though. :lol:

 

I have vivid memories of my mother using Santa to blackmail me every year starting in about August...

 

"Santa knows you didn't make your bed this morning — I bet you won't get any presents."

"If you don't unload the dishwasher right now, Santa's going to put a black checkmark by your name and you won't get any presents."

"Yes, you have to eat all your green beans, I don't care if they're cold and mushy — Santa knows you're not eating your dinner, so you won't get any presents."

 

You can imagine how I felt when I finally got her to admit that Santa wasn't real. :glare:

 

Jackie

Edited December 7, 2010 by Corraleno
typo

[myfunnybunch]

I just think it sounds like a huge pain to remember to move the elf every night. I can't even remember the tooth fairy, and she only comes once in a while!

 

Cat

[MaMa2005]

We tried the Elf the Christmas that DS was 2. He didn't buy it - figured out that there wasn't a Santa Claus and thus, the Elf was history before it even got started.

 

This Christmas DS is 5 and doesn't even want any sort of decorations with Santa on it :confused: . We've tried to explain the spirit of Christmas and he gets that, but Santa and the Elf - no way. Talk about running interference when his friends start talking about the Elf :svengo:,

[freethinkermama]

HAHAHAHA!

 

Oh, my! I see that thing in our local bookstore every year but never looked into what it was.

 

My, that is terrifying! Eek! Not for me, thanks :lol:

[knit247]

You don't know what you are missing, LOL! My Mom bought us an Elf on the Shelf three or four years ago and we absolutely love him! The girls named him Timmy Thomas - for their Grandfathers - and get so excited each November when he shows up on the day after Thanksgiving. We really don't do a thing with him (none of the "He's watching you"-type stuff) except move him each night. And "yes", that was a pain to remember until I set an alarm on my iPod Touch. They love to search the house each morning until they find him - usually in a crazy location. Today he is sitting in a decorative glass on my desk!

 

For us, Timmy Thomas is five minutes of fun in the morning, period. We are truly much more focused on the real message of Christmas, but I see no harm in having a little fun while we are at it! Come on, Elf on the Shelf-loving people - I know you are out there!

[asta]

I've never heard of "Elf on a Shelf" but those elves (as in, that exact folded leg elf) are OLD. My sister's and I have had them since the 1960s. They used to have sparkly fabric bodies. We hung them from the tree.

 

 

a

[EarleneW]

You don't know what you are missing, LOL! My Mom bought us an Elf on the Shelf three or four years ago and we absolutely love him! The girls named him Timmy Thomas - for their Grandfathers - and get so excited each November when he shows up on the day after Thanksgiving. We really don't do a thing with him (none of the "He's watching you"-type stuff) except move him each night. And "yes", that was a pain to remember until I set an alarm on my iPod Touch. They love to search the house each morning until they find him - usually in a crazy location. Today he is sitting in a decorative glass on my desk!

 

For us, Timmy Thomas is five minutes of fun in the morning, period. We are truly much more focused on the real message of Christmas, but I see no harm in having a little fun while we are at it! Come on, Elf on the Shelf-loving people - I know you are out there!

 

I agree! We LOVE our elves! Ours just came today- the kids haven't even gotten up yet to see them! We have the Elf on A SHelf and they have individual Elf Magic Elves- The Elf Magic elves even come with a letter as to why they are here as well as a story about Jesus being the reason for the season and telling the kids to study their Bible verses, etc. It has been a great tradition for us! The ElfMagic elves are much cuter, but we love them all! It certainly dosn't take away from what Christmas is all about- but makes the days a little more fun for a few weeks!

[Mom22ns]

I read the book and never thought about it again, but Sunday at church a 7th grade girl that is in the class I teach was telling me how her parents read the book to her little sister. Then she found a santa with wings in their Christmas decorations and put it on the mantle. She was having such a fun time watching her little sister watch their "Christmas Elf". It seemed a little creepy, but very clear the family was having a great time with it.

[mom2denj]

We love our elf on the shelf here!:D

[hsbaby]

Yeah, I think it would have been creepy as a child to feel like a little elf was watching me all day:). However, I can see how it could be fun if you used it just as a little toy you hid each day.....without the whole stalking aspect. My bigger problem with it is the price.....$30?!?!? Am I the only one that thinks it is WAY overpriced?

