For those of you who don't know,"Elf on a Shelf" is a kit you buy that comes with a little elf that sits--yep you guessed it--on your shelf. The idea is that this little guy or gal (you can get a girl elf too), comes to you your home sometime before Christmas and keeps an eye out to make sure everyone is behaving before Santa comes. Every night the little elf flies back to the North Pole and gives his report to Santa. Then he or she flies back to your house and takes up a new position to continue the watch.
Your kids get to name the elf and the elf comes with a story book that tells the elf's story. Its a chance to start a new family tradition. Your kids can have endless fun getting up each day to find the elf. They can record the day the elf came into your home.
At least that is the vision created by the box. The reality is a little different. Let me enlighten you:
First off, the cost of this kit is about $34.99 at least that is what I paid. I paid this because I was in a bookstore without the kids, I was drinking Starbucks, the store smelled like vanilla, Christmas music was playing. I had visions of cozy family time and new family traditions (See my previous post to see how my visions and reality rarely match). I thought it was adorable and I was excited to see how the kids would react.
Then I opened the box.
The "Elf" is basically a toilet paper roll with felt and a plastic head. Its eyes are painted off to one side and he (ours is a boy) has a creepy smile on his face. I placed mine on a shelf in the kitchen and wanted for the kids to discover him. I didn't have to wait long.
I don't know if I believe the creators of this thing really had this as a family tradition as it says on the box. In fact, I do not believe the so called creators of this thing have ever met a child. I see nothing that tells parents how to field the questions the presence of this little guy raises. Here is how I spent the first day we had our elf:
"Mom why did Santa send us an elf and not my friend? Are we bad?"
"How can he watch us when his eyes are painted and looking sideways?"
"Why can't he talk to us?"
"Will you stay up and watch him leave?"
"What if I am asleep and he leaves then I get up in the night to go to the bathroom? Will I see him?"
"Why can't we touch him?"
"Why is he touching himself? Why is he holding is legs like that?"
I managed to spin some yarn about Christmas magic and if the elf is touched then he has to leave and never come back. We read the story and the kids seemed to get it. After a few hours of not walking in the kitchen cause they were afraid of the elf, my kids slowly came around. We even named our elf Robin. The kids talked about all the places Robin might be and they would get up each day to find him. They went to bed that night and right to sleep "So Robin won't hear us playing" I was pretty happy with my purchase.
The next day, the kids excitedly got up and started their search for Robin. They found him on top of our living room blinds. My son was quick to point out "That's not a shelf" however he seemed happy to have Robin with us. For that day, my kids were on their best behavior. My oldest told his two sisters to be good because Robin is watching.
Then I made a grave mistake. I placed Robin on a bathroom shelf. I told the kids Robin was in the bathroom because it was bath night and Robin wanted to see how they behaved in the bath. My kids interpreted this as "Robin can't see or hear us today cause he is in the bathroom" We had to leave the bathroom light on all day so Robin wouldn't be afraid of the dark. The kids were absolute toads because in their minds, Robin couldn't hear them.
Day three and Robin was on top of the China cabinet. But with his flimsy legs the only way I could get him to stay was to wedge him amongst the feet of another stuffed animal I had up there. My son was quick to notice that Robin probably again could not hear what was going on because he had his ears plugged. The kids also played for most of the day in the rec room--outside of Robin's field of vision.
By now you may be starting to guess how I feel about our little house guest. In case you are still wondering, let me share some tips that I have learned in the short time we have had our elf.
1. Make sure you keep the elf out of the kid's reach. If they touch him, its game over. Also avoid putting the elf in kids bedrooms unless you want to deal with nightmares from the creepy elf.
2. Make sure you have an explanation for why there are elves on shelves in every store you go into. Or avoid shopping with your kids. You don't want your kids figuring out that the elf is something you can buy in a store (kinda takes away from the magic of Christmas, now doesn't it)
3. While you are busy putting the elf up high so your kids don't reach it, make sure whatever you do that the elf does not fall from that spot. You don't want your kids traumatized for many Christmases to come.
4. Remember to move the elf each night, or be prepared for a thousand questions about whether or not the elf made it to the North Pole and back again. (Personally I like the bad weather explanation). This elf is turning into more work than I would have hoped--just what us Moms need--more work at Christmas.
5. Don't constantly remind your kinds that the elf is watching. It creeps them out and they just move out of earshot and eyesight anyway. When I was a kid, my parents told me to be good because Santa is watching. Santa is always watching. Hence that whole naughty/nice list. I had imagination enough to come up with an explanation for this without needing a constant visual reminder. I had to be good everywhere because Santa always knows. No matter how much I tell the kids Robin can see and hear them, if they have decided that he can't, I got nothing.
Should you get your own elf? Its up to you. I am all for family traditions. Personally I think you crafty types could probably make your own elf or make up your own story about how Santa knows if you have been naughty or nice. If you have one of these little guys or gals please leave a comment either here or on my facebook page and tell me some of the places your elf turns up. I could use the ideas.
As for Robin, well, he can go Elf himself.
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