Elf on the Shelf?

We never got involved in the Elf on a Shelf scene. Seems way too creepy for us, and way too much work.

Just thought it would be interesting to see what level people are at as far as being involved in this tradition.

Re: Elf on the Shelf?

Oh yeah we have an elf, reindeer, elf pet

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As I said in the other elf thread, NOPE! This is one tradition I refuse to start. The holidays are magical enough without that creepy elf.

Re: Elf on the Shelf?

We started it when DD was like 3 years old and in the terrible 3's. We needed something to try to keep her in line! LOL
Now that we started it, we can't stop. And all her friends do it too so forget it.

It's basically I move it around from shelf to shelf. I don't do anything creative. I have no time or patience for that- especially during the holidays.

Some nights- especially in the beginning when we aren't in the habit yet- I forget. I have been known to jump out of bed at midnight to go move it or wake up, see it in the same spot and BOLT to move it before she wakes up.

We dont' start until Dec 1st or so- less time to worry about it.

Elf on the Shelf?

No way. It would give me nightmares.

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Yes and I hate the stupid thing. I always forget to move it and I never know where to move it. I don't really do anything creative and I never understood how people do (you know bathroom sink on the table with crap all around it) my kids would touch it how do you use the sink then someone told me they told their kids only parents can touch them or they us tongs all too much for me to put effort into it

this is why we don't bring her out till december 1st or later.

The only reason why I started it was because my parents (really my dad was the one to do it) who has my nephew on the weekends decided to get one for their house so natuarally I got asked about ours and had to bring one in.

I didn't even know the story behind or how you are supposed to name them I just gave it name

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When DD asked me about it when she was 3 i said we dont do that in our house and she accepted that. Now when ever she sees the elf stuff she's like that's the thing you dont like and I like am yup. Of course if she ever has a conversation with her friends she would probably ruin it because she would just say my mom didn't want to do it...she's 6 now...

Elf on the Shelf?

No thanks! I find the whole situation of having to lie about Santa, the Easter bunny, tooth fairy, etc so uncomfortable. I have no desire to add to the list.

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I got it this year, Hailey will be 5 in Feb and Jillian will be 2 in Jan.

Neither one cares about it. I havent moved it since i opened the box.

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I just don’t get I?t. Santa is enough for us. I think it’s a genius marketing thing... but when I was little, a neighbor used to move a giant stuffed bunny around his yard every night and The idea of I?t moving scared me.

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Elf on the Shelf?

Nope...DD doesn't even ask about it and I refuse to buy one.

Elf on the Shelf?

I don’t do it. I barely have time to keep us all alive let alone try to move a dam elf around my house.

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We do it. My SIL had gotten one for DD when she was 2. I just move her (Mrs. Tinselton), to a different place every night. I actually love how happy and excited she gets trying to find her in the morning. And it's a good way of getting her out of bed to get ready for school.

Re: Elf on the Shelf?

We started it in 2011 and it’s a fun tradition for us! They look for him the night after thanksgiving (yes even my almost 9 and 7 year olds bc it’s fun!). l move him every day and have a cool scene about 1x a week. We just went to kalahari and l put him “surfing” on the ironing board with the kids bathing suits, took me 3 mins and they loved it! But l love Christmas (really all holidays!) so l have fun with it.

Elf on the Shelf?

I don’t like the idea of the elf, so I never bought one and didn’t want to introduce it in our home. A couple years ago, DD got a knock-off elf (it’s green, but the same concept with the velcro hands) at a christmas party in a goody bag. So now it comes out every year when we open up our decoration boxes. Sometimes we move it around at night to a different spot just to be funny. But I don’t do those elaborate setups, DD doesn’t even look around for it every morning, we don’t do it every night and I don’t use it as a behavioral consequence.

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Yes, my kids love it and get so excited to see where the elf is hiding each morning!

Elf on the Shelf?

My SIL got for DS when he was 2 and then she got DS the reindeer pet when he was 4. I never understood why the elf was mischievous. Isn't it there to watch the child to make sure they're behaving? I felt it sent the wrong message to report to Santa the child's behavior but then pull pranks. Plus, I ain't got time for that sh!t. I just move it around each night - if I forget a night I just tell DS that the elf really liked that spot. :D

Elf on the Shelf?

We do it. Started when dd was 3, this will be our 3rd year doing it. I just move it from place to place each night. I don't do any super creative things with it. Although last year I overheard dd asking her elf for a pogo stick. She didn't even know I was standing in the doorway and I could hear her. So we found a toy that's like a pogo stick, but for younger children and had it set up to look like the elf brought it for her. She was soooooo excited that the elf heard her and brought her what she asked for. Now this year I'm just hoping she doesn't ask it for anything crazy

Eta
I hate having to come up with new places to move the elf each night, so I try to hold off on the elfs arrival until about a week or so before Xmas. I've seen some of my friends have already started up with it this year. I wouldn't want to have to do it for a whole month. But when the elf is here, dd is always so excited to find him each morning.

Message edited 11/30/2017 8:48:48 PM.

Re: Elf on the Shelf?

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Love it and fully embrace it from an annual North Pole Breakfast to welcome our elf back to creative setups every day.

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Elf on the Shelf?

I think it is way too creepy—my nieces have one-when my dd asked why we do not have one I told her it was because he would scare our dog- which would be totally true if the creepy thing moved on it’s own- my dog would have none of that

Message edited 12/1/2017 12:14:27 AM.

Re: Elf on the Shelf?

We do I.T

The kids love I.T! They run out every morning to see where he is

We don’t do the magic of you touch him thing though

He’s just a friend of Santa’s here to spend the season with us

Yesterday he made a parachute out of my son’s undies lol

Elf on the Shelf?

No way.