Elves on Shelves

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There are a couple of things I really don’t enjoy about this time of year. There are a few songs that really should not be played even though they generally pass as Christmas songs.

There is one “timeless” tradition (the book was originally published in 2005) that seems to have sprung up almost over night, because someone figured out how to really market it. Elf on the Shelf. You have to have the official elf sold by the official Elf on the Shelf people or it doesn’t count. And then you have to drive yourself absolutely bonkers moving the elf around every night and making it get into all kinds of mischief all over your house. And if you really want to get into it they even have outfits you can buy for the elf to wear and its pet reindeer to add to the merriment.

Now, I’m sure there are people who absolutely love this whole elf thing (see Pinterest). And that’s just fine. The tradition of hiding an elf does exist in many families. I know that my grandpa had some elves made out of yarn that sat in inconspicuous places during the Christmas season. They’d been around for a long time. And the story is told of my uncle on the other side of my family who found a similar elf that my grandma had put out and beat it up explaining that it wasn’t going to tell on him to Santa.

So putting out little elves is probably a tradition. But that tradition did not involve as much planning and mess as the people on Pinterest would have you believe. Maybe we could go back to just putting the darn thing on a shelf and leave it at that.

What’s your opinion on the elf? Creepy and excessive or cute and fun? (Clearly I’m biased, but it’s my blog so I can do that.)

7 shared thoughts about Elves on Shelves

  1. Brett says:
    2 people giggled

    If you dislike the elf, it probably means you have a guilty conscience. :brett:

    Reply
  2. Mama g says:
    Giggle

    I like elves. At our house they our found on shelves, beds, corners, wherever. But once they get put some where, they stay there. I made one for my sister in law because I know she likes them. Her mother says that she has seen it wink at her.

    Reply
  3. Whitney says:
    Giggle

    We got one on sale and he is currently in a closet on a shelf, HA. Next year we will bring him out, but I might go with the good Elf ideas I’ve seen floating around where he teaches kids to do service projects throughout the month. I don’t know, people definitely get crazy with him!

    Reply
  4. Denice says:
    Giggle

    I am in the dark ages — I have never heard of them.

    Reply
  5. HeidiAphrodite says:
    Giggle

    I do not like Elf On The Shelf. Neither does my sister. So we’ve invented Christmas Ghost. Christmas Ghost lives in the fireplace and is in league with Krampus, the devilish German punisher of bad children. Christmas Ghost is kind of like a poltergeist, and moves or ruins things if children are bad. So if something breaks, we can say, “Christmas Ghost, no!” He was created with much hilarity one night, and will no doubt amuse us for many years, to the bafflement of others.

    Reply
  6. Giggle

    Definitely a vote for creepy and excessive here. Mostly excessive.

    Reply
  7. Michelle Christensen says:
    Giggle

    It actually sounds fun, but my kids are too old. I’m sure I’d miss most days.

    However, I did hear a recent way to alleviate your stress. Wrap the elf’s foot in a bandage with a note that says he broke his foot and has to stay in one place for two weeks. 😀

    Reply

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