This is a little bit of a rant...so please forgive me but it's been driving me nuts.
When the Elf on the Shelf first came out, I thought it was ridiculous. Why would you buy an elf to get your kids to behave? But after seeing different things on facebook and pinterest with the elves in hiding places and what not, I thought ok - my kids would probably have a lot of fun with this.
So, Zolly arrived last year and has been a lot of fun for the kids, and hubby and I have fun finding different places for her to hide.
So if I am happy with our elf - you are probably wondering about the rant? Here goes - what really bugs me is when I hear parents complaining about the elf and they have to do this and have to do that. Well - you don't HAVE to do anything. No one is forcing you to have an elf. If you do have one, I can only assume that you bought it, therefore it was YOUR choice to bring it into your house.
No one is making you find funny places for your elf to hide, or making you come up with cute things for them to do (angels in flour/sugar, marshmallow baths etc) that is all a choice you are making. If you don't want to do it - then don't do it. If you haven't introduced the elf, nothing says you need to. If you have, then the elf could always leave a note for the kids that they were needed back at the North Pole early and won't be returning - it's completely up to YOU how it plays out. So decide what you want to do for your family, and stop complaining about it.
That's my rant
I love Elf on the Shelf. I love the creative situations people find to put the elf in. It's pretty comical!
ReplyDeleteme too!
Deleteso true! We actually started our elf about a week or two into December this year because we found the whole month was just too long for us. but that's the great thing about it, we get to decide right? we dont go crazy every night thinking up schemes for the elf either, we just move him to a new spot and maybe once or twice while he is here he does something a little silly. the kids still love it and it's not overwhelming for us!
ReplyDeleteI was just starting to run out of good places, so am glad that we didn't start any earlier than we did!
DeleteWhat?? The idea is to get them to behave. Drat! I missed the whole point of this exercise then. I just thought it was a quirky little weird doll and it totally creeps me out. How is it that this is the only post I have read that explained that to me. Usually I just see pix of him being a dope - like wrapping the toilet in wrapping paper. I don't have time for that mess. But creative behavioural manipulation tools!! I am all about that! Jeez. May need to get one of the little creepers after all. (I can't shake the feeling he might kill us all in our sleep. Like Chuckie.)
ReplyDeleteThat is the concept - the elves "spy" on you during the day and fly back to the North Pole to report to Santa at night..... we don't really use it that way, but every once in a while the boys will do something and then say "uh oh, Zolly was watching"
DeleteWe don't do it but I forward ideas I see to my friend who does. It's just one more tradition that you can choose to take part in, or not.
ReplyDeleteexactly! it's completely up to you! I am sure your friends are thrilled to get new ideas!
DeleteI'm enjoying the antics of the elves that I've been seeing online, and I love hearing about how involved the kids are getting with the elves. This is such a fun Holiday tradition.
ReplyDeleteJenna
The idea is neat, but that doll creeps me out too much. I don't want one in my house. :P
ReplyDelete