[EarleneW]

Yeah, I think it would have been creepy as a child to feel like a little elf was watching me all day:). However, I can see how it could be fun if you used it just as a little toy you hid each day.....without the whole stalking aspect. My bigger problem with it is the price.....$30?!?!? Am I the only one that thinks it is WAY overpriced?

 

I got ours at Borderswith a 33% off coupon for around $20.

[patchfire]

I just think it sounds like a huge pain to remember to move the elf every night. I can't even remember the tooth fairy, and she only comes once in a while!

 

Cat

 

:lol: Me too!

 

Yeah, I didn't realize what the Elf on the Shelf was until just a few weeks ago, when I saw the commercial. I do find it sort of vaguely creepy, but we also tend to downplay Santa (not, I must admit, out of any desire other than, um, hello, I want MY kids to know *I* picked out the awesome gifts. :D )

[clarkacademy]

I have no clue what you guys are talking about. I am gonna go google it cause for whatever reason the video will not load for me.

[Word Nerd]

The hide-and-seek part would be fun, but I wouldn't do the report behavior to Santa bit because I think it's manipulative--unless everyone were in on the game and just pretending.

[Snickerdoodle]

I never heard of it.

 

I must be dense, but what is it? I looked at the commercial but can't figure out what they are trying to sell? A book?

[plansrme]

Lighten up, Elf Haters! The Elf is one of our favorite parts of Christmas. He leaves notes, he plays tricks, he makes messes, and all of my kids look forward to seeing what the elf did the night before. A few days ago, he invaded the school room and changed all of their assignments. "Peter the Great" became "[insert Elf's Name Here] the Great." He left elf graffitti on the chalk board (e.g., "Elves Rok"--elves are bad spellers); he added his name to my 7 yo's spelling list and inserted units on Elf History in the history schedules.

 

Another night, he set up the Scrabble board to play with a pair of penguins. The board was all Christmas and elf words. His score was 12,367; the penguins' was "less than 12,367."

 

We love our elf. And FWIW, for your $30, you don't get just the elf; you get the beautifully-illustrated book as well.

 

You're just a bunch of elf-hating scrooges. ;)

 

Terri

[Snickerdoodle]

I have no clue what you guys are talking about. I am gonna go google it cause for whatever reason the video will not load for me.

Thank you for saying this. I was beginning to thing I lived under a rock. Not having a television does that to you sometimes. :tongue_smilie:

[clarkacademy]

OH wow I have one of them lol. Well he is sorta like it but he is oooollllddd As in my mom remembers him sitting on their mantle. Maybe he is not exactly an elf on a shelf but he has the little folded legs and cloth body like that. She gave him to me years ago along with all my childhood ornaments and some family type stuff that came from Germany from some great grandparent. I never thought he was anything more than a decoration. Never thought he was watching either. The whole Santa watching was always just a funny growing up something in songs pretty much. I had never had an elf watching but then again I was the child who firmly believed that the toys may come to life and kill us all someday so that is a good thing. I think my children would just laugh at me. My younger son would probally try to interogate him cause well he is weird that way LOL. The whole childhood toy thing comes from a horror movie some idiot let me watch as a child, I was scared too death to mistreat my toys or even play much with them after that. I love scary movies love them. I am the child who grew up with Freddy and Jason but man when those dolls came alive and started killing people well that scared me too death. I still think this blond cheer doll I had was out to get me man. She used to stare at me. Took me weeks to get up the nerve to tie her up, put her in a box and up in the attic. Years later we packed and moved to FL and when mom was unpacking she found that thing and brought it in my room. Look what I found your old doll. I was well into my teens and I thought she was gonna kill me even then. I made my mom promise to take her away that very day lol. Well hope everyone gets a good laugh at that one. So I guess my elf will stay a decoration or maybe I need to go box him up. Freddy and Jason they were scary but they had nothing on those dolls.

[katemary63]

I don't necessarily think it's creepy, but I do think that it is way too much "Santa". I would much rather focus on Advent and talk about Jesus every day than talk about an elf that is 'watching you'. :001_huh:

 

:iagree: We "do Santa" but I wouldn't take it that far either. And yeah, it's a bit creepy.

