Elf on the shelf KIT?

[cricketwife]

Has anyone purchased an elf on the shelf kit from Etsy? Or somewhere else universally available?

My boys are 7 and 9 and the older one for sure knows Santa/elf etc aren’t real, but they both really enjoy the antics of the elf.  I feel like I’ve run out of ideas and energy and wondered if a all-the-mental-load-is-done-for-me-kit might be a good idea for us this year?  They are $$$ which I don’t mind if they are worth it.  We are trying to spend more on experiences than things and this fits that category in my mind.

I’d love to hear recs or warnings!

Thanks!

[VillainV]

I haven’t, but I’ve seen them advertised, and for sure would try one if C still believed this year.

[thebreakfastclub]

Just based on my own child, I would not invest money in the Elf at those ages. He's rapidly approaching irrelevance.

[luckystar2]

I probably wouldn’t buy something. Can you just do a google search for ideas? There are tons of sites that will just list out a bunch of ideas. That way the work is done for you. I totally get the draw of taking out the mental burden! But I often just used website for ideas. I’m sure you could find a website with enough ideas to get you through the season. Or you could ask on here! I’ve been doing the elf for years and have done so many different ones. My dd is 15 but we still hide the elf just for fun since it’s part of Christmas now for all of us.

Also most of the things I’ve done didn’t require spending $ so that’s why I wouldn’t want to really spend it on the kit. Find some free ideas and use the $ for Christmas presents or fun extras you can choose that go with elf (like every year our elf brings dd a special ornament).

[cricketwife]

Oct 29, 2023 8:38:46 GMT -5 luckystar2 said:

I probably wouldn’t buy something. Can you just do a google search for ideas? There are tons of sites that will just list out a bunch of ideas. That way the work is done for you. I totally get the draw of taking out the mental burden! But I often just used website for ideas. I’m sure you could find a website with enough ideas to get you through the season. Or you could ask on here! I’ve been doing the elf for years and have done so many different ones. My dd is 15 but we still hide the elf just for fun since it’s part of Christmas now for all of us.

Also most of the things I’ve done didn’t require spending $ so that’s why I wouldn’t want to really spend it on the kit. Find some free ideas and use the $ for Christmas presents or fun extras you can choose that go with elf (like every year our elf brings dd a special ornament).

Yeah, I mean, that’s what I’ve always done. And I feel like I’ve done all the easy ideas, lol…plus as many “hard” ones as I care to. Our elf does a mix of bringing treats, doing antics, and just hiding in different places and I can do that again, if I don’t do a kit. 

[icedcoffee]

I don’t think they’re too old. Even if they “know” it’s still funny. I don’t have any kit recs but dollar tree often has mini doll accessories and lots of people buy them for their elf on a shelf.

Search “dollar tree elf on a shelf” on Pinterest.

[cricketwife]

Y’all are killing me! Googling ideas and searching on Pinterest is what I’m trying not to have to do and thus the kit! 🤣🤣🤣

[pandorica]

Oct 29, 2023 14:12:36 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

Y’all are killing me! Googling ideas and searching on Pinterest is what I’m trying not to have to do and thus the kit! 🤣🤣🤣

I'm laughing with you, if I did Elf I would for sure fork over $$ to have someone else do the work for me. Having the props provided and not having to figure anything out every night seems like a big win!

[VillainV]

Oct 29, 2023 14:12:36 GMT -5 cricketwife said:

Y’all are killing me! Googling ideas and searching on Pinterest is what I’m trying not to have to do and thus the kit! 🤣🤣🤣

Exactly. The kits I’ve seen advertised are like $50. For $2/day, I’ll gladly pay for someone else to prep and assemble supplies so all I have to do is execute.

[Pilsy]

I don't do Elf on a Shelf, but if I did and wanted a kit for the daily scenes, I'd try this shop.

www.etsy.com/shop/ElfinAroundKits?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=1280289555&from_page=listing

[sparty04]

Sometimes people sell their used elf stuff on fb marketplace. Might be worth a look when you have some free time.

[lilac05]

Oct 29, 2023 8:25:47 GMT -5 thebreakfastclub said:

Just based on my own child, I would not invest money in the Elf at those ages. He's rapidly approaching irrelevance.

Neither of my kids “believe” anymore…but we still have fun with the elf. (It’s low pressure, though, because they don’t freak out if it doesn’t move.) If I had some slush money and didn’t want to Google ideas. I’d probably spend the money. However, I feel like those kits would often result in more work for me, not less, compared to the super simple things I usually do.

[hermione]

My 10yo still believes whole heartedly. I am assuming that will change very soon. Regardless, I don't buy a kit but i do buy some fun props - i.e a Kenough sweater for this year, an elf size Jersey with her basketball number on it in school colors, etc.

[thebreakfastclub]

I suppose it's very kid specific. My son is sensitive to anything that seems little kid to him, so he'd not really want to play along.

As with all holiday things, I'd only do it if I personally enjoyed it.

[jamaicam]

you could try and sound out the 9 year old to see if he wants to help with the elf duties?

[Bad Dingo]

Oct 30, 2023 8:29:20 GMT -5 hermione said:

My 10yo still believes whole heartedly. I am assuming that will change very soon. Regardless, I don't buy a kit but i do buy some fun props - i.e a Kenough sweater for this year, an elf size Jersey with her basketball number on it in school colors, etc.

Please tell me where you got an elf kenough sweater!!

[hermione]

Oct 30, 2023 10:26:58 GMT -5 Bad Dingo said:

Oct 30, 2023 8:29:20 GMT -5 hermione said:

My 10yo still believes whole heartedly. I am assuming that will change very soon. Regardless, I don't buy a kit but i do buy some fun props - i.e a Kenough sweater for this year, an elf size Jersey with her basketball number on it in school colors, etc.

Please tell me where you got an elf kenough sweater!!

Etsy!

[devonpow]

We had a kit we got on Amazon - my DS2 was INTO our elf. In fact one year he cried so much over Whizby leaving we had to do a whole thing where we wrote to Santa to ask if he could stay through new years, lol. Anyway, the kit we got included suction cups, a zip line, a sled, a sweater, and some random props. It was cute, my kid loved it, I say go for it.

[waverly]

I'm in the why not category. Or AKA throw money at the problem. Would I do it personally, maybe not, but I think I did look into them, but mostly we just move it around and it never really does "fun" things other then sitting in a weird place. So if the Elf had a history of doing more fun stuff then maybe I would.