morningxmorning Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 We have one. A friend gave it to us last year. My then 5 year old loved it. My husband and I would move it to a new location in the house every night and every morning my DS would go nuts looking for it. I was unpacking some Xmas stuff last night and found the box, so I put The Elf on top of the piano. When my son wandered past and saw it he started screaming "It's BACK! He's BAAAAACK!" It was kind of funny, I knew he liked it but I wasn't expecting such enthusiasm. After he calmed down,he said to me "Mommy, we are really going to have to start watching our behavior." I told him we could help each other. Later he starting wondering aloud about the mechanics of the thing and decided that The Elf was in fact a robot camera that transmitted data to Santa. I can see why some people find it creepy and to be honest, I never would have bought one myself but the kids really like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morningxmorning Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Question: How did your Elf arrive? Just show up one am? Our did. A friend left it wrapped on my doorstep with a note addressed to my son. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acorn Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Question: How did your Elf arrive? Just show up one am? Our family had a wrapped present under the tree that was just the box and picture book. We read the book and acted disappointed that it didn't come with the elf like it should have. It took the kids about 10 minutes but then they found the elf hiding in the tree. That year he stayed until New Year's Day. Since then he appears the day after Thanksgiving on an obvious shelf. Our elf never makes messes, we have enough of those already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 In my quest to learn more about Elf on a Shelf, I found this blog post - The Second Annual Inappropriate Elf Contest. Too funny and I had to mention here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Awww, you're just crabby 'cause the Vols suck this year. But at least they're not anti-Jesus. Now Bama, on the other hand, I think we can agree that Bama is anti-Jesus. Terri I get grouchy if the Vols lose because have to live with DH afterwards! He says he doesn't care anymore. Yeah, right! ;) We need to have custom smileys so I can make a Vols one! They are so pitiful this year! But tomorrow is another day.... I don't really have a dog in the SEC fight. I'm an ACC girl myself, just married to a Vol! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrookValley. Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 "The elf on the shelf is watching you, what you say and what you do. . ." Add me to the creepy camp. No offense to anyone who likes it, just not my thing. Plus I don't like that it extends the focus on Santa even more. :iagree: Same here. I think it's creepy, and we don't do the santa thing. Besides, if we did have one, I would just find it in all sorts of, um, compromising situations around the house--my husband would have a field day with that. :glare: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 Okay so we bought our elf today. I was surprised to find one in a little local gift shop in this rural town. But I did. We also put our tree up and the kids have no idea that an elf will "appear" while they are asleep tonight. DH and I love tricks like this so it should be fun. He's the type who wants to sprinkle glitter everywhere when a tooth fairy visits --so should make for a fun month. Also just wanted to add this: we do Santa, tooth fairy, Easter bunny---but my kids know it's not real. They do however know it's all in good fun. It's called---imagination----- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Runningmom80 Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 I hate elf on the shelf....because from now until Christmas instagram and facebook will be full of the pics of what all the elves are doing. :laugh: Enough with the elf swimming in the cereal bowl already! Or zip lining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted December 1, 2012 Author Share Posted December 1, 2012 I hate elf on the shelf....because from now until Christmas instagram and facebook will be full of the pics of what all the elves are doing. :laugh: Enough with the elf swimming in the cereal bowl already! Or zip lining. yeah that's how I discovered it. "Why is everybody posting pics of this ugly little elf?" But I see the appeal and I hereby solemnly swear i will not post a FB picture about it. I can't speak for my dh however. Swimming in cereal? Is it washable? I haven't opened our box yet. I want to have fun with it, but i don't want a huge mess. Wet elf doesn't seem very appealing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gentlemommy Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 We don't do the elf guy because he's kinda scary to me, but we do the Naughty Nutcracker. It's not tied to Santa, because we don't do that either lol. They know its mom and dad that move him, but it's still fun for them and they get a kick every morning racing around trying to find him and his mischief. In fact, this thread is a good reminder to have the NN arrive tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Researcher Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 We don't do it. Call me a grinch or a hold out, but I find the elf watching our every move kind of creepy. I also find the whole idea too high maintenance and have no desire to bother with it. Our DS has a friend over tonight for a sleepover and the friend mentioned this. This must be something they do in their house because the friend goes on to tell my DS that if he leaves crackers and milk out tonight, the elf will show up in the morning. Oh well, we don't have gluten or dairy in the house. I guess that solves that issue. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 We don't do it. Call me a grinch or a hold out, but I find the elf watching our every move kind of creepy. You do know that he's just a toy elf, right? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Also just wanted to add this: we do Santa, tooth fairy, Easter bunny---but my kids know it's not real. They do however know it's all in good fun. It's called---imagination----- Excellent point! Your kids don't have to "believe" and you don't have to "lie to them" about things like Santa. You can still have a lot of fun with Santa and the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy without them seeming to be "real." In our house, I flat-out lied to my ds. He loved every minute of it. And now that he's older and doesn't believe in all of that stuff any more, he's perfectly fine with it, and wasn't the slightest bit traumatized by finding out the wicked truth about Santa and the Bunny. I think the way you do it at your house is the perfect compromise between pretending it's all real, and not doing Santa (or whatever) at all. With your way, you still get to have all the fun, even if you don't want to feel that you're lying to your dc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Researcher Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Dh said today that the elf was preparing children to live in a police state where the government is always watching. He was kidding, of course... mostly. :lol: This sounds like something my DH would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Researcher Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 You do know that he's just a toy elf, right? ;) Shhhh, let's just go with creepy. Then, I won't have to tell my kids when they're older the REAL reason mom didn't do the elf thing.....it's too much trouble and I would forget most nights. I can see it now: scrambling around in the early am, franticly searching for a spot to place it, decorating the scene while trying to sip coffee, and trying desperately to not spill coffee on myself or the newly staged scene. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walking-Iris Posted December 2, 2012 Author Share Posted December 2, 2012 Okay success. We left the elf and the book under the tree last night and my kids noticed first thing. We read the story and talked about the idea and they are into it. I think by the end of Dec it's going to get funny. My Dh is bursting with ideas. Honestly, I like this idea. It brings some child like fun to the adults lives. They just found out today that a friend just got an elf yesterday too. And my dh showed them a pic of a friend's elf toilet papering a tree. My oldest ds gave me a weird look and I said "play along. It could be fun." And he smiled and said "okay." All morning every time my Kinder goes near the shelf he says, "don't touch it or it will go away." My oldest is old enough and witty enough to appreciate any odd gags my dh and I think up. My 2 year old has been yelling, "don't touch the magic" all morning. Anyway. I'm not worried about finding time to do it. I'm a night owl and my DH is an early riser. It can be as elaborate or simple as we like. I also think it depends on the kids personality. The friend I mentioned said that her ds was a little nervous about it. If a kid is scared of the idea then obviously it won't work. Mine are not scared of things like that however. I can see how some would find it creepy. I think I'm going to like it. And I didn't find the book to be too bad. Not quality literature, but it helped my kids understand the purpose. And they liked that the elf brought them a "gift." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 It kind of loses something if you've never done Santa. Not necessarily. We don't do Santa (at least not in the traditional sense), but I I think it would be fun to have an elf who mysteriously appears one day and moves around the house doing wacky things (but not making messes!). I would skip the book and the creepy "he's spying on you for Santa" explanation entirely and just make it a fun, silly thing like a running gag. I may even wait until after Christmas and bring it out when I have the winter blues and am counting the days until spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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