[Giraffe]

I wanted to do it this year but DH nixed the idea - apparently something similar creeped him out as a child and he's pretty sure the Elf will do the same to DD (they are of like minds on most things). I can see his point. Oh well.

[katemary63]

Lighten up, Elf Haters! The Elf is one of our favorite parts of Christmas. He leaves notes, he plays tricks, he makes messes, and all of my kids look forward to seeing what the elf did the night before. A few days ago, he invaded the school room and changed all of their assignments. "Peter the Great" became "[insert Elf's Name Here] the Great." He left elf graffitti on the chalk board (e.g., "Elves Rok"--elves are bad spellers); he added his name to my 7 yo's spelling list and inserted units on Elf History in the history schedules.

 

Another night, he set up the Scrabble board to play with a pair of penguins. The board was all Christmas and elf words. His score was 12,367; the penguins' was "less than 12,367."

 

We love our elf. And FWIW, for your $30, you don't get just the elf; you get the beautifully-illustrated book as well.

 

You're just a bunch of elf-hating scrooges. ;)

 

Terri

 

Okay, well, this does sound fun.

[Michele B]

I have never understood why Christians would tell their kids (year round) to be good because Santa (or a creepy elf) is watching! What about Jesus?:confused:

[Michele B]

I can see the fun of hide-and-seek, but we do that with the wise men from our nativity set as the wise men journey toward the creche for Epiphany.

[clarkacademy]

That is such a cute idea I never thought about that. You are so creative.

 

I can see the fun of hide-and-seek, but we do that with the wise men from our nativity set as the wise men journey toward the creche for Epiphany.

[Rivka]

Lighten up, Elf Haters! The Elf is one of our favorite parts of Christmas. He leaves notes, he plays tricks, he makes messes, and all of my kids look forward to seeing what the elf did the night before. A few days ago, he invaded the school room and changed all of their assignments. "Peter the Great" became "[insert Elf's Name Here] the Great." He left elf graffitti on the chalk board (e.g., "Elves Rok"--elves are bad spellers); he added his name to my 7 yo's spelling list and inserted units on Elf History in the history schedules.

 

Another night, he set up the Scrabble board to play with a pair of penguins. The board was all Christmas and elf words. His score was 12,367; the penguins' was "less than 12,367."

 

We love our elf. And FWIW, for your $30, you don't get just the elf; you get the beautifully-illustrated book as well.

 

Okay, now that sounds fun.

 

The part where people hold over their kids' heads the threat of potentially losing Christmas presents if they misbehave... less fun.

 

We do Santa here, but there is no blackmail involved. Santa brings toys to children whether they're "good" (although I'd say that all children are good) or not.

[Margaret in GA]

Lighten up, Elf Haters! The Elf is one of our favorite parts of Christmas. He leaves notes, he plays tricks, he makes messes, and all of my kids look forward to seeing what the elf did the night before. A few days ago, he invaded the school room and changed all of their assignments. "Peter the Great" became "[insert Elf's Name Here] the Great." He left elf graffitti on the chalk board (e.g., "Elves Rok"--elves are bad spellers); he added his name to my 7 yo's spelling list and inserted units on Elf History in the history schedules.

 

Another night, he set up the Scrabble board to play with a pair of penguins. The board was all Christmas and elf words. His score was 12,367; the penguins' was "less than 12,367."

 

We love our elf. And FWIW, for your $30, you don't get just the elf; you get the beautifully-illustrated book as well.

 

You're just a bunch of elf-hating scrooges. ;)

 

Terri

 

To each his own. I'm not here to judge you. But, I never understood why people make leprechaun traps at St Patrick's Day and go to all sorts of trouble leaving glitter around, etc. when the Tooth Fairy visits, or rabbit tracks around the house at Easter... just seems like so much effort to lie to your children and more sadness for them when they discover the truth. My own kids were devastated enough when they found out Santa wasn't real.

[Pretty in Pink]

I was unaware of the "watching you" aspect of it until I opened this thread! I thought you were just supposed to hide the elf every evening after the kids were in bed and let them find it the next morning.

 

I'm too cheap to buy the real Elf so we just use a little snowman figure instead. We don't do Santa and our snowman isn't watching us. It's just a game that the kids enjoy each morning.

[Heather in OK]

Off to find the Sting/Elf video!

 

Michele ~ ITA with you. Love the nativity idea! :)

[LaissezFaire]

To each his own. I'm not here to judge you. But, I never understood why people make leprechaun traps at St Patrick's Day and go to all sorts of trouble leaving glitter around, etc. when the Tooth Fairy visits, or rabbit tracks around the house at Easter... just seems like so much effort to lie to your children and more sadness for them when they discover the truth. My own kids were devastated enough when they found out Santa wasn't real.

 

:iagree: We do Santa and the like but I don't make an extra huge deal out of it. I love traditions but I have a very hard time lying to my kids so I minimize it enough that they do not ask a lot of questions. And I am with the poster who said she likes her kids to know that she picked out the gifts. Sometimes it's hard to save money all year only for the kids to think that Santa just brought the stuff. A bit selfish I know but it is what it is.

[Crissy]

You're just a bunch of elf-hating scrooges.

 

Terri

 

Now that's the holiday spirit, Terri!

[Lightly Salted]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ78McxRI6w

 

I know what you're supposed to do with it and all...but...I just don't get it. It's all just really creepy and weird to me. *shrug*

 

I've always thought that as well :001_huh:

[Lightly Salted]

I can see the fun of hide-and-seek, but we do that with the wise men from our nativity set as the wise men journey toward the creche for Epiphany.

 

friends of ours do that ... and every year I wish I had remembered to do it, too :tongue_smilie:

[ScoutTN]

My in-laws gave us one and we used it one year. Now it's in the box. I haven't had the emotional energy to get rid of it yet.

 

We are Christians and it seems to us that the elf is really the opposite of the true meaning of Christmas. God gave his Son because we are not and cannot be good. That is the whole point!

[Slartibartfast]

Elf on shelf creeps me out. Even if someone bought me one I would not put it out.

[Slartibartfast]

Yes, I think it's creepy. I think the youtube video of the Elf on the Shelf commercial re-scored with Sting's Every Breath You Take is funny, though. :lol:

 

 

That was hilarious!

[Melora in NC]

Well, at least now I know what it is! (I've seen a mention here and there, but didn't know what "elf on a shelf" was.) As a decoration it is kind of cute, but the idea that it is Watching You, and that it Moves in the Night is definitely a little creepy. Too me. But then, when I was a little girl we read "Santa Mouse" every year and Christmas morning there were always little packages in the tree tied with yellow ribbon (Santa Mouse's trademark!). Dh is squeamish about mice, or I might easily have continued that tradition with my kids!

[Cricket]

A friend of mine bought it for her daughter. It freaked out her dd so bad that she had to get rid of it. She was absolutely terrified by the notion that the elf moved during the night. She was so afraid he was going to come into her room at night. She is also afraid of the tooth fairy. My friend was upset with herself afterwards wondering why on earth she thought her dd would like it. :lol: Poor girl!

[AngieW in Texas]

We saw an Elf on the Shelf commercial while watching something on tv (Macy's parade maybe?). All three kids promptly declared it extremely creepy. I thought it was pretty creepy too.

[Leola]

I find elves creepy in general, so I have never embraced this tradition. Yes it's creepy!

[clarkacademy]

Lighten up, Elf Haters! The Elf is one of our favorite parts of Christmas. He leaves notes, he plays tricks, he makes messes, and all of my kids look forward to seeing what the elf did the night before. A few days ago, he invaded the school room and changed all of their assignments. "Peter the Great" became "[insert Elf's Name Here] the Great." He left elf graffitti on the chalk board (e.g., "Elves Rok"--elves are bad spellers); he added his name to my 7 yo's spelling list and inserted units on Elf History in the history schedules.

 

Another night, he set up the Scrabble board to play with a pair of penguins. The board was all Christmas and elf words. His score was 12,367; the penguins' was "less than 12,367."

 

We love our elf. And FWIW, for your $30, you don't get just the elf; you get the beautifully-illustrated book as well.

 

You're just a bunch of elf-hating scrooges. ;)

 

Terri

 

OK OK you so have given me the idea of what fun this could be. I kinda took a bit of your idea so I figured I would let you know that. They had a blast this mosring I even blogged about it if you wanna read. Yes I think this will be a cute little thing to add at Christmas. My 6 year olds face just lit up!!! Thanks for the idea so I hope you don't think I am an elf hater lol. Merry Christmas